Conditioning

[covertune]

I;m leasing a lovely 33" mare to show for the summer. She hasn't really done anything for the last two years or so, and had a baby before that, so she's got a pretty good belly on her and is obviously out of shape. I have a round pen I can use, and also a treadmill though she isn't trained to use the treadmill yet (her owner and I will try to get her going on that in the next few weeks). I'd like to fit her for halter and maybe jumping if she shows any interest/talent in that. I was thinking of starting out at 15 minutes in the round pen and increasing by 5 minutes each week. Does that sound reasonable, or should I start at 10 minutes? I live an hour away, so can probably only get out to work her two or three times a week, which I know isn't great.

Appreciate any info on getting her in shape. Thanks.

 

[MiniNHF]

I live about 45 mins from the barn where my boy is and I try to get out a min 3xs a week. When he was out of shape coming out of winter I started at 10 mins until he could do that with no problem and then increased it 5 mins each time I thought he was ready. I did alot of walking him up and down hills as well (got me in shape lol) to help with the conditioning; he hates working in the round pen, gets bored very easily, so the change up with the conditioning walks helped.

Now coming off of the bad winter we have had here in the north east, I started using a full neck sweat when I work him, still work him about 20 mins.

 

[wingnut]

MiniNHF: Can you describe how you use the round pen when you do? I just bought a nice one for a great price that my hubby found on Craigslist. I want to hear how others use the round pen in terms of training/getting fit.

covertune: hope you don't mind the hijack of your thread! It's a great topic.

 

[covertune]

We started today and barely got to 10 minutes, and she was blowing hard! It didn't help that it was a warm day, and that she choose to canter a bunch, but yeah, we've got some work to do for sure, lol.

 

[MiniNHF]

MiniNHF: Can you describe how you use the round pen when you do? I just bought a nice one for a great price that my hubby found on Craigslist. I want to hear how others use the round pen in terms of training/getting fit.

covertune: hope you don't mind the hijack of your thread! It's a great topic.

Well coming from a eventing background I apply alot of dressage to my ground work. When I first started I worked on transitions especially with my voice, now even just to get him to turn when he is off the lungeline I raise the whip and say turn and he whips around the opposite direction.

Now we have moved to the long lining etc and what I do is the slight bending left and right in holding the position for a few seconds since he is new to it and I do it at the walk and trot, that starts getting him more flexible. I can also do the "figure 8s" with him as well with the long lines just at the walk to help with his bending as well.

My boy gets very bored in the round pen so I do alot of work outside when its nice and I alternate that.

 

[MiniNHF]

We started today and barely got to 10 minutes, and she was blowing hard! It didn't help that it was a warm day, and that she choose to canter a bunch, but yeah, we've got some work to do for sure, lol.

is she clipped yet? if not and its still chilly out you can do a clip like the bigger show horses do to keep them cool. My boy gets extremely hot and winded when he has his full coat on when its not quite winter and he gets cranky and doesnt want to work so I did a pattern clip on him which really was in the spots he sweats the most basically and he was so much better after that. I actually did that in March because I noticed he was getting way to sweaty and winded because of the amount of hair he had.

 

[stormy]

If your trying to tuck up a belly incline work will help, either by walking up and down slopes or using the treadmill. Round pen work is nice but footing will make a big difference. deep footing like sand will tend to get them working off the hind end better....does get boring for them though so I like to add some obstacle work to give them something to think about, trot poles, small jumps, tarps or bridges, backing obstacles, cones.....I have found many horses get really interested and enjoy obstacle work.

 

[Marty]

If there is one thing I cannot stand is round penning. Its usually an over used and abused training accessory. People go nuts in them having making their horses go round and round and round and round and round and round. You try doing that for 15 minutes and you might want to kill yourself. . But yes I have one and use it carefully. We do in fact go round and round for a couple of minutes to loosen up. Then we diversify. I have a jump in there and a couple of cones and crank up the boom box and then we have a blast and can stay in there a half hour easy by just breaking up the going round thing, hitting a jump, stopping and backing , side passing, and doing some cones. I get fast results and they are having so much fun and actually having to engage their brain, they look really good, former brood mares especially. So my advice to you would be start off gently at a good steady 5 minutes, diversify, and works towards your goal from there. Have fun with it.

 

[covertune]

She isn't clipped yet, still getting below freezing at night. My concern with doing a partial clip is that I've seen horses end up "two toned" from that after they're fully clipped out… though I know that getting her overheated isn't helping anything either. I'll talk to her owner/my mentor about it for sure.

Unfortunately no hills around that I can work her on, but I imagine the treadmill has an incline. The round pen footing is sand, and I have a set of small cavaletti I can try taking out there, though I need to get her going nicely in the pen first (she spent the whole time breaking gait and cutting across the middle yesterday, brat! lol).

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Five mins of gentle, working on control, work is plenty to start with. Trotting at her own pace and just gentle encouragement. Lots of direction changes and lots of pace changes- getting a horse to do a good walk is hard work and worth the time spent! Use this time before she is fit to do all the training you will need when she IS fit...