For fun - help me with riding schedule for horses at home

[Littlechestnuthunter]

My two horses have been out of consistent work for several months now, but I now have the time to get them on a more consistent schedule. I won’t be showing or lessoning for now, but want to keep them fit and healthy.

How does this sound? Anything you’d add or change? Weekends are generally too busy for me to ride, so I’m trying to schedule everything for weekdays. Horses live out 20 hours a day on a large, hilly property so at least maintain a baseline of fitness on their own.

One horse is 20 and mostly retired, but super sound and loves to work. For him, I’m thinking:
Monday - Lunge in side reins or Pessoa rig
Tuesday - Light flatwork (wtc, lateral work)
Wednesday - Jump school (only baby jumps, 2-2’3)
Thursday - Long trail ride
Friday - Off? Light hack? Rig? Idk

My other horse is only 8 and will eventually be going back to competing when life slows down (adult hunters)
Monday - Lunge in side reins or Pessoa rig
Tuesday - Flatwork (wtc, lateral work, changes)
Wednesday - Jump school
Thursday - Mainly flatwork with poles and/or grids mixed in
Friday - Hack out around the property

[Scribbler]

Well, I really don’t like what I’ve seen of people using side reins or Pessoa rigs:)

However if I wanted to incorporate ground work or longeing in a week schedule I’d be more likely to make it mid week to give horse a break. Two days riding, ground work day, two days riding.

I’d also probably stagger it so I did ground work/ride two days, ie ground work horse #1 and ride horse #2 on one day, and then ground work #2 and ride #1 the next day. That way you are only riding two horses 3 days a week. I would also stagger your trails/legging up/fitness work and your arena schooling so you are doing different things with each horse each day. That helps keep your focus fresh for each horse.

I think it’s premature to be scheduling jump work or even much arena work until you get them fit under saddle. It’s great they have been on a big field but still go slow as they start to carry a person again. Both of them will benefit from long brisk marching walks over the first couple of weeks, then starting trot sets at intervals. Eventers have lots of advice on interval training. You want to do an interval at a length from which the horse can return to normal breathing within a minute. After you are able to do three minute trot intervals you can add in canter intervals. Trot intervals are a great time to practice your own two point for fitness. I wouldn’t jump a horse until I felt good about his canter fitness and my own two point fitness.

While doing all this be aware that the saddle and girth may be causing discomfort and horse may need a half pad if he lost topline over the time off. Also that you are going to need to regain riding related fitness.

[Tha_Ridge]

@Scribbler

Well, I really don’t like what I’ve seen of people using side reins or Pessoa rigs:)

Honestly, the Pessoa rig used correctly is one of the most effective training tools, IMO. Keywords: correctly, of course. But the top barns use it quite regularly and it is immensely handy in building fitness, muscle, and self-carriage. Ours get a Pessoa session once or twice a week.

[GraceLikeRain]

If time is an issue I’d definitely stagger schedules so on days when you ride one another is lunging or on one jump day that you know will be shorter is the others longer hack day. Personally, I really dislike lunging for fitness and have seen lunging aids create a lot of “pretty” incorrect muscling. That being said, lateral lunging in a field or in big circles over terrain can do so much for a back and reminding a horse how to self carry down hills. Perspective of one but my two cents

[Littlechestnuthunter]

@Scribbler I love the idea to stagger my rides, that would definitely help me time-wise. I agree with the idea of putting my lunge day in the middle of the week, I just figured after the weekend off it would be a good way for them to get any excess energy out on Mondays before starting a week of rides…but maybe I’ll just throw them on the line for a few minutes before riding on Monday instead, or maybe hack out on Mondays! And I totally hear you on getting them fit first - this is more my idea of a schedule I can stick to once they’re back in shape, but good reminder to start slow. I plan on lots of trail rides for now, and arena rides will consist of short trot sets, trot poles, bending, stretching, etc.

@Tha_Ridge Yes! My trainer incorporates at least one rig day a week in her program. I used to be her W/S and she spent a LONG time teaching me how to use it properly - and how to set it correctly for each individual horse.

@GraceLikeRain Timing is always an issue Yes, will definitely have to revise this schedule to stagger my rides! Thanks for the input!

[eightpondfarm]

all of that sounds overly aggressive of a schedule for an out-of-condition horse. They had a Large pasture to move in during the interim? So they’ve moved around daily so it’ll be easier for them to regain condition Esp if there have been hills. That’s the good part.

But, I wouldn’t follow that training regimen. i’d take out the lunging totally, (with and without sidereins). Little circles are hard on horses out of work. And i would give them a day or two off inbetween rides too.

[B_and_B]

Does the old horse really like the lunge work? What are you trying to accomplish with him by doing that? I would drop that for him.
I wouldn’t be too rigid with my schedule. Horses at home tend to have a lot of challenges to the schedule (the fence needs to be fixed, the arena needs dragging, the…)

[eightpondfarm]

if you are a young person, you might want to think in a different perspective. Don’t think about your 20 year old horse as you would think of conditioning yourself for a triathlon or something, but think of it more like conditioning your grandparent for a triathlon! They say a 20 yr old horse is like a 60 year old person. And of course, a 60 year old person runs the gamut of physicality (probably more than horses would vary)

[S1969]

@B_and_B

Does the old horse really like the lunge work? What are you trying to accomplish with him by doing that? I would drop that for him.

Agreed. What is the point? And what is the goal with the retired horse? (And why lunging instead of riding?)

Horses don’t strictly need to be ridden to stay in good shape as long as they have ample turnout and use it. So - if he just “likes to work” I’d consider a M, W, F schedule of the flatwork, trail ride, and small jumps and ditch the lunging.

[lenapesadie]

@Littlechestnuthunter

but maybe I’ll just throw them on the line for a few minutes before riding on Monday instead

I “lunge” my horse before every ride.

I use a horsemanship lead rope, I think it’s 14ft long, either attached to bridle if tacked up or halter if I’m doing this prior to tacking up or riding in the halter. I’ll ask my horse to yield his shoulders, yield his hind quarters, move into a circle with an appropriate bend, whoa and backup (in both directions as applicable; all at walk). The whole thing takes 5 mins tops usually and the entire point is to check in with my horse to see how he’s feeling. Is he distracted? Lame? Anxious? Or attentive, relaxed and prompt in his response to my cues? Btw, my horse, a gelding, is an absolute princess. Any discomfort and he’s an emotional train wreck. “I got a scratch Mom so there’s no way I can use that leg normally and I’m panicking” type of princess lol.

If I find I’m flying a kite, I can take steps to address that prior to risking my old, flabby amateur butt in the saddle.

I’ll also ask for a bit of crab walk or turn on the forehand. I’ve found that if my particular horse is internalizing any stress that this particular exercise will “tell” on him so to speak.

Obviously I don’t know you or your horses, but perhaps something like what I do might be helpful to you if you’d like the opportunity to check in with your horses, the older one particularly, after time off or whenever.

[BUSY]

Perhaps just enjoy your horses at home and allow the needed schedule to evolve within/around your other life activities. Just get some good riding time in before the winter weather… say till spring …by then you’ll know how much time is required where and when … just a suggestion.