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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
 
| If your horse has had time off, how often and for how long do you ride before you consider them in running shape?
(I realize this can be different depending on the horse, and depending on how "out of shape" they were at the start)
When you are competing your horse, how often do you ride them to keep them in running/race shape? Every day? Every other day? Etc.
What exercises do you do to keep them in shape? trail ride? flat work? practice anything on the pattern?
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
 
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i give my older horses the winter off so they get about 4 months off, and i like to have 3 months onthem before i run them.......and once i have them in shape, mine get rode every day (i will give the day off after a jackpot..sometimes) i never work the pattern at home (unless its a young one and even then its not much) i long trot A LOT on trails.........
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Veteran
Posts: 294
| Mine gets winter off also. So about 3-4 months. Then start up again end feb or early March. Once in shape I ride about 4 times a week and its mostly trotting on trail. I work full time and have 2 little kids so its very hard for me to do anymore than this. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | To maintain i (try) ride 4-5 times a week!
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | I guess I am different. When mine get into running shape I usually ride one day and pony one day. Then make 2-3 runs on the weekend.
Getting one into shape I usually ride 4x a week. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
| clover girl - 2014-08-14 10:50 AM
I guess I am different. When mine get into running shape I usually ride one day and pony one day. Then make 2-3 runs on the weekend.
Getting one into shape I usually ride 4x a week.
For how long do you ride 4x a week before you consider them "in shape"? A month? Two months?
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The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | SuckerForHorses - 2014-08-14 10:28 AM clover girl - 2014-08-14 10:50 AM
I guess I am different. When mine get into running shape I usually ride one day and pony one day. Then make 2-3 runs on the weekend.
Getting one into shape I usually ride 4x a week.
For how long do you ride 4x a week before you consider them "in shape"? A month? Two months?
It just depends on the horse and how long they have been off. My horses are turned out, so they do keep themselves moving. I have a path at the house that is about 1.5 miles. I will work them until they can make that path at a lope with a 100 yard sprint at the end and not be labored.
After that path I work on circles, being responsive, and will trot or lope through the barrels a few times.
Usually it takes less than a month for mine to get back into shape. My view of in shape is judged by how quickly they recover from a run. I want them to return to normal breathing by the time I get out of the alley, dismount, loosen the cinch, and pull boots. I will see how well my mare comes back next year after foaling. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
| I have a path at the house that is about 1.5 miles. I will work them until they can make that path at a lope with a 100 yard sprint at the end and not be labored... My view of in shape is judged by how quickly they recover from a run. I want them to return to normal breathing by the time I get out of the alley, dismount, loosen the cinch, and pull boots. ...
This seems like a very reasonable and sensible way to determine "in shape." I like that. |
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