Fittening a horse

Bringing up a horse
If horse been off for any length of time (6 weeks and over) and not worked
he will need to be prepared to start getting fit
Preparing your horse
 Feed tiny feeds in field to activate micro-organisms in gut
 Bring in to stable gradually
 Reintroduce hay
 Start grooming more thoroughly – body brush/ rubber curry comb
 Pull mane and tail
 Clip him but only when trotting as he will get cold
 Check teeth
 Check Flu and Tet
 Worm if needed
 Get him shod
 Harden skin with salt water if needed – 1 teaspoon salt to 1 pint water
 Start programme using soft material girth or girth cover
 Ensure tack soft and clean numnah
Basic programme
1. Walk and slow work
2. Trotting and schooling on flat and over jumps
3. Fast work and competitions
Length of fitness programme
Light work 6 – 8 weeks
Hacking, walking, trotting
Medium work 8 – 10 weeks
Jumping /schooling/ Pc rallies
Dressage and show jumping 1 x weekly
Hard work 10 – 12 weeks
Novice ODE
Hunting ½ x weekly
Camp endurance riding polo
Very hard/fast work 14 – 16 weeks
3 day event/ Racing
Stage Aim Exercise to achieve aim
Stage 1  Harden tendons  Start 20 mins walk
Walking only  Increase circulation and building up to1
Weeks 1 – 3  Improve muscle tone by -1.5 hours in 3 weeks
using excess fat  if off for more than 3
 Improve respiration months walk up to 2
hrs a day for 6 weeks
Stage 2  Build muscle without  Walk and steady
Muscling up leg strain trotting building up
Weeks 4- 8  Improve obedience and to 2 hrs a day.
suppleness  Start with short trots
and gradually
increasing
 Use good ground
 When he can trot
uphill for a
reasonable distance,
he can start canter
 Start of week 6 start
schooling
 At end of this period
steady cantering and
some jumping

Stage 3  Improve lung capacity  Trot up hills

Improving wind  Improve muscle tone  Canter open areas -
and more muscle level and uphill
Weeks 9 – 12  Start 0.25 of a mile
canters building up to
a mile x 2 weekly
 In between school
and hack
 competitions
Factors affecting a fitness programme
1. Why and how long was a horse off work
 horse recovering from injury will need more tome walking
 after tendon injury it may be the first three weeks is in walk half
an hour each day. Then gradually increase time
 longer horse off =more walk work
 1 month off= 1 week walking
2. Individual
 If previously been fit they need shorter programme than a horse
that has never been fit
 A young horse may only reach 80% of fitness
 Bored or less motivated horses will need more variety in work
 Each horse is an individual and will get fitter at different rates
 More active springy horses will get fit quicker or if you ride them
more actively
3. Reason for getting fit – see above

Interval training
You won’t be expected to talk about this at B test unless you know in depth
about it

Roughing off
This is when horse is gradually let down in preparation for a holiday in the
field
Takes 10 – 14 days
 Reduce work and hard feed gradually
 Reduce rugs
 Cut down on grooming
 Turn out for longer periods
 May remove shoes
 May have annual vaccinations done
 On first night out pick a nice night
Long holiday v short break
Questions
1. What are 3 stages of fittening programme?
2. Why is walking so important?
3. What factors may affect a fitness programme?
4. At what point would you increase feed in fittening programme?
5. Explain terms bringing up and roughing off
6. Why do whole grains need to be cooked or husk broken?
7. What is danger of feeding oats to small ponies?
8. Why is it important to soak sugar beet? Which mineral does it supply?
9. What does the horse need in its diet to make it well balanced?
10.Explain why roughage is so important in a horse’s diet?