Get your horse fit

By Justine Thompson

Seasonal guides

09 March 2010 11:01

Make sure your horse is fit for spring activities with some advice from endurance rider Liz Taylor... 

- Increase the workload steadily and keep it varied.

- Beware of trotting endlessly on the road – it can do more harm than good. But trotting up hills is great exercise.

- Ensure your horse works on the bit and in the correct outline. By strengthening the core muscles now, he’ll find it easier when you increase the workload, as he’ll be using his body effectively and carrying you efficiently.

- Introduce canter work once the basic fitness is there. Make sure the ground is good and start with short canter sessions, gradually increasing them in length.

- Aim for quality, not quantity. Hours in the saddle won’t necessarily get your horse fit – you’re just putting more miles on his legs.

- Fizzy behaviour? Check you’re not overfeeding, or that spring grass hasn’t sprung up without you noticing. Boredom can cause fizziness, so vary the workload for your horse.

- Don’t always canter along the same stretch – the day the ground isn’t good, or you decide you want to walk, you may have a fight on your hands!