Programme for bringing horse back into work

[Stella2]

I'm bringing Flora back into work after 6 months of being turned away due to lameness. I discussed the plan with my instructor last week and understand that the way to go is lots of walk to begin with, nothing smaller than a 20 metre circle (where I am there isn't really hacking, but its an Equine rehab centre, so the best place for managing her health problems). I was advised to 'play it by ear', but that generally its reasonable to build-up to 30 minutes of walking by the end of the 2nd week. 5 days into the 1st week, having been doing 10 minutes a day, I thought I'd try 15 minutes, but she really felt like she was flagging, so I stopped after 12 minutes. She has lost all her topline and feels very weak. She often offers trot as if she thinks it might be easier.

I just wondered what sort of programmes/plans other have work to and was it sometimes two steps forward and one back according to how the horse felt?

[jenren!!]

Yes it does take time. I bought my horse in the same state. She had a ligament injury and after all i could do was walk her when i first got her. I walked her for about 10-15 minutes most days, then the second week i increased it up to 20 minutes and the third week i was walking for 30-35 minutes with short spells of trot, then increased the amount of trot until i was trotting her for about 5 minutes in about the 5th week, her injury was not a massive one, however she had lost all her muscle so it was quite a slow process. Do what you feel is right. You're the only one who can tell how much time she needs for each stage and if you feel she still feels weak, stay in walk for 10 minutes until she feels stronger. She will be developing her muscles all the time even in walk, and she will find it hard at first, take your time, it will be worth it in the end :)

Jenny

[Miriam]

Best of luck with her. Hope to see her again when she is well or before :D I'd listen to her and take things as slowly as she needs to


Still need to meet the new one. I've met all the others cant leave her out.

[Lgd]

Takes around 12 weeks to get them reasonably fit again.

Starts with 4 - 6 weeks of walking building up to an hour a day for at least 5 days a week. As she has been out and about in the field, you should be able to do it over 4 weeks (6 weeks is usually reserved for box-rested naglets). Try and do at least some of the walking on firm ground - even if it is just walking down to the gate and back. Work up to 30 minutes over 2 weeks then add 15 minutes per week after that.

Week 5 - start to add in trot, straight lines only to start with, so trot the long side, walk the short side, trot the long side etc. Once up each long side on each rein the first day, if there is no reaction do 2 minutes of trot on day two and add a minute a day. Short bursts with lots of walk in between. Once you add in the trot you can knock down the overall ridden time to 45 minutes a day in the first week.

Week 6 & 7 - if she has had no reaction, start to trot round corners and ride large circles. Keep adding a minute of trot each day until you get up to a maximum of 20 minutes. Once you get up to 20 minutes total, start to make each session of trot a little longer e.g. instead of 2 minute trots, aim for 4 x 5 minutes in trot. Always do at least 10 minutes walking at the beginning and 5 minutes walking at the end.

Week 8 - 10 - Introduce the canter in the same way you did the trot. Take the canter time out of your trot time, overall walk time should stay at 25 minutes. You can start introducing some small leg yields in the walk at this stage, plus 15m circles in trot.

Weeks 11 & 12 - Introduce small leg yields in the trot, she should be fit enough by now for you to do some sitting trot. Use these 2 weeks to start building up her suppleness and introduce the techinical work and more collected paces.

If at any stage she is struggling or becomes a bit sore, just slow down a bit. This is just a rough guide, some horses may take less, others may take more to become realtively fit. It will probably take at least 6 months to get her fully muscled up and back to where you were.

[Stella2]

Thanks all :)

LGD thanks for taking the time to write all that, its just what I need. I'll print it off and work to it - whilst varying it according to how she responds :)