How to get gaited horse fit after lazy winter?

[anon38350891]

My gaited (KMSH) horse is 16 now and we have been together since he was two. This past winter I did not get to ride him much or do much of anything with him, due to work. He is happy and sound but lost muscle along his spine and in his neck.

Does anyone know a good work routine for getting a gaited horse back in tone? Is gaiting best? Or just an energetic walk? He loves to canter (very energetically) but is this good for conditioning? I’ve always heard that a good strong walk is the best for conditioning but is this true? And for gaiteds: is it plain walk or gait walk?

We ride in a large outdoor arena, a galloping field of good size with nice grass, and on a small woody rocky trail circuit. Occasionally, we do a multi-hour trail ride due to the kindness of a friend with a trailer. My horse is a good trail companion for a more anxious horse.

Any conditioning tips much appreciated!

[Guilherme]

The foundation of all soft gaits is the walk. So, walk. Then walk. Maybe walk some more. Finally, take a walk!

A few minutes every day is MUCH better than lots of minutes two or three days a week.

After a week or so of doing nothing but walking you can start adding a few minutes of gait. Then after a week or two, add a few minutes at the canter. As you observe the horse’s wind building and fitness improving you can increase the gait and canter work but always remember that the walk is the basis of everything.

Good luck in your work.

G.

P.S. Doing the first week on the longe or in the round pen is a Good Idea!

[Bogie]

I agree with Guilherme. Walk, walk and walk some more. My horses had the winter off after I had an accident. We’ll be walking a lot over the coming weeks. I’ll start with 20-30 minutes and then work up to an hour to 90 minutes.

[cutter99]

I start off riding about 30-45 minutes per day, 5 days a week, with 2 consecutive days off. I start off just walking the first week, then start adding in some bending and trot work slowly. I have a lot of hills, some of which my horses are turned out on, so they are up and down them daily, and that makes it a little easier to get them restarted. I increase the time ridden, as well as distance, as the horse seems to tolerate. My horses usually work a light sweat until we are finished with a ride.

I got the 5 days on/ 2 days off program from my vet many years ago, and it has always helped my horses stay in shape enough to do what they were being asked, whether it be showing or trail riding.

There may be better ways to do it, but I haven’t found them and it has worked for my horses for over 20 years now. I would love to hear what others do!

[TMares]

Not gaiting, but that solid 4 beat really going somewhere, walk.