Wintertime can be difficult to keep horses and ponies in regular work unless you have access to a fully-lit all-weather surface or indoor facilities. Now that Spring is on the way, and especially this Spring and Summer, we hope lock-down requirements will be gradually lifting, enabling us to plan outings and get fit for competition. Minds turn to what we can be thinking about in terms of any changes helpful to achieve our equestrian plans this year. Here are tips to help you get off to a great start.
Spring check-up
Book a vet visit so your Spring vaccinations and health check are done and make sure your worming schedule is up-to-date. This is also an ideal time to have your horse’s teeth checked by your equine dentist. Check over your tack and make sure your saddle still fits as changes in your horse’s body weight and condition will affect your saddle and bridle’s fit.
Start slowly
After time off, no matter how well schooled your horse or pony, it is usual for them to be excited and forward going. This doesn’t mean they are fit, just eager and willing. Your horse will need the time to gradually get back into a focused state of mind to concentrate on what you want them to be doing. Introducing any horse or pony back to exercise after a winter break should be done very gradually. The frequency and intensity of exercise should then be slowly increased over several months. Combine this with a thorough warm up and cool down every time you exercise.
What about changes to feed?
Bringing your horse or pony back into work after time off is a good opportunity to evaluate your feeding programme. Changes to exercise level should be gradual and so should changes to increasing energy levels in feeds. If you are concerned about your horse or pony’s body weight (too much or too little), consult with your vet at your Springtime vet check.
For those good-doers, feed for work done to help manage their body weight. Choose feeds that contain a balance of vitamins and minerals, that are high fibre and low in starch and sugar. Gradually introduce the recommended feeding level to match their body weight and work level over 7-10 days, and as you build fitness over the coming weeks, gradually build up the feeding rate if more feed is required.
If possible, use a weighbridge but with current lock-down, using a weigh-tape is equally helpful – have the same person take the measurement at the same position on the horse at the same time of day. Take weigh-tape measurements on a weekly basis and record them. Using your hands and fingers to feel how their body fat changes to muscle will help you decide if you need to increase the feed (or exercise!). Take care to note fat deposits on the crest, either side of the withers, behind the shoulder, over the ribs, loin and croup. Taking photos can be very helpful to monitor changes to body fat levels and building muscle. Remember that it is better to be on the healthy lean side, than the slightly well-padded side!
For those poor-doers prone to dropping weight or using calories relatively quickly, weigh your feed and look at the type of ingredients in the feed to match temperament. Also, consider your horse’s breeding, as you may find yours is meant to be lean. For example, any Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred-type is genetically predisposed to be muscled and lean rather than ‘rounded’.
To help reduce the chance of heated or unpredictable behaviour, choose feeds high in fibre and oil. For those with sensitive digestive systems, use feeds that do not contain whole cereal grains and those feeds without molasses. Some horses just don’t have a great appetite, so offer small feeds through the day more often and when the stable environment is calm and quiet.
Always make sure they are offered their requirement for hay and grazing alongside their feed, as the fibre will support a healthy gut environment which in turn means as a poor-doer they are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. As with any change in feed, gradually introduce the new feed and reduce the previous feed over 7 – 10 days to help support a healthy digestive environment.
Variety is the Spice of Equine Life – and Yours Too!
Use a varied workload at all times of the year to avoid boredom. This keeps you both entertained and helps both of you learn new skills and hone the ones you have already. A range of hacking and schooling each week is a great way to keep your horse interested – introducing pole activities or grid work into your schooling will keep interest and add variety. Whether hacking or schooling, start with simple exercises, and to build interest and learning, whilst hacking use gentle hills and transitions to build muscle and balance, and in the school, use varied flat work and poles and low grids with different stride lengths to work on stride and balance.
Keep Hydrated
An increase in exercise will in turn increase your horse or pony’s need for water, so clean, fresh water should be made available at all times. Soaked feeds are a great way to increase your horse's water intake too.
To assist exercise recovery, it is a good idea to provide electrolytes (body salts) to those in hard work or prone to heavy sweating as they get fitter. Horses are unable to store these salts, so add them to the feed as part of your fitness program, and on a daily basis if you continue to work at a medium to hard work level.
Make any changes in stable management, feeding and exercise gradually. This helps to reduce stress in your horse or pony’s life. They thrive on routine, so when changes need to be made, take the time to introduce things over weeks and months.
