Podgy mare needs work out

[*Sez*]

I've just taken on a 16hh 24 year old ex racehorse, and to say the least, she's on the tubby side! When I went to see her for the first time, I actually thought she was in foal! She's not been ridden (prior to me) for almost 8 weeks, and she's really piled on the pounds. She still goes like a dream, but I'd like to know if there's anything I can do (apart from a lot of steady road and flat work) to help tone her up a little. I'm taking it slow right now, all walking and some trotting because the weather has been so wet, and she seemed out of breath today, which may have just been due to dusty hay (there's nothing medically wrong, because she was recently vetted).

[stephydoo]

i had the same problem with gymy he had had a year off and had the run of5 fields with a herd of cows.
we started with walking on the roads, the built up to trotting done a lot of hills and went to the beach a lot it seems to be working as he has already started to build up muscle and lose his fat belly lol
trotting poles are good for muscle and i just did a lot of hacking to fitten him up and get ready for schooling which im starting tommorrow