Early Season Training
Many of you will be bringing your horses back into work after a winter rest, and this early-season training is a really important foundation for keeping your horse sound for the rest of the season. If your horse has had a few months off or reduced work then there will be changes in their back shape, and this may mean that your saddle is no longer a good fit, so it’s worth getting your saddle fitter in as soon as possible at the start of the season.
You can also help your horse prepare for being ridden by in-hand groundwork such as poles, stretching and lunging. Road work is often used, but road work does not harden tendons and whilst a few minutes a day does increase bone strength, too much can lead to inflammation and arthritis. Avoid working horses hard on very cold mornings as similar to people as this can lead to airway irritation and damage.
