How to prepare an unfit horse for eventing?

Question

I have a horse who is a bit unfit and I would like to do a newcomers ODE in march 2009. The horse hasn't done much jumping over the last year and refuses them unless I walk him over the jumps before hand, which is not possible in a competition! Last time when he was in work, he was jumping over 1 metre. Do you think it is possible to compete in march and what steps should I take in re-training him for jumping and bringing up his fitness?

Answer 1

For his fitness- building up muscle and the like, it will simply take riding him EVERY day. My trainer gave me this regiment when I was working to get my horse into shape. There is a TON of trot work. When trotting, make sure he is in as much of a frame as he can hold for an extended period of time. Start by doing 20m trot circles at each end of the arena (A and C) and in the middle, B and E. Do this two-three times in both directions. Then do three trot circles along one long side of the arena. The should be 10-15m. Bigger when you're starting, but work down to smaller sizes once he begins to shape up. Do the the three circles at M, B, and F, and the cross the diagonal and do another set of three circles at H, E, and K. Repeat.



Then do it again, but shoulder-in in-between the circles. Then do it again, but with haunches-in and sit the trot during the circles. Then continue straight and pick up a controlled, medium canter. Do one 20m circle at the top of the arena, either A or C, wherever you end up, and then canter ONE time around the arena. Change reins and do the canter exercise in the opposite direction.



Then do this entire process every time you ride flat. This is especially something you can do on your own. For jumping, I STRONGLY recommend working with your trainer, to bring him along right. But working yourself slowly over poles and just slowly exposing him to more and different types of jumps will help. If he was previously jumping over 1 meter, there is no reason for him to be walking over jumps. He's learned that if he doesn't do it, you'll let him get away with it and take the easy way out and walk over them.



This may have something to do with your position when approaching the jumps, are you leaning forward or resting your weight in your hands on his neck? Are you sitting back the entire time before the jump? Are you squeezing before the jump or just throwing yourself into a two point and hoping he'll jump? You need to ride him right up to the jump, keep your leg on, and in the last three strides, squeeze-tight, tighter, tightest. Unless he is in pain, there is no reason an already proven jumper is not jumping.



Good luck, it will take a lot of work, but if you want to do it, I'm sure you can! :)

Answer 2

Well if you can't get to ride the horse daily it'll be a little hard getting him in top condition, but for 2km and 15jumps he doesn't need to be. If you can get out to him 4 days a week(2 week days and the weekend), I think it would be more than possible, to have an okay fit horse for the event in march. The most important things you need to work on are fitness and dressage, to get your horse fit and reacting to your que.



A way to split this up would be 1 day dressage, 2ed day jumping, 3ed day roads and track+light dressage, 4th day a good hack. Dressage work on the frame and get the horse reacting to your ques. Jumping: maybe you should start out with free jumping(jumping without rider down corral of jumps) this lets the horse build up the muscles and technique over the jump, and most horses find it fun, it should help with refusal problems. Roads and tracks(or track work) is to improve the fitness of the horse, alot of trot in frame, it simply working in a large area(like a field or track) where you can work for a long time in the same pace. Final hacking out is important both for fitness and to show the horse new terrain, try to take different roots each time.

Answer 3

with this work i'm not sure he could get fit. how high and long is the competion? if he had been in good shape before he can return. make sure he is really solid walk trot canter and start over trot poles and then trot poles to a x rail. build from there. sometimes free jumping helps with a refusing peoblem. where ever he is located it would be benefitial to the horse to belunged or rideden even when you can't. lunging in side reins helps build muscle and conditions them well just don't do it if the horse can't be worked walk trot canter for at least 30 minutes. March is a while away and i think if the comp isn't too high level he should be ready. best of luck!!!

Answer 4

For the jumping problem, start with small x-rails and MAKE your horse jump them. Once he does them well, gradually move up. You should be able to do this easily by March. If he learns that he can get away with refusing jumps, then you're f*#&ed. As far as fitness goes, just ride him a lot. Trail rides are good, if you have wooded areas nearby. And ask your trainer for help on the jumping problem.

Answer 5

Jimmy Woffard has a couple of fitness regimens in his book that he says work for almost all horses up to training level. Try checking them out.

Answer 6

do soem lounging with the jump involved and if he dosint go over at a canter or trot make HIM! then rais the jumps higher and finish on a good note =]