Surely I don’t need to do a week of in-hand walking?

[Shinx]

My horse has been out of proper work for over six months, and we've only done light hacking since and nothing in the last two months. I want to get him back to competition fitness, but slowly and safely.

I found a ten-week fitness programme on horse and country TV for "field kept" horses. The entire first week is just daily 20 minute walks in-hand. My horse is kept in a 20 acre hillside field with a half dozen other horses, and they're often galloping around and having a grand time.

Surely he's not so unfit that he needs the first week of in-hand walking? Or are there other reasons to do this that I'm not aware of?

If anyone has different recommendations for a tried and true fitness programme, I'm all ears!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Personally - and I'm gonna be honest here - I think you firstly need to get a vet-check just to be sure all is well and there aren't any nasty issues lurking; after that as long as vet is happy I'd suggest a physio or equine physiologist who could suggest a suitable fitness regime and give you some exercises too. And of course regular saddle, teeth & back checks etc.

The other thing I'd suggest is to get on some of the Endurance riders sites as these guys are mega-good at getting their horses up to fitness.

 

[j1ffy]

If you’ve done light hacking then no, I wouldn’t have thought so. I’m not sure 20 minutes of in-hand walking will do much more than pottering around in a field unless it’s to condition hooves for roadwork (I tend to do that with ride and lead) or if you do some focused in-hand exercises for the horse’s core and suppleness.

 

[rabatsa]

If he has been out exercising in the fields then I would start with short walks under saddle to condition his back and legs. Saddle fit can be problematic as what will be right now will be wrong in two to three weeks. This is where the old practice of using folded blankets came in useful. However the trick is knowing how to fold the blankets for the horse/saddle in front of you. This really needs showing/feeling not just a youtube video.

 

[Equi]

I doubt it is for the exercise. It is more to get the horse used to being back to work and in a routine, so they don’t have a melt down when you get back on board.

 

[gallopingby]

Personally - and I'm gonna be honest here - I think you firstly need to get a vet-check just to be sure all is well and there aren't any nasty issues lurking; after that as long as vet is happy I'd suggest a physio or equine physiologist who could suggest a suitable fitness regime and give you some exercises too. And of course regular saddle, teeth & back checks etc.

The other thing I'd suggest is to get on some of the Endurance riders sites as these guys are mega-good at getting their horses up to fitness.

An interesting reply and an equally honest answer! Is this what you always do or more of an idealistic answer. Are you suggesting that horses that have been turned away for the winter/for whatever reason other than a health condition, need a vet check and then an equine physiologist or PT which the vet will have of course had to approve, or are you one of the new brand of equine physiologists?
It seems that this horse has been turned out on 20 acres with some others so will have maintained some fitness, different if it had been on half an acre of flat surface,
A very long time ago when l was young we used to get the hunt horses fit by 2 weeks walking followed by introducing trot and eventually canter. This still holds good today. Endurance riders will follow a similar regime and as you suggest are good at building fitness to a high level. The key is consistency with increase in amount of time and pace as fitness develops with minimal arena or going round in circles!

 

[Shinx]

Thanks all, I will definitely be checking out the endurance boards -- that's a great idea! I also like the idea of in-hand walking as a way of reintroducing routine. It might also be a good way to introduce him to new routes? Although if we stuck to 20 minutes we wouldn't get very far!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have kept my horses out 24/7 for many years and due to working and having more than one horse etc. during the winter months some would only get light hacking a couple of times a week.

But as spring approached and I had more light hours in the day I would gradually up the workload by most often a lot of trotting up and down hills out hacking and just increasing the amount of that until I felt the horse was fit enough to up the quantity and quality of work.

I followed this regime for decades and never had the vet or physio or anyone else out to check them out first, why would I? Perhaps I was lucky but I never experienced any unsoundness or health problems in the horses due to this method of getting them fitter.

 

[ycbm]

When did horse owning get so complicated? Get on and ride. Don't overdo it.
.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't bother with in hand walking if his ok to just get on and hack, I would lunge mine first though because they will be fresh twits and its good to have a proper look at them moving from the ground.

I would however do some ground work in the school with poles and do some lateral work in hand.

 

[Julia0803]

ARTICLES

GETTING HORSES FIT FOR ENDURANCE (some notes by Jo Chisholm) There are a few factors that influence the amount and type of work that you need to do to get your horse fit for the level of endurance...

www.endurancegbsouthwest.com

Here’s some info from southwest EGB group, which was originally adapted from a trainer in South Africa (I think!).

Personally, I’d stick with 6w of walking, if your horse has done nothing for 6m. But marching not slouching along, and build up to 2hrs+.

You won’t regret going too slowly, but you might regret going to fast.

 

[SpotsandBays]

If it were me, I would incorporate some walk riding but also be doing groundwork sessions too within the first few weeks, so half sessions on and half unridden.

 

[cauda equina]

If the horse was doing light hacking until 2 months ago and turned out in a herd on a big hilly field since then I wouldn't expect it to be any less fit now than when it was last ridden

 

[Patterdale]

When did horse owning get so complicated? Get on and ride. Don't overdo it.
.

Exactly. I would do week 1 walk, 30 mins building up to 60 by Sunday.
Week 2 5 min trots by Thursday.
Week 3 long trots and uphill.
Week 4 start cantering.
Week 5 short bursts in the school.
Week 6 normal work.

But your horse probably won’t be as unfit as you think.

And I really can’t understand why you’d get the vet involved if it’s sound?

 

[Jambarissa]

Assuming he's sound and well enough muscled I'd personally get on and hack. That could include some short trots on grass to stave off boredom but 95% walk.

I'd begin suppling work on hacks too before going in am arena.

Endurance groups are very good for fitness plans but once he's heart and lungs fit I'd be looking for something more tailored to your discipline.

