What to do with horse?

[mystiandsunny]

I'm stuck at home recovering from a bad concussion (car accident). My horse is a TB, and a chestnut mare to boot. She needs regular exercise and was just ready to compete after a couple of years full of problems. Now how do I keep that readiness for a couple of weeks without being able to ride her?

I have someone who schools OH's horse for me - but who my horse HATES for no reason whatsoever, she's a good rider, but my girl refuses to be told what to do by her, flattens her ears and even when made to, submits with very bad grace, ears flat back and face like thunder - and that's only when asked to trot in an outline, something she ALWAYS does without being asked for me! So obviously, getting this lady to ride her for me isn't going to work out.

Other than her, there's no one else who can even get her on the bit (and she only has to be asked gently!). OH can keep her trot/canter fitness up, but has joint problems so rides from his seat only, and her head goes wherever. He will also lunge/freeschool her if needed. I'd pay someone if I knew of a person who'd be ok, but no luck there. My best friend has offered to take her to the show she's booked into this weekend, so that's sorted, but she has her own horses and can't exactly come up and ride mine reguarly as well.

Would she be best just lunged/freeschooled and jumped that way? Would it be better to leave the riding altogether or get OH to ride her? I'd just got her really responsive and ready to roll - this is sooo annoying!!!

 

[saskia295]

What kind of competition do you have planned for a couple of weeks?

I mean, if you're doing one class at a show, the fitness level will be different to that if it is an ODE for example.

Is your horse living in or out? If she is turned out regularly or lives out, her fitness shouldn't drop too much in a few weeks.

I would lunge/free school, but not too much as you might both get bored. Can the woman that rides your OH's horse long rein your horse at all? That way, she'd be in a bit of an outline and your OH can do the canter work?

 

[Daphnelia]

I don't have the study to hand, but research has shown the horses do not loose ANY of their fitness for 10 weeks.. Lecturer told us during my Equine Sports Performance degree. Apparently it's very well documented. So in theory, you should be ok to just let her chill for a few weeks without any detrimental affect to her fitness..