Do you own one or more of the horses that you ride? Do you have competition goals, or do you simply want to ride regularly, with a logical approach in terms of work? Equirodi offers you several alternatives that respect the moral and abilities of your horse.
Competition horse or leisure horse?
You evolve with your companion at an amateur level: whatever the discipline is, several essential activities are expected each week. The horse is an animal that needs a routine, whether it's about eating or going out. However, routine does not necessarily mean monotony. As for work, a competition horse and a regular riding horse will have almost the same needs in terms of physical activity. As a human you will not be able to run every day or every other day, without warming up or stretching. The same goes for horses. Ultimately, the challenge is to maximize the comfort of your pet and make it fun to be ridden.
Workstream
The day after the competition or simply at the beginning of the week? It may be interesting to take your horse on a ride on Mondays. If of course this is a possibility for you. Outdoor outings change from the quarry or sand arena, the space and the open air promote the happiness of your horse. It is also a way to introduce recovery work. On soft ground on a slight incline, do not hesitate to trot and ask your horse to stretch his back, to engage properly. Vary the rhythm of the pace, and take advantage of harder ground to mobilize the hips and shoulders. It is also possible to quietly do transitions, it is the opportunity to check if the sessions in the sand arena, prove to be good in the long-term outside of the usual work environment. If the geographical conditions allow it, you can also take advantage of this outing to do some cardio. Trot over several hundred meters, walk a few steps, trot again, etc. The rest of the week is organized according to your exercise objectives. Remember that you must avoid making your horse apathetic at all costs.
For example, on Tuesday offer him, a lesson on flat work with trotting poles. You can work on your strides at a gallop, as well as transitions and rhythm variations in paces.
On Wednesday if you are a competitor in show jumping, consider doing a small obstacle course. If you do Dressage, take advantage of the middle of the week to practice your test, or work in depth on the exercises that you find difficult while competing ...
On Thursday, after the work from the day before, focus on stretching. Have a relatively short work out, but ask your horse to extend his back, loosening his entire locomotive system. Big curves, transitions, lightness in the paces are important all while having a horse that carries himself very low and very round. The rounder and more flexible the back of your horse is, the easier it will be for it to move the rest of its body. If you do not have time to ride, or if you prefer, stretch your horse by having a lunging session.
Why not consider a day off on Friday? Offer a long day off in the paddock, and also enjoy this day-off by spending some time taking care of your horse, take care of their mane, tail and feet...
On Saturdays, competition or not the next day, it will mainly be about getting your horse to concentrate. A light workout, where you will do a summary of the exercises performed during the week, to confirm the precision and responses of your horse to your requests. We only mention it now, but never forget to congratulate and reward your horse ... Do not be stingy on words and pats, horses are very responsive to them! Take short breaks during workouts, be firm and demanding, but forgiving and caring. Think about "comfort" and friendliness ... If at certain times you get stuck on an exercise, take your time, go back to something easier if necessary, and never give in to annoyance.
Finally...
Sunday .... Good luck and have a lot of fun if you are going to a competition! Take advantage of your victory or your loss by putting a finger on things to work on at home... Prepare a selection of treats, apples and carrots for every time you are finished working, this goes without saying..
In a nutshell
- Occupy your horse without making him apathetic.
- Favorize flexibility and muscle gain.
- Reward, congratulate.
- Vary the activities as much as possible.
- Do not be too greedy during workouts.
Feel free to tell us about your methods and suggestions of your horse's work routine...
