Bringing a horse back into work

[Dan2808]

A bit of help from you knowledgable people please !!!!!

Looking into getting a horse, looking at few next wk, one of them is a 16hh TB gelding 10yrs old but has not done much recently other than the odd hack so has put on abit of weight, so needs bringing back into work to get fit again he also has not been clipped. He is described as a laid back easy ride suitable for a novice or an advanced rider.
How long should it take to get fit again?
How do I start bringing him back into work slowly?
Should I clip him it I do buy him or just wait as hes summer coat should be through soon?
If I start working him more would he be fit in time for summer as I would like to enter a few shows

Would really appreciate your help
THANKS xxx

[eventerbabe]

theres no reason why he won't be fit to do a few shows in the summer. the length of time it takes varies. my advice would be to spend a good 4-6 weeks just walking. start off with only 15 mins and build it up to an hour or so. this will give his muscles and ligaments time to loosen off and harden up. start introducing short trots and gradually build it up. try to get in some hill work aswell. don't clip. my two are moulting like mad at the mo. his summer coat will be through soon enough. i'd be dubious as to why he's been off work. i'd check that story out thoroughly. good luck :)

[Mehitabel]

depends how long he's had off, and why he's had the time off. if he's been lame and on box rest, for example, he'll lose more fitness than if he has just not been ridden and has been out - they do keep a bit of fitness just wandering round the field.

also, the longer he's had off, the longer it'll take to get him back to fitness, up to a point. once you get past a few monhts, then you're pretty much starting from scratch again, although rebuilding lost muscle is quicker than building it in the first place on a youngster.

sinced they say he's done the odd hack, presumably no illness problems, so it shouldn't take too long.

start off doing gentle slow hacking and basic schooling, then just build up as he finds things easier. you should be fine for summer shows if you get him reasonably soon.

[Dan2808]

Hi
Thanks for the advice.
He has not been ridden much due to a death in the family so personal reason such as not having the time, I think he has been just hacked once a week or so, by a family friend just to get him out abit, so he has done some exercise but not very much

[Pink's lady]

Yep,as they all said above. :D

Just to add, remember his back isn't going to be able to cope with too much work for a while. So just because, cardiovascularly, he's fit enough for more work, doesn't mean his back muscles will be. A gentle 40 min walk is perfect for the rest of his body, but a long time (initially) for him to have to carry weight.

I would try to do a bit of non-ridden work as well as ridden, e.g lunging. That will help get his fittness levels up without over doing it on his back.

Just saying, as a friend fittened up a TB last year, and he was back sore for a while, as she over did the time in the saddle.


It really all depends on how unfit he really is.

[Big Ears]

start walking out for 20 minutes a couple of times a day if you can, then increase it gradually and bring in trotting in a few weeks time.

the back muscles will be weak so you could try a little bit of gentle lunging to up the fitness, or walk in hand, but be careful with the back till they strengthen.

always finish when they are still going well, don't ask for too much, lots of little and often. you will get a feel with how he improves and as you extend the hacking out, you can ride a bit further, then get off and walk back with him 30-50% of the way so that you can extend your routes and both your fitness.

i brought a horse back from 3 years off (plus overweight) and the key is to always bring them back when they can still do a bit more and not sicken them by tiring them out too much.

[Dan2808]

He currently is being hacked twice a week mainly at a walk wiv a canter across a field on the way back home.

Would I still need to start off just walking for the first few weeks? as im not to familar wiv unfit horses which need bring back into work.

Thanks for your replies they are really helpful.. THANKS AGAIN x

[Big Ears]

most of the replies assumed he was not currently doing any work, which is not the case given your recent reply.

so it is a case of gradually increasing the frequency and duration and type of work to build up stamina and fitness.

[Pink's lady]

In that case. you can move up a gear a little.

If you'll be doing mostly hacking -

I'd ride him for about 30mins to begin with, in a forward going, energetic walk, and see how he copes. The walk needs to be forward going, with a good head carraige (not nose trailing on ground)

I'd then start introducing trots. Just short to begin with - a min or so, but build up to 5min+ (thats a LONG time to trot, believe me!). Also lots of hill work, incoperating some trot into it.

I wouldn't start cantering him until he's fit enough to manage a 5 imn trot. However, if your like me and my horses, and like to let off steam, I'd keep them short and give him plenty of time to cool down. That means not on the way home!

Schooling is different. If he's not used to it, he's going to find it hard work and mentally challanging.

I'd start off doing just 15mins, walk and trot, with goals in mind (e.g practising bending), then finish on a good note and go for a 15 min hack, just at walk.

I'd then start to introduce more trot, and a little canter and slowly build up form there. Think time scale of weeks.

If you make sure he's totally fit enough to do the work in the school, you'll fnd he'll get less bored and fed-up, and be more willing to co-orperate.

In theory, a horse can be fitted up to competition work in 6week. However, that involves riding every single day, and really pushing them. A time scale of 3 months is much more achievable, and more enjoyable for the horse. Which means you'll have him to peak fitness in time for all the summer shows.