Working Horse Twice a Day

[Fence.Hopper]

Does anyone (or has anyone) worked their horse twice a day semi consistently? Was it beneficial/ would you do it again?

Working would be an in hand/ on the ground session + a ride. Horse is a green 6 year old OTTB, no soundness or other health issues, gets half a day turnout (sometimes all day). The goal is partly to incorporate more low impact fitness work (walking hills, walking cavaletti, and other in hand exercises) and partly to get more experience. Our rides are short and focus on very elementary things currently such as moving off of the leg, incorporating some bend, seat aids, etc. On two a days, we would do one in hand session and one ridden session. Two a days would happen maybe twice a week due to my schedule.

[endlessclimb]

I’ve used two a days to prep a horse quicker for an event, and also for extremely (and I mean extremely) fractious younger (5-6yo) horses to try and get them over the hump. A very young horse (2-4yo) I have not ever found the two a day to help with.

I don’t have a problem at all with it, so long as both workouts are not hard work. I think it helps get them “there” quicker.

[mmeqcenter]

I’ve only ever done it for conditioning purposes, not training/learning purposes. But I don’t see any issues with it, if both sessions aren’t too stressful for the horse, mentally and physically.
When I did it for conditioning, one of the two rides was an hour just walking.

[beowulf]

Low impact work is fine, but keep in mind when they are worked twice a day they may not recover from small micro-tears or injuries, including their back - so make sure that saddle fits if it’s riding work.

I’ve done several boot camps and/or off property camp sessions where we had two (hard) lessons a day - I found them tremendously helpful and at times, progressed much more than I think I would having the equivalent amount of hours spread out over one session a day at home. For some horses it can be very beneficial – short term.

It would be more beneficial from your horse’s standpoint to get him out on 24/7 turnout, if you want more low impact fitness work, nothing is better than turnout.

[exvet]

I had an appendix quarter horse that I did ride twice a day to improve his stamina. The mornings I would work on the flat or over fences alternating the focus. In the afternoons I would just breeze him gradually building him up to longer and longer sessions. It did work well but then I had a VERY FIT HORSE to manage. I was young and was able to do it but it can be a ‘be careful what you wish for’ situation.

[jvanrens]

I shudder at the idea of my appendix mare’s stamina improving even if she is 31 years old and long since retired. She was a mix of TB and ranch horse that could go forever.

[beau159]

@Fence.Hopper

Does anyone (or has anyone) worked their horse twice a day semi consistently? Was it beneficial/ would you do it again?

Working would be an in hand/ on the ground session + a ride. Horse is a green 6 year old OTTB, no soundness or other health issues, gets half a day turnout (sometimes all day). The goal is partly to incorporate more low impact fitness work (walking hills, walking cavaletti, and other in hand exercises) and partly to get more experience. Our rides are short and focus on very elementary things currently such as moving off of the leg, incorporating some bend, seat aids, etc. On two a days, we would do one in hand session and one ridden session. Two a days would happen maybe twice a week due to my schedule.

Ranch horses work all day.

A “short” ride twice a day isn’t going to hurt yours.

[spurofthemoment]

Not quite the same situation, but I work my horse every single day (same age and breed as yours) and his rideability transformation was like night and day. He’s a much better horse when he works (it’s not all ridden, it’s not all high intensity and it’s not all ring work, so I also think variety is key). I think consistent work benefits most horses.

When folks go to horse shows (at least hunter folks), they tend to school and compete, and some even lunge. I think that certainly counts as being worked twice a day.

[DiamondJubilee]

Lots of great points on here! A reiner training barn near me will ride someones horse every day (5 days in a row) and then if the owner comes up, they also get a lesson on their horse. So they could be easily ridden 2 x day for several days. Their thoughts are they could be ridden 2 x a day at a show, so why not at home as well.

I tend to ride my guys just once a day at home (mainly a time thing - I work full time, have 5 ponies at home so do stalls and then whatever leftover time I have I pick one to work). But I had my young 5 year old at his first hunter show and I would ring ride him at 6am so he could see the ring we would be jumping in later on that day, and then show him through the day. So he was ridden 2 x day without any issues (I made sure he would get back to his stall inbetween for a break/snack/pee/drink).

Just remember the more you work them, the fitter they get. If you can do longer turnout, that is always best! My guys are out 14-16hr/day right now and sometimes 24hr if the weather is good. I love long turnout but know its not always possible when you board out (mine are all at home right now).

