how can you tell when a horse is fit??

[lamprellsarah]

how can you tell if a horse is fit?
i thought that if they didn't sweat as much this was a sign,
but my horse is schooled and hacked 4 times a week so i thought she was fit then i went out on a two hour hack with a very unfit horse that is only ridden once a month and he comes back only slightly sweatier than mine :(
she doesn't puff at all so i guess this is a good sign!!!
Also where does muscle show up and how can you tell if it is??
i look at her hind quarters and these are firm, but not filled out!!!
(but she does have big high hips)
she is no longer fat, but she is certainly not thin, i can just feel her ribs, but i don't want her to lose weight as she can drop it to easily (she's not a good doer she's a thourgbred x cleveland bay) and then her ribs will be showing.

[Somethingroyal]

Well you can look for muscle that will show up on the haunches and shoulders usually. Or you can just feel your horse. Is he laboring as you go? Is he energetic or droopy when u bring him back? The "sweatiness" of the horse cant really tell you much becasue some horses just sweat more than others do. If you really feel like you are sitting on a giant ball of power throughout your whole ride then that usually means that your horse is fit.

[katyptaty]

my boy is an anomoly to the norms of fit/unfit/fat/thin and although he is a good doer and is currently on a 'diet'.... he is still ridden 5-6 times a week, up and over hill and vale and in the school......

despite this he is still fat (or should i say - a little on the plump side), making everyone think he is unfit! SO not true - he can out hack all of the other horses, even the competition horses! he charges up hills and is only slightly blowy. It's ME who has to stop HIM!

He hardly ever sweats either - just a little under the girth if it's a hot day!

Even our head girl was surprised when she headed him up a 45 degree hill on a ride - no stopping him and he's only 15h3 and she's about 5'11 and well built! maybe it's the connemara in him! grim determination!

There should be definition on her hind quarters and the shoulders. I would ask someone's advice who will be able to see her. You will be used to her shape and will probably find it hard to tell.

Good luck

[floppy]

hmm the haflinger i ride has been classified tha laziness fatness horse of the neighbourhood...
but she is ridden 5times or more a week and only one of those days is spent ina riding school..the rest of the time she is out for minimum 1.5hrs on moutain terrain...very hilly. and every so often she is used for coach driving..hence she has a very powerful trot! no one believe sme that she has energy and when she wants to she can run as fast as the fastest horse int he stable..hehe


sweating doesnt really indicate that a horse is fit or unfit...its like humans...some really fit people sweat alot after excercise and some dont!

[EventPony]

I was just wondering if any of you guys that work your horses a lot, and they are still a little on the chubby side, if you have had them checked for thyroid (i guess an under-active one..).because Tiffany has that and she has to take medicine...and has a muzzle..lol..and shes still fat! but..just wondering!

[floppy]

well id iscovered today with a friend that if we stand about 10m away from teh fat haffie then she doesnt look fat and looks well muscly and portioned....its just when you up close she looks fat :D

[katyptaty]

i think CW is fat because of a few nights out in fields that had lots of lush grass in them!!! didn't help at all! it's now getting it all off and IT JUST DOESN'T WANT TO! bless!

when i stand at certain angles he doesn't look fat either, but then again i AM wearing rose tinted glasses when it comes to my boy!!!