Too much work?

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shadowboy

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I brought my boy back into work at the end of last month and was doing just one hack a week due to lack of school/daylight etc etc. Anyway I'm on half term and I rode him monday, yesterday and today and was wondering if it would be too much to ride out tomorrow?
Monday's hack was just 30 min all in walk. Yesterday was about 45min and a mix of three paces over the common on his own. Today was about an hour all in walk (was riding out with a 10 year old girl on her little pony + her mum)

He's rising 4 and NF. He's midly overweight hence me bringing him back from his winter hols to work as I was worried about Laminitis!

Or I could give him a couple of days off and ride on sunday?
 
Ride him every day if you want to. But you must build up the type of work slowly. So personally I wouldn't be cantering, but working in walk for a few weeks, then adding some trot work, then canter.
 
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I'd personally wait until Sunday. You could perhaps 'play' with him in the meantime? Do little excercised in the arena in hand for fun?
 
Hiya I don't have an arena or empty non boggy field hence not riding during the week. I'm changing yard on the 24th to somewhere that has got the school for such activities. Hence why I'm limited with fearing weight off. He already has straw/hay mix in his nets overnight
 
if it is mostly in walk then i can't see a problem, they walk round the fields all day grazing- it isnt exactly strenuous on the joints and tissues. Obviously very young but I can't see it doing any damage.. if you think about the actual possible consequences
 
Depends on what you want him to do. For example how much roadwork is in there? I'd be cautious about too much concussion in an unfit horse on a hard surface, as that can also trigger laminitus. He's young, keep it steady, you can still do basic schooling whilst riding him out. Focus on how he is going rather than going faster. A good walk walk with him using himself will help tremendously towards fitness & weight loss. If bringing him up from nothing I'd expect to walk for the first 6 weeks, & that's with doing more than one piece of work a week. Totally understand your problem, I also don't have a school or field to ride in. He's not even 4 yet.
 
Ah. In that case I don't see why a ride out would be any problem. For some reason I had visions that he was getting schooled too. At his age you just need to ensure he's enjoying what he's doing.
 
amymay said:
Ride him every day if you want to. But you must build up the type of work slowly. So personally I wouldn't be cantering, but working in walk for a few weeks, then adding some trot work, then canter.
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As above. If he was already fit, I'd allow a day off, but as he is being brought back into work, then gradual work every day, IMO, is better. It's not as though he has done hours of strenuous work over the past few days.
 
Thanks for the replies. It's really hard tossing up lami and overworking him! The canter on the common was vet short, I just wanted to know of he was confident doing it out on his own. He's not fit but he's not completely unfit either but is carrying about 20kg more than needed coming into spring
 
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