 

[Boughtabay]

I’m bringing mine back into work after about 8 weeks off and light work before that since the end of October. I’ll be doing ground work for 1.5/2 weeks simply because he’s a bit of a fruit loop until he gets into the routine if yours is quite quiet id be hopping on for short walks and going from there as others have said above!

 

[Snowfilly]

I’ve spent years getting horses fit from grass that had gone out in November when it got dark and were pulled in again in Feb when the nights got lighter.

They went out fit and sound, and came in a bit less fit but still sound. Walk for a week under saddle, build it up from 30 minutes to 1 hr, the introduce trot. Canter in the third week for a few strides and by the end of 6 weeks you had a horse who was fit enough for almost anything. Eight weeks to full hunting fitness from fat grassy bellied pigs in mud.

I’d never have a vet if the horse went out sound, and I wouldn’t bother with leading either. If it’s going to be a prat, you’re safer on top.

Slow build up also gets you fit, you might find your legs are aching at first!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

ARTICLES

GETTING HORSES FIT FOR ENDURANCE (some notes by Jo Chisholm) There are a few factors that influence the amount and type of work that you need to do to get your horse fit for the level of endurance...

www.endurancegbsouthwest.com

Here’s some info from southwest EGB group, which was originally adapted from a trainer in South Africa (I think!).

Personally, I’d stick with 6w of walking, if your horse has done nothing for 6m. But marching not slouching along, and build up to 2hrs+.

You won’t regret going too slowly, but you might regret going to fast.

The horse was hacking up until 2 months ago and his been turned out so walking for 6 weeks is more like a rehab from box rest.

 

[MuddyMonster]

If the horse was sound when he/she went into field holiday, I personally wouldn't get the vet first unless I had concerns. But I would get my physiotherapist (and ideally saddle fitter but I'm less confident at judging a really good fit of a saddle so it's my preference) to check over before sitting on for the first time.

Not because I want to over complicate things but I just feel I owe it to my horse to make sure he's as comfortable as possible in his work and especially before bringing back into work after a break, to make sure they didn't do anything silly in the field that I didn't know about.

I would probably start with leading but only as it's my preference to - I'm not sure there is a 'need' for it if they have been out 24/7

 

[Jellymoon]

When did horse owning get so complicated? Get on and ride. Don't overdo it.
.

Haha, exactly what I was thinking!
I would walk under saddle for two weeks, and build up from there.

 

[splashgirl45]

I’m afraid I am very old school , just get on and ride. Wouldn’t do in hand unless horse had been on box rest , just do mainly walking to start with and gradually increase, if horse not sound then get vet.

 

[Hackback]

I'm personally not a huge fan of hand walking in public places, eg roads, anyway. I feel safer and more in control on board.

 

[Horseysheepy]

Grab a copy of 'Getting Horses Fit' by Sarah Pilliner, if you can - page 7 onwards particularly!!!

There is a section especially for getting a horse fit from grass, aimed at hunters but very applicable to all horses and ponies and done the proper old way.

 

[Shinx]

@Ho Ho Horseysheepy, thanks for the recommendation, I'll look for it!

We actually did go for a walk in-hand today, more for the novelty of it than anything else, and I now suspect it's for the benefit of the (perhaps ever so slightly flabby) rider rather than the horse. We're in the hills and I was definitely feeling it about 20 minutes out! Walked for about an hour at a brisk pace and he was slightly nonplussed at first but then really enjoyed it. On the way back his mates started galloping around their field and he did try to get a bit prancy but came back to me quickly. I do see the value of walking in terms of ground work, not so convinced it's necessary for his fitness though!

If it's not pouring tomorrow I'll probably pop on and do the same route again. I'm not a passionate rider (I'm really not fussed if I don't ride for a month) so it's really helpful for me to have a schedule to follow so I can keep on top of it and not let it trail off. (If I wasn't like this he'd probably still be fit, tbh!)

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

My horse has been out of proper work for over six months, and we've only done light hacking since and nothing in the last two months. I want to get him back to competition fitness, but slowly and safely.

I found a ten-week fitness programme on horse and country TV for "field kept" horses. The entire first week is just daily 20 minute walks in-hand. My horse is kept in a 20 acre hillside field with a half dozen other horses, and they're often galloping around and having a grand time.

Surely he's not so unfit that he needs the first week of in-hand walking? Or are there other reasons to do this that I'm not aware of?

If anyone has different recommendations for a tried and true fitness programme, I'm all ears!

1 week jeeze I am on the 4 month of in hand walking for one of mine x 2 a day

 

[irishdraft]

I would just get on & start hacking in walk presumably you know your horse so when you think ok to start a short trot then crack on & build up. I wouldn't be hand walking or getting the vet or physio unless something appeared to be wrong xx

 

[First Frost]

I will be starting the fitness progress with my 20 year old,sound, healthy boy in mid February. He was turned away for the winter in mid November, before which he was competition (ODE's) fit. I have done this with him for the last few years, as I also have a young horse who needs working through the winter and takes up a lot of time - bless him!

week 130 mins hacking in walking, building up to 45 mins at the end of the first week.
week 2 45 mins hacking in walk building up to 1 hr by the end of the week.
week 3 1 hour hacking in walk with a short trot, building up to 1.25 hours by the end of the week.
week 4 1.25 hacking with 2 short trots building up to 1.30 by the end of the week.
week 5 I will introduce schooling and short canters
week 6 i will introduce pole work and small jumps
week 8 I will introduce jumping XC.

By week 10 he will be out competing again.

I usually have the physio in week 4 to see if the work has triggered any niggles.

This approach is pretty old fashioned I suppose but it's worked well for horses over the last 50 years!

 

[Esmae]

I'd just get on and get on with it. Several excellent pieces of fittening advice here.