Talkative Tidbit

Too often I see horses go to shows that are way underfit for what they're doing. For even a few years these out of shape horses will appear to do fine, then, one day, they aren't at the shows anymore, and the person is on a new horse. When I ask why, it's often something like, "He has a weak back and can't work anymore," or, "He bowed a tendon in his leg and can only be turned out," or even (though, thankfully, I personally haven't talked to someone this bad) "He flipped over one of the lest fences on cross country and had to be put down."

I know accidents happen, but, here, I'm talking about fitness. It's time for people to buck up and learn how to take their horse's TPR's (temperature, pulse, respiration). An average TPR would be T = 98.5-101 degrees Fahrenheit, P = 30-40 beats per minute, and R = 8-15 breaths per minute. You should check your horse at least once a week to get familiar with its usual, and also after every hard workout and at least once a week after average workouts. The TPR's of a horse fit for what it's doing will be back in this range within TEN MINUTES of the hardest workout required for said level! If it takes longer than ten minutes to go back to normal, then your horse is out of shape. (All of this also helps with checking a horse's health to make sure it isn't sick) For whatever sport you are doing, you should do some research to find out what cardiovascular and muscular workouts are most important, then set up a schedule where you work on Cardio (both long and short interval endurance) 1-2 times a week, hack 2 days and turn out one or hack one day and turn out 2, and do target practice for required skills/muscle toning for the remaining 3-4 days. There's a seven day plan to follow year round (except for the 1-2 months of rest a horse should have every year where you should just hack and do light workouts 3-4 days a week). This is modeled off of the average Three Day Eventing plan, but I simplified it to fit any discipline. Since Eventing requires a lot of all around fitness, I feel it's a sound model for ANY horse to follow. Also, following a competition, walk your horse at least 30 min the day after (don't give a day off, or the muscles could tighten a lot (notice how human athletes don't sit around the day after competing)), then give the next day off. Then do what's appropriate for your horse (not what you feel like doing, but what is needed), whether it's more days off, more walking, hacking, or getting back to work. After all this, you should have a fit horse with a lot more longevity!