Few
horses can handle being taken straight from the pasture,
being saddled up and ridden after a lay-off. Both mentally
and physically, they need some time to warm up and remember
their training. If your horse has been off work for the
past few months, take some time to ease him back into the
work routine, to avoid injury to him and you.
Start
with the mental warm-up. Depending on your horse’s
level of training and disposition, this can take a few days
or a few weeks. Horses don’t “forget”
their training, but the excitement of a routine change is
sometimes overwhelming, especially for the young or hot
natured horse. Spend a few minutes a day longing, grooming
and tying, paying attention that the horse is behaving properly.
Now’s the time to nip any budding behavior problems!
Keep the sessions short at first and slowly extend them.
For young horses, this might be just catching them up, hand
walking and cleaning feet, or maybe 10 minute exercise session
on the longe line. Young horses with less training will
take more preparation than older ones whose good habits
are well-ingrained. Don’t ask a colt for more than
he was doing when you put him away last fall. As the horse
starts to pay attention, increase the time of his work session
until he is as well behaved as the last time you rode. The
first rides should be in a safe enclosure. The horse’s
reaction will tell you how quickly to advance; if the colt
is nervous, anxious or just “feeling too good”
do more work on the ground before swinging a leg over.
Once
you are back in the saddle, focus on the physical conditioning.
Start back to work slowly and watch for new reactions that
could indicate a physical problem which may have developed
over the lay-off time. A horse that was never cinchy before
but is anxious about it now may have developed a back injury.
Mouthing the bit or head tossing can indicate a tooth problem.
Any new behavior should be checked out before discounting
it as a training problem.
Be
aware of overheating, sore muscles and exhaustion. In early
spring most horses still have their winter coats and can
quickly sweat up. Because of the long hair, they will need
more time to dry out and cool down after a work session.
Be cautious of slippery footing too; a slip that would do
no damage to an in-condition horse can cause big problems
for a soggy, out-of-shape one. Lots of walking and trotting,
suppling exercises and plenty of cooling out time will help
prevent injuries and get you and your horse back to enjoying
the wonderful riding weather ahead.
Doris Eraldi of Eraldi Training in Potter Valley specializes
in Pleasure and Equitation horses. She can be contacted
at 707-743-1337, or by e-mail dyan@eraldi.net.
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