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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| Honest question so please don't jump me. Haven't ridden much since November but 16 yo gelding is turned out on 15 acres 24/7. There are 4 horses and they run & play everyday. I mean flying through the pastures chasing each other when one of them gets a whim. I read where people start with lots of walking and take weeks to leg them up after time off. But I'm wondering if that is for horses that are stalled or in small turnouts? When they are able to be active all day, is it still important to excercise them under saddle to keep in shape? |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
  
Location: Montana | Good question as I have been wondering about this somewhat too. My horses are turned out 24/7, not as big of a pasture as your's but enough they can get exercise. So here's a bump. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1273
Location: South Dakota | I have wondered that very same thing. Mine was out in an 80 acre pasture with hills. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| Speaking from my personal experience. As most of my horses have pretty much always been out 24/7. I feel like they are exercised pretty well to do a light ride. 30-45mins. Though I would feel them out lunging wise, just to see how fresh they are.
My gelding just finished training and went back to pasture board. Which is funny, because he was way more energetic and fresh all the time stalled. Where as now that he's back in the field consistently he's much more laid back and level headed about pretty much everything. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | Mine are not in any huge pastures but they are still out and playing every day. So when I start them back to work in the spring I feel they can handle some work. But keep in mind they might keep some muscling and lung capacity but they really are not using the same muscles in the same way that you are asking them to do under saddle. so you still need sometime to get that back. but just walking for several rides I just don't feel is necessary.
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Mine are out 12 hours a day, and I haven't rode much since November either. I'll start back with long trotting. Maybe 15 minutes the first, then 20 the next, etc. etc. I'll be OK with going to a barrel race with 2 weeks of solid riding. |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I'd start with long trotting and do it by distance if you have a way to clock it. I'd start with a quarter mile both directions, and an eighth loping both directions, then increase from there weekly. I would bet your guy is lacking some wind, but other than that he's probably not in too bad of shape. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i started back riding my one horse mid january (we had a nasty cold snap so she had a couple weeks off) i am aiming for a feb 1 jackpot, she is not hauling butt yet so i think she will be ok to go.............i usually like to have a solid 2 months, i started riding my other 2 mid last week, they wont be ready to run til end of april......and mine are turned out 24/7 with 1/2 a quarter to run in.........
m
Edited by mruggles 2015-01-26 11:54 AM
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I think it can depend on the horse, what they're fed, and what their turnout is like. My barrel horse has had off since Nov and had a lot of time off before that. I spent 20 minutes long trotting up and down hills and cantered some and he didn't break a sweat or breath hard.My two other geldings I just trotted on flat ground for about the same amount of time and they were breathing a lot harder. All three are turned out on a rolling pasture and run and play but the barrel horse gets a different feed from the other two. My plan at this point is to start adding more canter time and keep up the hill work. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| Thanks for the replies. He does get winded after loping steadily but long trots with no problem. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| I am loving this thread because I am in a similar situation. My 6 yr old gelding has been turned out since early fall. He and the other horses play, and run around as they please. I have put a few easy rides on him (walking, trotting). I will have his feet done very soon so he is standing up correctly. We will start loping this week and he will be entered mid Feb. If he were older or stalled I would prob take it much slower with him. I guess it depends on each individual situation. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| Great thread, I'm facing one with time off and back issues. He's now been treated and I rode him yesterday for the first time, and he felt great. No wind, but we'll get that. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | Our 4 have been out on only 3 acres. Not ridden consistently since novemberish. Ridden once or twice biweekly. But we have been free lunging for the past month. The "pasture" is mainly thick cinder sand. So it takes some work to get thru. Been doing lots of trotting and slow loping with a short breeze here and there. I rode my two yesterday to see how they were doing. My barrel mare seems ready to go. Recovery is good after a loping stretch. My young guy is in decent shape. But we're only on time only patterning with him right now. So he would be fine with a lope thru the pattern. Were heading to first race of the year on Friday. |
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Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | ~BINGO~ - 2015-01-27 10:21 AM Our 4 have been out on only 3 acres. Not ridden consistently since novemberish. Ridden once or twice biweekly. But we have been free lunging for the past month. The "pasture" is mainly thick cinder sand. So it takes some work to get thru. Been doing lots of trotting and slow loping with a short breeze here and there. I rode my two yesterday to see how they were doing. My barrel mare seems ready to go. Recovery is good after a loping stretch. My young guy is in decent shape. But we're only on time only patterning with him right now. So he would be fine with a lope thru the pattern. Were heading to first race of the year on Friday.
Free lunging in a big pen or open field is my favorite. We used to do that with Arab halter horses. They run harder and have more fun! |
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