what happens to the horse if you don't ride for 2 weeks?

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eva

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Hi all you lovely knowledgeable folk,

I'm facing 2 weeks of absence from this country and I don't want anyone to ride my 5 yo PRE while I'm away. He will still get daily turnout, so his horsey life is the same, only minus the riding. What theoretically happens if you leave the horse without work for 2 weeks? Do they lose muscle tone? Do they forget a lot?
On the other hand, could it do any good for them?

I vowed to bring some matchy matchyness with me when I'm back to make up for my absence :)

Thanks everyone.
 
They generally get a bit muddy and a little fatter;)

Longer than you're looking at but I gave toby almost 2 months off over the winter (due to 2ft of snow and whatnot) and started him back in work last week. He's lost quite a lot of fitness and was sharp and silly the first day but settled back in to normal within two days.

I've found they're usually keen to work after a short break. They've lost any staleness and any slight stiffness or twinges and are ready to concentrate again. They're often fizzy and sharp the first ride but lunging them the day before and before the ride usually solves that. After two weeks I found they've not lost much fitnees at all - it starts to fade after a month or so.
 
He will be fine! Plenty of us couldn't ride for probably longer than that when we had the snow.

I work full time, so mine doesn't get ridden Monday to Friday during the week in Winter. He doesn't forget anything & couldn't care less whether he is ridden or not.
 
I think a short break does them good too. I do find after a longer time off, such as a month or two out of propper work they forget some stuff, but they pick it up again soon enough. Ours has just had a week off riding and probably only been schooled once in a fortnight before last night but the past 2 days he's been brilliant, much more willing to work. Bit like a different horse. His belly has grown more unruly though! :D
 
Eva hun, he'll be fine. As others have said, you might find his girth a little tighter when you get back and lunging before you ride might be an idea in case he's overly full of beans, but otherwise, he'll be the same horse you left x
 
I don't think that they forget anything. We freguently give our horses and ponies long breaks. Our ponies that show have all winter on holiday and some of them have breaks to breed foals. When we bring them back into work most are tacked up and hacked out out staright away with no problems, the longest one mare had been out of work was 5 years and I hacked her straight out. Some of them are lunged for a few days before being ridden.
 
I didn't ride for 2 months over the hard bit of winter. First time I got back on LC, he bogged off with me twice (nothing unusual), thought about bucking, gallopped out of the indoor school..with me on him..then with a friend on him..then alone cos I accidentally dropped the reins while holding him, then he gallopped around the indoor school flat out for about 10 minutes while I tried to stop. Then eventually he stood in the corner sweating buckets and thought about going again but decided he was too shattered. First hack out the next day, he bogged off, spun, napped and generally spooked at every little thing around.

BC my YOUNGER more sensible boy...first time rode him in 2 months, he plodded around abit, stopped to see if there was a food reward for being so good. Then did a bit of trotting when I asked, cantered very nicely when asked and then decided he was tired and stopped.

So pretty much both of my horses were absolutely fine after time off, both reverted to type the instant the saddles went on...LC was insane and BC was Mr Perfect. :D
 
Well I turn my competition horse away over the winter, usually for 3 months (last year because of the snow he was off from October until March!) - and he has never forgotten anything. Yes, he lost a bit of muscle but not too much as he was turned out 24/7 which I think helps. 2 weeks off is nothing - your horse will be fine! I think it definately does horses good to give them a break.
 
He'll be fine. All ours had about 4 months off last year due snow. My then 4 year old came back almost a hand bigger, sound (we thought there was a touch of OCD) and really keen to work. Was a godsend so really unphased by the 2 months off this winter.
 
wow guys that's really encouraging! it sounds like 2 weeks off is almost a must have now :) I'm off with complete peace of mind, yaaay!
 
Mine are in light work really because of uni and regulary get 2 weeks off here and there. Havent been ridden since December now. Not really worried, Toffee might be a bit on edge hacking (its all she does) but she will calm down after half a hour.

Samba will actually be really good as she learnt a lot in 2 months so the rest has prob done her good.
 
They will probably enjoy themselves, and put on a bit of weight! It does them good to have a break every now and again, and although they might have a bit more energy for the first couple of rides after time off, they shouldn't forget anything!

I got on my old fella after not having ridden him for a couple of years the other day (bareback and in a headcollar) just to walk him up to the house, and he remembered it all bless him!
 
nothing.

i coldnt ride mine for a few weeks due to sore mouth (teeth)

and she was fine :)

just gave her a lunge before i go ton and she was fab :)
 
I don't mean to hijack this but what if they can't get turnout or ridden for two weeks? Will it be harder to bring them back than what you say about if you don't ride them?

Sorry for hijacking! Just thought it was relevant! *scurries away*
 
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