what you do with your hunter/eventer ...

woodlandswow

woodlandswow

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...about holidays.. i have a 6 year old.. who i competed lightly this year (but want to do about 8 events next year with...)and while i was ill for a month he only got ridden 1/2 times a week..
i now am hunting him 2 times a month, but surely if he carries on until next october he will drop with exhaustion!
what would you do :confused::confused:?
thanks
 
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My boy was lame sept till oct, so has only recently slowly come back into work and i plan to compete him until oct, but will give him a 2 week break mid season :)
 
For some horses (especially those who take ages to get fit), I don't think holidays are a good idea, whereas for others they do seem to appreciate the break

My two hunters fit in to the 'take ages to get fit' category. Although are having a break now as I've given up trying to keep fit as too damn cold!
 
Nope - I had a 19 year old polo pony that could be roughed off and brought back as she was a super fit being!!

However another one who wasn't quite as active was better kept in work due to arthritis, so if you have any joint problems don't rough off (by which I means for weeks with no shoes type holiday, not just a week off!)
 
My eventer doesn't get a break, he did 8 BE events plus roughly that amount in PC one day's. If I gave him a break I would never live to see another day. He is bad enough as it, being ridden for 5 days a week. He is the type of horse that would not benefit from a break. He is also hard to get fit again. He hunts twice a month, just to ensure we don't forget our cross country skills over the winter and just to give us a little social outing.

It is at the end of the day what you think will suit him. 8 events isn't a huge amount either. :)
 
Ours are broken at 4, depending on mental and physical development may compete a little (not ness event) turned away brought in as five yearolds, nov/december time

They are normally competing by Jan/Feb and again depending on individual will go till Oct. Some may go cubbing. If not sold they get turned away and brought in Jan time with any eventers and crack on.
After that it depends on the individual most have a mid season break when I go on holiday etc. And from the start of cold/hot weather that means hard ground etc they have a couple of weeks break. Maybe 2weeks off then on the roundabout and walk hacks

8events is fair, I think its more how you plan the season and where your going etc. ours will do 2/3 weekends or events in a row then a couple weeks quiter. If we can't find an event we may go xc schooling etc.
 
My 15 year old Eventer/Hunter managed to have 6 monthes off this year, but normally around Jan/Feb (exam time - and around May/June) she has a quiet couple of weeks, just hacking, to just chill. She often comes back really nicely, and it really does her good, especially her flatwork. She is the super-fit type, and too much competition tends to send her over the edge, however too little and she becomes a complete cow!

My 5 year old seems to be having a unexpected break at the moment, the weather, slippy roads, and lack of school, have mean't she's being ridden a couple of times a week, walking around a field of long grass. All my plans have gone down the pan. She takes longer to get fit.
 
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