Spring has officially arrived in Denver and it’s time to get back in the saddle. There are many good tools and programs out there, so do some research and find the one that works best for you and your horse. Below are some general tips to help you get your horse back into riding shape.
- Plan to spend 4-8 weeks getting your horse back into shape depending on how long he had time off during the winter.
- Note: horses start to lose muscle mass after two weeks of no work.
- Start slow and do lots of walking.
- Warm ups and cool downs are very important; you can use a combination of straight lines and circles at the walk.
- Build in speed work slowly, with only a few minutes in the beginning then returning to a walk. Gradually you can add more time as your horse becomes more fit.
- Always start with a walk, and then go to a trot before adding the canter or faster gait work.
- Watch your horse’s reaction to the speed work; only add more time when you horse is recovering wel.
- If he’s huffing and puffing, don’t add more time in the faster gaits.
- If he’s breathing ok and heart rate recovers quickly, then you can start to build in more time at the faster gaits.
- Increase the time gradually, add a few minutes and build up from there.
- Hill work is helpful, but not required. You can do the fitness programs in a flat arena.
- Good programs to follow are:
- Polo Pony 6 week fitness programs
- Endurance Riders fitness programs
- Olympic Riders, like Gina Miles, have good fitness programs as well
- You can also add rating to your fitness program. Rating is where you start at one speed in a gait, then increase the speed of that gait; examples are extend the walk, trot or canter, then ask your horse to come back to the original rate.
Fitness keys: don’t over stress your horse. Watch your horse’s breathing and heart rates and allow him time to recover. Only push him further when he can handle the existing work load. Warm up and cool down time is very important, don’t skip these steps because they help to avoid injuries. Don’t forget about yourself, the rider, you need to get back into shape too!
Holistic Tips: ensure you horse is physically capable of work. Have him checked out by your vet for a wellness exam. Include a dental exam and chiropractic session to ensure your horse is in proper form. Additional body work of acupuncture, acupressure, massage, and craniosacral can be helpful as well. Don’t forget saddle fit! An ill fitting saddle will hinder your horse being able to get back into shape.
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