Equine fitness – How can we prepare to get back in the saddle?
With Coronavirus vaccinations now circulating our thoughts are shifting to recovery on all levels. For many horse owners itching to get back out and about our minds are starting to focus on recovering our horses fitness ready to take full advantage when we can get back to competing.
What is fitness?
Fitness is relative it depends on where you are now and what your end goal is. It is the ability of the horse to perform at a specific level without sustaining injury or becoming tired. It has to take into account his conformation weight and body condition his baseline level of fitness temperament underlying conditions or injury current daily activity level and the end goal in his specific discipline. Its quite different getting a dressage horse fit for advanced international events and a riding horse fit for local weekend competitions.
Get the basics in order. Our horses need a solid foundation on which to build fitness and skill. After a break one of the first things to consider is booking a checkup with your vet. This is to ensure your horse is in good general health and can withstand the work you will ask of him. Its an opportunity to check hes up to date with worming and the required vaccinations. The visit should also include a dental exam unless its been done recently.
Next make sure his feet have recently been assessed and trimmed by your farrier and youve got his regular slot booked in. The saddle fit should also be checked by a professional because his shape may have changed if hes been out of work for a while. Its likely to need rechecking after a month or so of training to ensure hes still comfortable as he changes shape again.
Youll need to alter your horses feed ration and content for his level of activity weight and fitness as you progress. Keep a weight tape on hand and measure him each week. You can compare this to his feed guidelines and make gradual alterations to make sure hes getting what he needs. At his check up ask your vet for advice on appropriate feeding while you increase his work level.
If your horse has underlying conditions has had previous injuries has recently foaled or is getting older then the pretraining check up with your vet cannot be emphasised enough. Have a good chat with them
