Keeping your horse fit isn’t just about looking good in the field or on the yard; it’s crucial for their overall health and performance. Here are some some effective methods to boost your horse’s fitness in a way that’s both fun and useful to both your horse and you.
Ground work:
Ground work is vital. It is a fantastic way to build a strong foundation for your horse’s fitness. Ground work exercises, like lunging and long-lining, help improve your horse’s balance, flexibility, and strength. Plus, they’re great for building trust and communication between you and your horse. It helps build your horse’s core and in turn benefits all the soft tissues especially the back musculature.
Hacking:
As most of you will know we bang on a lot about the virtues of hacking over different types of ground. It helps build strength into muscles, ligaments and tendons. It also improves overall cardiovascular fitness. It only takes one week of not being ridden to loose 50% of fitness.
Hacking plan from completely unfit to event fit:
- Week 1: Hack for 20 mins in walk – on the bridle at least 3 times a week
- Week 2: Hacking time = 25 mins in walk as above.
- Week 3: Hacking time = 30 mins in walk as above
- Week 4: hacking time 35 mins as above
- Week 5: Hacking time = 40 mins as above
- Week 6: hacking time = 45 mins as above
- Week 7: (interval training) 5 mins trot (30 sec bursts) within the 45 mins
- Week 8: 10 mins trot (45 sec bursts) within the 45 mins
- Week 9: 15 mins trot (60 sec bursts) within the 45 mins
- Week 10: 20 mins trot (90 sec bursts) within the 45 mins
- Week 11: 20 mins trot (90 sec bursts) within the 45 mins
- Week 12: canter work can begin – total of 3 mins of canter (30 sec bursts) within the 45 mins of walk and trot work.
This type of interval training helps with overall fitness and helps to reduce the risk of injury. It also strongly mimics the behaviour of horses in the field.
Hacking can be done on any surface – roads, forest paths, fields if necessary. It has been shown that varying the footing you horse exercises on helps with overall fitness and dramatically reduces the risk of injury.
You will have noted by now that a school hasn’t been mentioned. Sand/surface schools have their place but they can also (if used too often) contribute to injury especially if you horse isn’t fit.
Before you start:
Other stuff that we often forget about (before bringing horses back into work) that should really be focused on are:
- Foot balance – no foot no horse is so very true – ensure that feet are regularly done by a good farrier even if your horse is barefoot.
- Saddle fit – this should be done every 3-4 months as horses are continually changing shape depending on workload and season
- Physio – a good physio is worth their weight in gold. They will help to maintain your horse and should see your horse at least twice a year.
- Dentals – teeth that continually grow need good maintenance. This should be done at least once every 12 months, but often need doing more regularly. This is dependent on the age of the horse and the food that it chews.
If you have any questions about this blog, we are happy to discuss it with you any time on 01782 898102. Til next time