How to Get Your Horse in Proper Shape
Owning a horse is a daunting challenge and it is even more difficult to have one that is healthy and strong. If you like riding horses, having them in proper shape is vital if you are going to enjoy riding them.
There are many reasons to get your horse in proper shape for riding season. It may be just for health & fitness or it may be to prepare for a race. Regardless of the reason, it will take an incredible amount of dedication if you are to get your horse in proper shape. You will want your horse to have both muscular and cardiovascular strength.
The following are tips to help you get your horse in shape:
Lunging
Lunging or long-reigning is an exercise that is great for improving your horse’s fitness. However, if the horse is to gain maximum benefits from lunging, you should do it properly. Lunging should not be done more than five times a week. Even just twice a week will be enough for great fitness gains. You should also try and keep the lunging sessions no more than thirty minutes long. If the horse is terribly out of shape, you should begin with a lot of walk breaks in between the lunging.
Lunging will help develop the horse’s muscles under the saddle. By introducing different variations to the movement such as lateral movement, you will challenge the muscles in varying ways. It is crucial that you warm-up and cool down the horse sufficiently before and after the lunging exercises.
Hacking
A hack or a trail ride can be very beneficial to your horse’s fitness. They are also a fantastic way to work out your horses without having to take them to a school. If your horse is unfit, you should begin with an hour of slow hacking. You can then increase the distance and pace as the horse gets fitter.
A trail ride is particularly beneficial to your horse because it has varying terrain that will challenge your horse’s muscle strength and endurance completely. What is certain is that it will get your horse working and panting which is great for fitness.
Healthy Diet
A crucial tip as it pertains to getting your horse in shape is what you feed it. You need to give your horse a healthy and nutritious diet if it is to get back into shape. Just as with humans, nutrition is a vital component of physical development for horses. You can learn more about horse nutrition and feeds here, and you will need to include vitamins and minerals in the horse’s diet as well. Vitamin deficiency is an especially hazardous situation for horses. Remember that what you feed your horse will directly translate into its physical development.
Hill Work
Almost every horse trainer will tell you to do some hill work with your horse if you want it to be in tip-top shape. The reason it is such a ubiquitous response is that it works. Going up and down hills will work on your horse’s muscles like no other activity. The reason is that different gradients make it much harder to run or walk than on a flat surface.
Cantering up a hill and walking your house down it will be fantastic for its cardiovascular fitness. It is also great for improving muscle tone and size all over the horse’s body. Hill work will also improve your horse’s balance which is vital to performance. There is so much variation that you can bring to hill work the list is virtually endless.
Interval Training
Many people tend to prefer long sessions of low-intensity rides when getting their horse in shape. It is beneficial but it would be helpful if you could throw some interval training into the routine. You should include activities that include short bursts of intense activity followed by periods of rest. For example, you can have the horse sprint for ten seconds and then trot or walk for 50 seconds.
As your horse’s fitness improves, the intensity will increase as the rest periods shorten. You will find that the horse’s endurance will also improve as a result of interval training. Interval training is especially beneficial to an eventer. The idea is not to always push the horse to its limits but to introduce a different variation to training. Additionally, having high-quality and distinctive gear may be beneficial. While starting with basic equipment for training is acceptable, it can be worthwhile to add a touch of individuality to your horse’s appearance during events. Consider incorporating vintage bridles or saddle pads in yellow by LeMieux. There are numerous options available, but for the time being, it is advisable to prioritize getting yourself and your horse in top physical condition.
Getting a horse back into shape for riding is a job that would challenge anyone. If you can use the tips above, you should have a horse that is in great shape by riding season. Observe your horse specifically and find out what kind of training and exercises suits it the best.
See also: How to tack up a horse for riding
