How to Condition Your Horse
Examine your horse or have a vet examine them., Determine the amount of exercise your horse is currently getting., Take your horse’s heart rate., Set a conditioning schedule.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Examine your horse or have a vet examine them.
Determine your horse's current weight and physical condition.
If they are severely underweight or limping, you don't need to be giving them tremendous amounts of exercise.
It's best to care for them until they recover rather than rush the process and try to ride him now.
Keep in mind that a horse under 3 years old is almost never ready to be put under a hard workout or conditioning schedule
- it's too stressful for them, and you can harm them by doing so.
Stick to light riding for young horses.
Horses in their late 20’s will need special conditioning as well, as their age makes them more likely to become injured or overworked quickly. -
Step 2: Determine the amount of exercise your horse is currently getting.
Before you can begin making changes to your horse’s exercise routine, you must first figure out the amount they workout at this point in time.
Is your horse stalled for most of the day/night or winter, or do they have a large paddock to run around in? How frequently are they ridden, and for how long? What is the highest level of work they’ve done with you recently? , In order to determine the amount of physical increase that can be performed, you need to know your horse’s heart rate.
Hold a stethoscope to the chest or shoulder of your horse, and count the number of beats you hear in one minute.
A healthy horse will have a resting heart rate of 35-42 beats per minute.
Then, have your horse perform some moderate exercise and allow them to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
Take their heart rate again.
A healthy horse will have their heart rate return to 35-42 BPM after only 10-15 minutes.
If this is the case, they are able to increase in their physical activity.
If your horse’s heart rate has not returned to normal after a 15 minute rest, the amount of physical activity they perform should be increased very slowly and over a long period of time., To start, you should not be conditioning your horse more than three days a week
- especially if your horse has been out of shape for several months.
In off time, leave your horse out to pasture, preferably with another horse.
They’ll get even more exercise naturally that way, with no work on your part.
After about six weeks
- the amount of time it takes to regain basic cardiovascular and ligament strength
- you can begin increasing the difficulty of the work. -
Step 3: Take your horse’s heart rate.
-
Step 4: Set a conditioning schedule.
Detailed Guide
Determine your horse's current weight and physical condition.
If they are severely underweight or limping, you don't need to be giving them tremendous amounts of exercise.
It's best to care for them until they recover rather than rush the process and try to ride him now.
Keep in mind that a horse under 3 years old is almost never ready to be put under a hard workout or conditioning schedule
- it's too stressful for them, and you can harm them by doing so.
Stick to light riding for young horses.
Horses in their late 20’s will need special conditioning as well, as their age makes them more likely to become injured or overworked quickly.
Before you can begin making changes to your horse’s exercise routine, you must first figure out the amount they workout at this point in time.
Is your horse stalled for most of the day/night or winter, or do they have a large paddock to run around in? How frequently are they ridden, and for how long? What is the highest level of work they’ve done with you recently? , In order to determine the amount of physical increase that can be performed, you need to know your horse’s heart rate.
Hold a stethoscope to the chest or shoulder of your horse, and count the number of beats you hear in one minute.
A healthy horse will have a resting heart rate of 35-42 beats per minute.
Then, have your horse perform some moderate exercise and allow them to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
Take their heart rate again.
A healthy horse will have their heart rate return to 35-42 BPM after only 10-15 minutes.
If this is the case, they are able to increase in their physical activity.
If your horse’s heart rate has not returned to normal after a 15 minute rest, the amount of physical activity they perform should be increased very slowly and over a long period of time., To start, you should not be conditioning your horse more than three days a week
- especially if your horse has been out of shape for several months.
In off time, leave your horse out to pasture, preferably with another horse.
They’ll get even more exercise naturally that way, with no work on your part.
After about six weeks
- the amount of time it takes to regain basic cardiovascular and ligament strength
- you can begin increasing the difficulty of the work.
About the Author
Maria Coleman
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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