Great Eventing Conditioning Advice for Dressage Riders to Incorporate

Barbara F · Grand Prix

Great Eventing Conditioning Advice for Dressage Riders to Incorporate

LocustHill · Yearling

Great article! Just my opinion, but lots of high-level horse people keep there horses in for too long. I realize that a horse doing 1st level and a horse doing grand prix will have a much different requirements for rest, etc. But even then, horses need to be outside for more than an hour or two a day to stay sound and sane. Any opinions?

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

I have to agree with you. A horse can't be a proper, sound horse if it's cooped up all day. Just like I can't keep myself sound if I'm cooped up all day ;) Everybody's gotta have their relaxing downtime where they can just get out and stretch their legs.

dbliron · Advanced

I couldn't agree more!

Our dressage horses are turned out in 5 acre pastures in small herds for a minimum of 8 hours per day in winter, and as much as 14 hours per day in spring, summer and fall. Our pastures are partly cleared, partly treed, and mixed rolling and flat terrain. I've had people in the yard in fits watching our FEI horses barrel down the hills, bucking and running, but we have a VERY low incidence of lameness and respiratory problems.

Additionally, I'm away weekends teaching clinics and competing, and the hours of free exercise really help to keep our horses fit and sensible when I'm absent. One of my European clients calls it "pasture training", and while she was horrified when she first witnessed the horses playing she's now a total convert, and can't stand the idea of keeping her horses in stalls now. She now goes so far as to rent paddock space at competition venues so that we can turn our horses out together and give them play time.

Queenrider · Advanced

In the past I have done a lot of condtioning while out on the trails. I think of a trail as a long narrow dressage ring. Medium gaits for uphill then switch to collected gaits for downhill.. For wider parts you can leg yield back and forth or half pass back and forth for example. This keeps your horse interested and for spooky horses keeps them occupied and not looking for things to spook at. Currenly my horse goes out 24/7 but is brought in twice a day for his grain. During the winter he stays out all day but is brought in for the nights. He always has at least one buddy. He thrives on this.

-- Edited by Queenrider on Monday 18th of April 2011 09:56:06 PM

kschmittendorf · Well Schooled

My horse lives 24/7 out on 40 acres of rolling pasture with a mixed her of 12, along with sheep and goats. We have an open barn that we feed in but they all go out. I have a very happy, healthy and fit horse due to this. We ride the pasture and also have an arena where we do lessons and practice tests. I would not have it any other way! And we are also lucky enough to have a "back door" access to 30 miles of park trails, some wide and open enough to get a good canter going and others that are twisting, winding woodsy hills. Keeping a horse stall bound, in my opinion, is not good for their physical or mental state. If possible they need to get out and be horses!

barnfrog · Advanced

How many riders of any sort have the balance to do two point and canter on? Or to jump (which imho IS necessary for full use of the back)? Few people use any sort of interval training for fitness or depth. Most people rider for 45 minutes w/o walk/halt breaks for muscles or reward for proper behavior/balance.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

I hope knee-height jumps count, Barnfrog! That's about the extent to which I jump.

I do give my horse rests though. It's something I have always done. I know from my own fitness regime that sometimes to need to push a bit and sometimes even a few minutes' break will give the muscles and the mind of both horse and rider a chance to refresh.

kschmittendorf · Well Schooled

I always give my horse breaks and ride him to the water tank to drink if he wants. I like to ride with my ipod for music to help teach me rhythm (and him!) and will do interval work to the music...walking for half a song...trotting for another..some canter work. It helps break up the work and keeps him from anticipating the next move.

Figarocubed · Advanced

I take my guy out for trail rides as often as possible. As he is recovering from a DDFT tear, MUCH of his recovery was done riding up and down gentle inclines at the walk, later for short spurts at the trot.

Because of a back injury early in Figaro's jumping career, he cannot jump. I'd LOVE to be able to jump him for the gymnastic benefit, but the best we can do is cavalletti work. He CAN do that. I supplement his gymnastic work with various exercises up, down and across hillsides. Asking for leg-yield, shoulder-in or haunches-in while travelling up, down or across slopes can be very challenging and beneficial. Since Figgy can't jump, I do what I can for his fitness.

His rehab currently includes one to three minute walk breaks in between five minute trot sequences. Now and then I "challenge" him with a ten-minute trot sequence. He's cantering now, but limited in duration till the vet tells me otherwise.

His turnout is also limited until the vet is convinced his recovery is complete. Until then, he's confined to a 30 x 30 drylot pen. Better than nothing, and I try to give him every opportunity to be a horse -- hand grazing, turnout in small grassy lots, "playtime" on the lungeline or in a round pen.

He loves a good gallop, and we'll get back to that when the vet says we can. Too many dressage horses are treated like hothouse flowers.