If you're like me, you've been off your horse while the world has contended with this novel coronavirus. What an unprecedented time we're living through! We're truly going to have to go to a "new normal", even in the horse industry, as we open up and restart activities with a new perspective on how to socialize while social distancing!
If your horse has been (probably truly enjoying being) out to pasture for almost two months, join the club!
And now you've probably headed back to your barn, to your horse, and to riding as usual. I can see it now. We're all going to go to the barn, saddle up, and mosey on our way to the nearest trail for a beautiful almost summer trail ride. Or head to the ring and pick up with the same w/t/c we were working on, hoping that the horse remembers it all. It'll take just a couple of weeks and they'll be right back where we left off, right?
Well, not really.
I couldn't believe my eyes, but there was already a post about a "schooling" show in two weeks in one of our local Facebook groups. The argument was that it was only to school, but you know and I know that any kind of show atmosphere puts pressure on the rider to do the best they can to prepare. And if that might mean taking a few short-cuts, or rushing things a little to get from point A to point B, then so be it!
While horses don't lose as much fitness as we might over a two-month period, they do need a restart just like we do. Making the right choices in your back-to-work conditioning plan might make all the difference to you and your horse. It might be the difference between pulled tendons, sore muscles, tight backs, and stumbling - simply from lack of conditioning. It might save you from more time off because of injuries to your horse, or worse - to yourself.
Aside from fitness, there's a good chance that your horse hasn't been handled in the same way as when he's in work. Sure, he's likely been handled in his daily life routine, but that's simply not the same thing as heading to the outdoor where the seasons have already changed and there's wind and wetness and the sounds of scurrying animals to add to the excitement. Even the calmest horse might exhibit some extra springtime bounciness!
And so that was the case with my own beloved black beauty, Cyrus, during our first visit together after almost exactly two months.
He is the type of horse who loves attention and work. I mean it! He loves everything from grooming to tacking up to walking in-hand around the property. He also relishes in movement. It doesn't matter what kind of movement - airs above the ground at first, and then just the casual develop-your-gait-quality type of exercises. It's all good!
But even with this kind of horse, controlling his excitement and energy is as important as getting anything else "done".
This is when "horse listening" is of utmost importance. Because getting back to work isn't just about letting the horse free lunge in the indoor after not having done anything at all for weeks. And it's certainly NOT about going back to jumping, however low and careful, within a two week period!
What To Do
1. Take Stock
Do some homework before you head to the barn. Here are some things to think about:
- how long has your horse been off?
- what type of work was he doing before?
- has he been getting any controlled exercise at all?
- what is his personality like?
- what are some exercises you have done in the past that might be helpful right now?
2. Set Goals
Forget your long-term goals for the time being. If your horse has truly been off for two months or so, you need to set your sights on careful conditioning for the time being.
- what are the first goals you want to achieve?
- what kind of ground work will be suitable to start?
- how much unridden work should your horse do before you get back in the saddle?
- how will you control the intensity of your rides?
- how long should your first, second and third phase of conditioning be?
- when will you know you and your horse are ready to be back to work?
3. "Listen"
Once you're ready to put your plans in place, you can still get feedback from your horse. You might discover that you can whiz through the ground work you were planning in a few sessions. Or you might find the opposite and have to break down your first steps into more sessions than you thought. Maybe you'll be able to walk/trot soon, but have to stay in that phase for some time before you work regular canter in. It really does all depend on your particular circumstance.
4. Join the Horse Listening Practice Sessions! (shameless promo, but the Practice Sessions may REALLY help you at this time!)
If you've enjoyed all the little exercises I post here on the blog, and you think you'd want more - as in, detailed theory, carefully planned exercises, clearly articulated explanations of what you want to do and WHY - then the Practice Sessions are for you! The Practice Sessions are excellent for riders without instructors, or for riders who want that little more than they can get in an hour riding lesson.
I have detailed whiteboard videos that show you exactly what you want to do, why, and strategies for specific figures and movements. Then, because riding isn't only about patterns, there are the Quality of Movement articles that go deeper into a movement or exercise that will help you improve the gaits. THEN, if you want to learn about specific movements - like the tear drop, or how to use the corners in a dressage ring - there's the Aids & Figures Mini Lesson videos. These are aimed at filling in any theory gaps you may have because there simply isn't enough time for all the info to be shared in a riding lesson format.
But there's still more, as there is a private Facebook group where we share daily thoughts, tips and tidbits. You can always email me privately if you have any questions that are particular to you and your horse, and I WILL PERSONALLY EMAIL BACK!
And because I know there are a lot of us out there just starting up our riding again, I'm offering a Post-Covid-19 6-month Special, at 40% off the Premium monthly rate. This means that you essentially get almost 2 months free over the 6-month period. Which means you can use all the information until December! Oh and yes - you can download all the documents and audios, including my famous PDF Cheat Sheets.
Monthly membership gives you access to everything but the Practice Session and Ground Work Session archives. If you want access to everything (and this is where some of the archived Practice Sessions will be really helpful to getting you back in the groove at your own pace), then the Covid-19 Special will give you the same access that annual members get - to all the archives as well as everything else.
You don't have to decide now. You can join as always - just for $1 - and get onto the Dashboard, take a look through everything, join the Facebook Group, and get the emails. And then, if you feel the Practice Sessions are helpful for you, just do nothing and the payment will be automatically started 5 days after the trial period. Don't like it? No problem! Cancel before the fifth day.
It's as simple as that.
Curious? There's even more information here, and scroll down the page to check out the special price.
In any case, these next few weeks are really all about you and your horse. Be prepared, be a little more careful than usual, and see what your horse thinks about it all!
And most importantly, have a GREAT TIME!
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If you’d like a structured, but personal tool to set goals, take a look at the new Goal Setting for the Equestrian: A Personal Workbook. The pages are designed for you to set and keep track of your progress over the course of a year.
Included in the book:
- design your overarching goals
- long- and short-term planning,
- debrief your special events such as clinics or shows
- reflect on, plan and evaluate your goals
- sample goals and pages
The Workbook is available for instant digital download so you can print the pages right off your computer. There is also the option of a paperback version if you’d rather have a professionally bound book to hold in your hands.
Click here for more information.
If you want some of my free exercises, read more here:
https://horselistening.com/2012/01/01/how-the-not-canter-can-drastically-improve-your-transitions/
https://horselistening.com/2012/08/19/do-a-forward-back-up/
https://horselistening.com/2013/03/02/use-the-canter-trot-to-truly-engage-the-hind-end/
https://horselistening.com/2020/01/19/skip-into-a-straight-canter-transition-exercise/
https://horselistening.com/2019/08/12/top-5-reasons-to-warm-up-and-cool-down-on-the-trail-at-the-walk/