[cilla1]

I, as an appendice owner, was thinking exactly the same thing! Lol

[2DogsFarm]

Not ridden, but my VSE was just 4 when I took him to The Ntl Drive.
We drove trails - varied terrain, some roads - at least twice a day for around an hour each drive.
Did Trot Sets with Walk breaks.
He never wanted to walk for very long (easier pulling at trot).
He was never too tired for that 2nd drive.

[SLW]

Working a horse in hand for a session then hoping on for a ride won’t be too much work for your horse. You’ll have to keep things interesting and not drill him to tears.

[Calvincrowe]

Lesson horses frequently work twice a day, working horses (ranch, farm) go all day/hours at a time. I think it’s fine as long as the workload is managed, care is taken, rest is built in-- especially turnout with no expectations, health is monitored. It’s very good practice for a show horse, too-- varying time of day of work, length of time in the saddle/arena makes for a more relaxed horse (and amateur!).

[Aussie_2020]

The type and duration of the work makes a difference, but I have had good luck with all my horses being worked twice a day. On the younger ottb’s it was just another day, they’re used to being handled multiple times a day. And one ottb was so much better when worked twice a day, sometimes 8 to 10 days in a row. Not drilling, hard work, certainly not sustained work on hard ground, but a short trail ride in the morning followed with a training ride in the afternoon or evening was perfect. The more he worked, the better he got.

Everybody learns to tie and stand, to load in the trailer, to accept clipping and baths and the farrier. So not everyday is a ride or ground drive training day. Sometimes taking a training session into proper citizenship is more important.

And you can train twice a day and not turn your horse into a 5* eventer, easy riding with different obstacles or cavaletti, long walks on a loose rein, etc can help your horse settle.

Too many people rely on turn out to take care of their horses need to move. But it totally depends on the turnout. How big an area, any friends to play with? If you have high energy horses, a limited time and space turn out isn’t enough.

[tabula_rashah]

I don’t see why not as long as it’s something they are physically able to do. I mean it’s not like they have a watch and once you work them, they’re like nuh uh, no work for me for the next 24 hours. I probably wouldn’t repeat whatever I did in the first ride on the second ride

[stargzng386]

I think the timing of the work is important too. Work while stalled could be beneficial to getting more movement and exercise. Work while turned out if it’s limited could be taking away from important grazing and social time.

[risuenaVT]

My guy, when he was at his fittest, it was pretty common that on days when I had lessons, I’d have trail rides immediately after. I would let him choose the pace, but would never ask him for more than a walk because I’d already asked for a lot in lessons.

[red_mares]

Try an Amish pony. They can go forever, even when they are out of shape.

[DarkBayUnicorn]

Our show horses typically go out 8 hours a day in winter, 12-16 hours in summer, in small groups. Then we take them to a week-long show with no turnout and expect them to perform at the top of their game both mentally and physically.

At a show most would be ridden at least once,sometimes 2-3 times, a day (depending on show schedule), and handwalked multiple times a day. We pack a lunge line just in case, but rarely use it.

On Friday afternoons at a show, you will find me and my guy hacking all over the grounds and doing little flat sessions in multiple warm-up rings before hacking over to the next one. Along the way, we might stop to chat with friends, or watch a barnmate compete, or grab a snack of grass, or get petted by non-horsey spectators and sponsors…We might be gone from the barn for well over an hour, but his brain is working much harder than his body, and his fundamental nosiness is typically satisfied enough to come out Saturday and Sunday as a quiet, focused ammy hunter.

In my experience, it’s not always how much you work, but how you work. No drilling, no going around and around the outside, keep it interesting for them, take them out on trails or down the road or for a trip around the hayfield. Vary the terrain, sights and sounds. Let them choose the path and the pace sometimes.

And certainly a groundwork session thrown in from time to time can be hugely valuable. Even the older horses can learn something new. In the dead of a Canadian winter, we get some days when it’s too cold to ride, or too icy to get them outside, so I’ll set up a “pole puzzle” in the arena for both mental stimulation and proprioception work.

[Calvincrowe]

DarkBayUnicorn-- excellent post! Our riders, at home, are encouraged to go hack around the property after a lesson, or on a Sunday (no lessons that day), just putter and look and smell and stare at the neighbor’s cows and goats. They are turned out daily for hours, as well. At shows, horses should mosey around when not showing.

Think of ‘twice a day’ much like a human: humans might hit the gym for a workout, ride a bike, go for a run, etc. But they aren’t then sitting on the couch and then to bed for the rest of their waking hours. We are walking, bending, getting up and down, doing stairs, you name it. We are moving, either purposely or not, engaging our brains. That’s how I view it. I may hike vigorously or trail run, but I’m also going to work in the barn or around my yard/farm. Both are a workout.