Your horse is quirky to ride after..

[skydancer]

Just wondering how long you can leave your horse unworked before he/she turns into the devil - my horse - one day!

 

[Megibo]

i said 2+weeks but it depends on madams mood, i've left her a whole winter, popped on back into work and she's fine. the misbehaviour doesnt start until she is fitter!

 

[Lolo]

To go well Reg needs working at least 5 days a week. But when Al gets on after his 3 months off he'll be fresh but not particularly whappy...

 

[dilbert]

Depends I think. My two live out 24/7 and do plenty of nonsense in their field but are generally good to bring back into work, again its when Frank is feeling fit and healthy (very rarely) that he can be a bit daft but nothing over the top.

 

[LeannePip]

I'm pretty lucky with my 3 YO, she can have weeks off and take her in the school and she can still be good, a bit goby and forgets any schooling she has, but she's still good, if you take her hacking on her own she's a saint! but god forbid you take her hacking with any other horse, she turns into a little hooligan and don't even think about taking her near the x-c field!!

 

[ISH_lover]

My lads fine if left for weeks on end, its when he's fit the problems start

 

[Phoebe+Sophie]

Sophie needs work to keep her healthly and mobile but mentaly she doesn't need it. However she is a cheeky bugger who will try and nap/be naughty anyway. Will can go about a week before he and my mum boing round the countryside.

 

[starryeyed]

One of mine unfortunately turns into a bit of a psycho if not ridden daily. The other two, a couple of weeks and they both get a bit spooky / "lets go!!" but nothing crazy like the first one.

 

[WildRider]

The longest I've gone with my boy so far is about 8 days. He doesn't get naughty if he's not ridden, but if he goes a coule of days without, he starts to get moody and irritable to handle - nothing nasty, he just gets very bored if not worked. The moment he starts being ridden again, he gets very chilled!

 

[splash30]

Mine gets quite fresh after having 2 days off in one go anymore then its a definite lunge before I sit on;-)

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Can leave mine days or not - doesn't make a difference...

But to complete the OP's words:

'My horse is quirky to ride after...

.....a jogger has silently shot up behind us

 

[Shantara]

Ned can be left for ages (I've known him left 2 weeks+) and not change a bit...but take him out hunting? He's in hunting mode and hyper for the next few days!

 

[PingPongPony]

well, i don't really know. I have been riding her regularly for 5 days per week and just recently little madam decided that she is gonna do the opposite of what i ask of her and if i ask her something she doesn't like, she'll rear, but she's jumping better than ever! shes had saddle, teeth etc done, i think i've just been way too soft with her and let her get away with a bit too much i shall begin to fix that after christmas but normally, when she's in a good mood, 4-6 days

 

[rowy]

2-3 days off with my mare and you can feel the difference- high speed trot around the arena! Saying that, if you leave her 4 weeks with no work there is often no hyperness and shes like normal to ride.

My 4 year old doesnt matter how many days you give him off, hes fine. The only difference is he's usually naughtier in the field- running around and doing acrobatics, if hes not exercised and usually a bit more on his toes when hacking.

 

[welshcobmad]

My boy was out of work due to pollen allergy April - Oct, got back on & he's fine but seriously unfit! lol With him just depends on mood & what he's doing he's a jumping boy & adrenaline junkie so after a canter/gallop he gets joggy. Hoping we can find something to stop/help the allergy this year so I can ride all year round.

 

[3Beasties]

My TB Ex-racer can have weeks off and then not be much of a problem when I get back on. He had 8 weeks off one summer and he was fine for the first few rides but did get a bit spooky as he got fitter.

 

[JFTDWS]

One of mine is "fun" after 2 days off. The old lad you can leave him for months and he'll be as well behaved as ever, but with a much more enthusiastic canter

eta - that's when hacking out alone only. Schooling / jumping / hacking in company they'll both remain pretty similar to normal!

 

[muddygreymare]

Mine is quite nutty anyway, but even after just 2 days off she's worse! I think I just own a hyper horse!

 

[BombayMix]

When I bought my last horse who I sold (no fault of his own - I'm just too old now to be enthralled by winter horsing!) he had not been ridden for 8 months and couldn't be more perfect when I just got on him - he was superb for what I wanted as if I was busy and didn't have time for riding I could leave him a couple of weeks nd not worry about getting on him the next time!

 

[monkeybum13]

Madam had 6 weeks off, got on and she was a dobbin.

She can be crazy at times but she knows when to behave and was brilliant to bring back in to work.

 

[rhino]

I can hop on mine after 8 weeks box rest and go out for a nice relaxing hack, he is nothing if not consistent (and consistently good, which is fab )

Makes absolutely no difference to him

 

[foraday]

Can't give mine 1 minute off!

Friday it was horizontal rain after the farrier came, now you would think super event pony would be happy in his bedroom staying dry!

Big mistake!

He goes on hunger strike!

Get frantic phone call from YM first thing in the morning super event pony hasn't eaten his supper from 10pm nor his brekkie!

YM takes temp after a lot of hassle and indignant looks from super event pony.

Turns out he has the hump and has gone on massive hunger strike

Eats in the field though and has lunch ok and haylage

Turn up and ride and he's a nut job! 1 mile extended trot without brakes and this is after gallop up mile hill as well!

Had to ride today as well where because no one on the roads he decides to explore and go and find his girlfriend which he believes lives near by (she used to be on our yard and then she moved to the next road approx 1 mile as crow flies)

She visits weekly where they hack together and are happy

 

[glamourpuss]

My old lad 2 days & if I want to ride in the manège then I have to lunge first or I'm picking myself up off the floor. Our hacking though he's fine.
The young lad is ok after a break, pretends he has forgotten EVERYTHING but reasonably sane.

 

[JustKickOn]

I didn't vote as it depends on the weather, what mood she is in, if she is in season, how much work she did in her last session..

 

[Oldenburg]

My old horse Thomas you could leave him for weeks and you could stick your gran on and he would walk down the road as cool as :0) Larry a couple of days and Paddy is just a devil anyway!!

 

[Foxhunter49]

My horses are fine to ride if they have any time off. I am not talking about them being shut in for days on end but, having time off.

In the summer they all get a couple of months off (Hunters and NH horses) I get them up from grass, have them shod, slap their tack on and ride them out with no problems.

I would expect a horse that had stood in for a week because of a problem, to be slightly fresh, as in spooky or keen but would not allow it to mess around. They are taught that manners are priority regardless of how they are feeling.

 

[fidleyspromise]

i said 2+weeks but it depends on madams mood, i've left her a whole winter, popped on back into work and she's fine. the misbehaviour doesnt start until she is fitter!

This.

If she gets long period off, she's fine when I get back on. When she's fit, i can't leave her for more than a couple of days without her being silly (at one point, I couldn't even give her one day off).

She's always been out 24/7.

 

[whisp&willow]

whisper was off work for nearly 2 years- as she was in foal, and then i left her to be a full time mum! i weaned at 8 months and gave her a few months to build herfelf back up, as the foal had taken a lot out of her.

got back on, and it was as if she'd never been on holiday! what a gem!

 

[Super_Kat]

Months, even years........ They're quirky horses anyway but its never anything nasty and they know they'll get a bitch slap if they do something really out of line.

 

[MrsMozart]

With the Dizz it always depends on what mood she is in

Could not ride for months, as has happened when I got damaged and D1 had too much on with her own neds, plus I didn't want her too fit when I did get back on , and she is fine and a superstar

Could leave it for two days and she's an arsey witch

Good job I love my horse