Spring is when the season starts to take shape — and the horses that go well all summer are the ones brought back into work carefully now. Here’s how to build fitness safely after the winter, whether your horse has had a quiet few months or a proper holiday.
Before you start: the check-ups
- Saddle fit. Horses change shape over winter — have your saddle checked before the work steps up.
- Teeth and feet. A dentist visit and a farrier booking now save problems later.
- Vaccinations and worming. Make sure jabs are in date for the show season, and talk to your vet about a worm-egg count.
- Coming back from injury? Follow your vet’s plan to the letter — it comes before anything here.
Build it up slowly
Fitness is built in layers: first the tendons, ligaments and bones, then the muscles, then the heart and lungs. Rushing the early stage is how injuries happen.
- Start with walking. A couple of weeks of steady walk work, ideally out hacking, lays the foundation — longer if your horse has had a long break.
- Add trot gradually, in short spells, building up week by week. Gentle hills are brilliant for strength.
- Introduce canter once trot work feels easy, keeping sessions short at first.
- Jumping comes last — start with poles and small grids before any courses.
Watch for the signs
Notice how quickly your horse’s breathing settles after work, check legs for heat or swelling every day, and ease off if your horse feels tired or stiff. Variety helps too: mix schooling, hacking and days off so your horse stays fresh in mind as well as body.
Spring grass
New grass is rich. Introduce turnout gradually, keep an eye on weight, and be extra careful with good doers and any horse prone to laminitis — your vet can advise.
How we handle spring at Pentonville Lodge
On full livery, every horse is checked daily by people who know them, so changes in weight, feet or attitude are spotted early as the grass comes through.
Short of time, or want a professional to bring your horse back? Schooling livery means Nikki builds your horse’s fitness and schooling for you — and coaching on your own horse helps you both start the season on the right foot.
Nikki Ward · Pentonville Lodge
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