How do I get and keep my mare fit without riding much?
My little (14hh) mare is 3 1/2. Over the winter I have done a lot of groundwork and have been riding her regularly for 3-4 months. She's doing great - sensitive to leg yields and other cues, turns, stops, backs. She picks up a canter nicely but not always a correct lead (that's OK). Because of her age and experience I call her green, though. Now she's ready to do some real work, and she's getting tubby. The problem is I'm pregnant, and getting to the point where I can only ride a little at a walk and trot. It's hard to find a small person (<140#) willing to ride a green horse, and I need to find creative ways to keep her fit this summer. She can longe, ground drive, & maybe do a long, flat, slow trail ride, but it doesn't make her break a sweat. We have no real hills in the area, I'm afraid. We've reached such a good point in her training I don't want to stop the momentum and try to pick up where I left off next spring. Any suggestions?
slaintefive2008-06-13T08:48:31Z
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You could lunge her. I don't mean just in mindless circles, but over obstacles, on uneven natural ground, over banks and ditches and into creeks or a pond. You could also have a friend pony her from another horse if they aren't light weight enough to ride her. You can also due more side passing and backing in your riding. Sidepassing around cones in a figure eight or backing through poles or cones is much more difficult physically than walking or trotting, and doesn't force you to be jarred by her trot or canter. Good luck!
How does a person stay fit without going out and excercising? Sorry, there is nothing you can really do to get and keep your mare fit right now short of the ideas you've already mentioned, except for one obvious thing. Could your mare go out into a big pasture turn-out? Horses in a large pasture with other horses do keep somewhat of a level of fittness. Some of this is due to their running and playing with each other, but most is due to just moving around and grazing. So if there is any way you could put your mare into pasture turn-out you could keep her somewhat fit and still totally sound. If you don't have an ideal pasture situation, do the best you can. Obviously being turned out in 5 acres is going to keep alot more fittness than standing in a tiny paddock, or worse yet, a stall. Even an acre pasture with another horse is better than nothing. If you could find an experienced youth to ride twice a week that would be great - but as you mentioned finding a small but knowledgable youth is tricky (what am I saying - I'm only 115 pounds and I'm middle aged, so don't forget about us middle aged gals, too!) and the downside of that is - you are going to have to live with the results they get from your mare. And finding an knoweldge rider who has the time will be tough. Everyone rides slightly different so you can expect some changes with a regular rider, for either the better or the worse. You could lunge your mare, but I would have concerns about her legs. If you lunge her enough to keep her actually fit you are also going to put alot of wear and tear on her joints from that constant turning. Long lining would be a bit better since you could get serpentines and such without having to move too much yourself, but this will still probably have to be kept to a minimum. Your idea about trail riding in the hills was perfect, but if you don't have those then you're stuck there, too! I think you might just have to accept that your mare is not likely to progress and might even regress a bit this year. But sometimes that's just how things go. And to be honest - after having children I can vouch how difficult it is to get out there and ride when they're young, too! That's why young horses and young mothers are a tough combination, if you choose to keep this horse you'll just have to do the best you can. There was a span of over five years where I hardly had a chance to ride, now that my children are older its easy again. I would keep up groundwork as much as possible, trying to work with her at least once a week. Your mare will remain respectful and polite when you ride if you can keep her respectful and polite from the ground. Otherwise I might just let her have a year off. It won't hurt her to be allowed to relax and grow for a year, and then you can give her a good tune-up next spring. If that doesn't sound suitable, then you will have to decide whether to just limp through as good as possible or worse yet, if you want to sell or lease her for a year or two until you are able to ride more yourself. Good luck.
Longing/lunging, long-lining/reining, loose jumping (?), plenty of groundwork and bonding, long rides in walk and trot, um are horses supposed to have a break after being backed and having some training? I think I've read that somewhere so perhaps a break might be good for her so as she can consider everything she's learnt and is ready for when you can ride again properly. Has she matured properly mentally yet. She is still young. Good luck with her =)
Longing is the best way. If that gets boring though you can try teaching her new things while you're doing it like to go over poles and eventually over jumps on the longe. Free longing is also good if you have a round yard. Also putting her in with another horse, maybe a young one (if she's not already of course) might give her a bit of extra exercise! Mine goes in with another horse a few times a week and they run around like lunatics for an hour playing so I don't have to work him at all those days!
When you can ride a horse out, it is past being green, if your horse misses a lead, it is because you missed to give the right clue. cross her to the left or right to pick up a lead change, or work a figure 8, where she has to change leads. get some one to lounge her, and work the voice command on her, turn her out, and cut back on grain. What make you think you will have more time after your baby, get here, wish full thinking on you part. Why do you think she has to break a sweat to keep in shape. Try to find a teenager in to horses, to ride her, put up adds at the feed, tack,stores. even riding for cleaning stalls. They are a lot of kids who would love to have a horse to ride