Conditioning

[TooMuchRebel]

Ah show season! I need to get my horses ready for this. I like to do more local shows just for experience and fun. My main mare will do anything from western pleasure to barrels (which I was training her for before she fractured a splint bone about 6 months ago). My Arabian is awesome at gaming as well. So my question is, what’s the most efficient way to condition them both to get them ready for this season? Currently I’m in school so I don’t get too much ride time in, maybe a few times a week and it’s never long so I need to juggle this as well. My QH conditions fast. When I first got her we ended up galloping through a field towards the beginning of her training and she was ready to go again after about five minutes, and if I’m being honest she was hardly even fit. And that was nothing compared to how fit she was at the end of the summer! I’m not sure about the Arabian, but I have a feeling she’ll be the same. I know not all horses can go on the same schedule, but how would you advise going about conditioning these two on a wonky schedule? Should I keep a log of how long I do each thing with them and increase things as I see fit? Thanks ya’ll!

I should also mention my Arabian, from what I’ve heard, can get aggressive when lunging so basically has never been lunged. I haven’t tried her yet so I’m not super sure but just a thought.

[Palm_Beach]

Read up on progressive loading, which is how you go about conditioning to maximize results and minimize injuries. Just because your horse feels like she is ready to go again doesn’t mean her tendons and ligaments and bones are strong enough to go again. Google “On Bucked Shins” D. M. Nunamaker, VMD, which is a good starting point. Working at speed is where you risk injury, and you have to get your horses conditioned to do that safely.

[TooMuchRebel]

@Palm Beach

Read up on progressive loading, which is how you go about conditioning to maximize results and minimize injuries. Just because your horse feels like she is ready to go again doesn’t mean her tendons and ligaments and bones are strong enough to go again. Google “On Bucked Shins” D. M. Nunamaker, VMD, which is a good starting point. Working at speed is where you risk injury, and you have to get your horses conditioned to do that safely.

Thank you! Will do

[Foxglove]

What worked for me was long, long trotting --45 min to an hour --to do both horses on limited time, I pony-ed one and rode the other alternating daily. As we got closer to show season, I added alternate day 30 min training exercises in the afternoon --so long, low trotting on a loose rein in the saddle for 45-1 hour daily --six days a week (I rode around my farm following fences where I’d mowed a double wide path) --then in the afternoon, one horse or the other got ring time working on specific skills (transitions, patterns, etc) --but both my horses are well-trained to start with and my goal was to reduce hay-belly, build muscle, and add endurance, and not cause injury or aggravate arthritis --we show WP, Ranch Horse and Reining --but last year was the end of showing --now it’s just fun trail riding . . .

[TooMuchRebel]

@Foxglove

What worked for me was long, long trotting --45 min to an hour --to do both horses on limited time, I pony-ed one and rode the other alternating daily. As we got closer to show season, I added alternate day 30 min training exercises in the afternoon --so long, low trotting on a loose rein in the saddle for 45-1 hour daily --six days a week (I rode around my farm following fences where I’d mowed a double wide path) --then in the afternoon, one horse or the other got ring time working on specific skills (transitions, patterns, etc) --but both my horses are well-trained to start with and my goal was to reduce hay-belly, build muscle, and add endurance, and not cause injury or aggravate arthritis --we show WP, Ranch Horse and Reining --but last year was the end of showing --now it’s just fun trail riding . . .

Thank you so much! Not sure if I can do the pony-ing, the Arabian has tried to murder my mare multiple times in the pasture and I’d rather not get caught in that while riding haha.

[Foxglove]

I had one gelding that would bite the other when pony-ing --remember that my horses are well-trained --not talking young horses here, but two geldings who know better, I started to pony the biting horse with a chain on his halter rope. Cured him.

[Palm_Beach]

@Foxglove

What worked for me was long, long trotting --45 min to an hour --to do both horses on limited time, I pony-ed one and rode the other alternating daily. As we got closer to show season, I added alternate day 30 min training exercises in the afternoon --so long, low trotting on a loose rein in the saddle for 45-1 hour daily --six days a week (I rode around my farm following fences where I’d mowed a double wide path) --then in the afternoon, one horse or the other got ring time working on specific skills (transitions, patterns, etc) --but both my horses are well-trained to start with and my goal was to reduce hay-belly, build muscle, and add endurance, and not cause injury or aggravate arthritis --we show WP, Ranch Horse and Reining --but last year was the end of showing --now it’s just fun trail riding . . .

That’s a good program for what you are doing, but the OP is doing speed events, and you need to progressively load at speed to prevent injuries at speed. You can jog and lope all day long but it won’t build bone or strengthen the tendons and ligaments enough for speed work. Nunamaker explains it better than I.