Spring Conditioning
Hi Athletes,
As Spring starts to creep closer and closer, Mother Nature tends to periodically bless us with some sunshine and warm temps. While it can be tempting to saddle up and go for that long trail ride and soak up the sun, be mindful of your horse’s level of fitness. If you have given your horse the winter months off or haven’t been able to get the barn as often as you would have liked, you could potentially be setting up your horse for soreness or injury. Even if your horse has had plenty of turnout, he most likely has been standing around at the hay bale, especially if they ground and weather conditions have been less than favourable.
So what can you do to help bring your horse back into riding shape after time off?
Your horse may be just as excited as you to get out on that first ride but be mindful to not mistake that eagerness for fitness. He may seem like he feels good at the time but in a few days, muscle aches and pains can show up as stiffness, “laziness”, being difficult to catch in the field, or being grumpy in work. You are the pilot and if it is difficult to calm your excited horse, while it may be tempting to go for a gallop to expend energy, you run the risk of injury. Instead, try spending some time conditioning his mind, keeping the sessions short, and trying something out of the normal routine. If you’re a dressage rider, try obstacle work or a trail ride. If you’re a barrel racer, try some lateral work to keep things interesting. If you’re a trail rider, try some groundwork outside so you can still take advantage of the nice weather.
Slow and steady. If your horse has been in the field for the past few months or you’ve only been riding once or twice a week, gradually build up duration and intensity of exercise, but not at the same time. If your regular riding sessions are 30 minutes of slow work, start by increasing your sessions to 45 minutes of slow work or keep your sessions at 30 minutes and try some interval work.
Proper warm up and cool downs are essential. While it is tempting to go right for the good stuff, warming up the muscles and joints is necessary to prevent injury, encourage longevity and you’ll have a better ride if the body is optimally primed. Proper cool down helps prevent muscles stiffness after a ride, helps keep fluid from accumulating in the legs and joints and helps the body systems return to normal.
Saddle fit. Your horse will have lost muscle condition after time off so before you hop on, now is an excellent time to have your saddle and tack reviewed by a professional. As your horse builds their fitness and changes body shape, periodic check ups are recommended.
Monitor your horse. Do you know what your horse’s resting heart rate is? Find out what is normal for your horse by checking their heart rate before and after exercise and see how quickly his heart rate comes down once exercise is finished. If it takes longer than a half hour for his heart rate to return to 64 beats per minute or lower, you’re pushing him too hard. Keep notes after each ride and over time, you will start to see his fitness level increase as well as his recoveries. Sweat isn’t always the only indicator that your horse is working hard. Just like some people, some horses sweat more than others and on colder days, they may not sweat as much or the sweat might break out later.
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Need assistance with bringing your horse back in to work? Send us an email to ridelikeanathlete@gmail.com and we can help you create a customized conditioning plan to bring your horse back in to shape so you can make the most of your riding season while keeping your equine athlete comfortable.
Cheers,
Ashley