Conditioning Time Frames & Exercises (& Winter)

Objective: Lady Needs to Be Conditioned For Spring

Since this is the final article in the series on conditioning, I will use the following time frames and exercises for the 1st stage or legging up.

Scenario: Factors: Age: 14, Training Environment: Outside, Condition: A little out of shape & a little fat, Weather: Winter

4 Stages of Conditioning - Stage 1 - Legging Up With Winter & No Arena.

Riding Session format: Groundwork, Warm Up, Work Out, & Cool Down& End on a Good Note

The length of the session is based on monitoring the horse's energy level (horse health check) and stopping before the horse gets too tired and learns to resent training/riding sessions. Each part of the session is lengthened as the horse gets in shape. There is always groundwork, warm up & cool down.

1st Month - Legging Up, Winter, No Arena

Emphasis this month: ground work & warm up. Longeing & riding will be light in the last 2 weeks. They may not be able to do a full session the first couple of weeks.

1st & 2nd Week : We're working up to a 1hr.+ session of walking.

*Groundwork Exercises - half, most or all of session (1hr+/-)

- List: Index of exercises, all Flexing exercises, see PREVIOUS ARTICLE section on side bar for more.

*Warm up flexing exercises - introduce in middle part of session (15mins+/-)

- List: Warm up, Mount Up&Flexing, Cruise Control, see side bar for more

* Body Control Longeing - introduce in last part of session (15mins+/-)

- List: Longeing, see side bar for more

- If the horse is really out of shape, I would leave out any longeing in the first week or so. That would only leave the free longeing.

* Riding at a walk - probably not the first two weeks

- Probably not in shape for riding/walking depending on the horse. I did not ride Lady in the first couple of weeks. I did exercises in the barn.

* Lots of cool down& End on a Good Note - however long it takes

- The walking/hand walking is a great way to cool the horse down. (Some people use automatic walkers. I don't have one so I can't comment. Please refer to the internet.)

3rd & 4th Week : The horse should be well into the groundwork/warm up exercises than the previous 2 weeks. The horse should be able to start riding now unless they are still out of shape. The groundwork exercises will decrease slightly once horse is able to handle the exercise&skill and as the riding part of workout increases since the horse will be in shape for it.

*Groundwork exercises - first part of session (15mins.+/-)
*Warm up flexing exercises - middle part of session (15mins.+/-)
-see side bar for a list of warm up exercises.

*Body Control Longeing exercises - middle part (15mins.+/-)

* Riding at a walk - introduce in last part of session (15mins. - 1/2hr.)

- The length of time riding at a leisure walk will increase to 1hr. as the horse gets in shape.

* Lots of cool down& End On a Good Note. - however long it takes

2nd Month - Legging Up, Winter, No Arena

Emphasis: Riding at a walk, jog & trot. The groundwork exercises will consist of mostly longeing and warm up. The warm up exercises will go from groundwork to mounted.

1st & 2nd Week : We're working up to a 1hr.+ session at a jog and trot.

*Groundwork/Body Control Longeing exercises - first part (15mins.+/-)

*Mounted Warm up flexing exercises - middle part (15mins.+/-)

- (see side bar for a list of warm up exercises).
* Riding at a walk - last part (1/2hr.+/-)

* Riding at a jog - introduce at the end of session (10-15mins+/-)

- The length of time riding at a jog will increase to an hour riding on an easy surface.

* 'Cool em out' - however long it takes

3rd & 4th Week : The horse should be well into riding at a walk and some jogging. Trotting is introduced.

*Groundwork/Body Control Longeing exercises - first part (15mins+/-)

*Mounted Warm up flexing exercises - first part (15mins.+/-)

- (see side bar for a list of warm up exercises).

* Riding at a walk - middle part (1/2hr.+/-)
* Riding at a jog - last part of session (1/2hr+/-)

* Riding at a trot - introduce at the end of session (10-15mins+/-)

- The length of time riding at a jog & trot will increase to an hour riding on an easy surface.
* Lots of cool down & End on a Good Note. - however long it takes

3rd Month - Legging Up, Winter, No Arena

Emphasis: Riding at a jog, trot & lope/slow canter.

1st & 2nd Week : We're working up to a 1hr.+ session at a jog ,trot and some loping/slow canter.
*Groundwork/Body Control Longeing exercises - first part (15mins.+/-)

- Will still do longeing exercises as groundwork.
*Mounted Warm up flexing exercises - first part (15mins.+/-)

- (see side bar for a list of warm up exercises).

* Riding at a walk - middle part of session (1/2hr.+)
* Riding at a jog - middle part (15mins. - 1/2hr+/-)

* Riding at a trot - last part of session (15mins. - 1/2hr+/-)

* Riding at a lope/slow canter - introduce at end of session (10-15mins+/-)

- The length of time riding at a lope/slow canter will increase to an hour riding on an easy surface.

* 'Cool em out!' - however long it takes walking & sight seeing!

3rd & 4th Week : The horse should be well walking, jogging & trotting. The horse, if in shape, can now be loped/slow cantered to build the conditioning.
*Groundwork/Body Control Longeing exercises - first part (15mins.-/+)

*Mounted Warm up flexing exercises - first part (15mins -/+)

- (see side bar for a list of warm up exercises).

* Riding at a walk - first part of session (1/2hr.-/+)

* Riding at a jog - middle part of session (1/2hr-/+)
* Riding at a trot - middle part (10-15mins -/+)

* Riding at a lope/canter - end part (15mins - 1hr +/-)

* Lots of cool down & End on A Good Note. - however long it takes

As you can see it's a steady progression, introducing more work as the horse is able to handle it. I wrote some interesting ideas to ride last year 'Spring Tune Up on a Trail Ride', talking about getting a horse in shape.

From here the horse would go into Stage 2 Specificity or Strength Training, where for me, that would be introducing simple reining maneuvers.

If you need help with this, please contact me. I would be happy to help! Or please feel free to comment. What's your plan?!

Happy Winter Riding!
Information package available on my fun, innovative approach.
Putting my spin on conditioning.
Reinersue
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