Fit for spring
How to prepare your horse for the new season
With the first warm rays of sunshine, the best time of the year begins for many horse owners. However, before you go on long rides or to the first competition of the season, your horse needs targeted preparation. Coat changes, feeding adjustments and targeted training are particularly important now. Here you can find out what you should pay attention to.
Care and support for your horse
Coat change
In spring, the horse switches from a winter coat to a summer coat. This phase can be stressful for the horse as the metabolism is running at full speed. To make the coat change easier, you should pay attention to the following points:
Regular brushing
You can effectively remove loose hair with special grooming brushes or rubber brushes. Coat brushes that gently loosen loose hair and massage the skin are particularly suitable.
Additional minerals
The change of coat requires many nutrients, especially zinc, biotin and copper. Targeted supplementary feeding can provide optimum support for your horse.
Massage & blood circulation
A massage with a rubber harrow or an acupressure mat can promote blood circulation and speed up the hair change process.
Regulate energy levels after the winter
Adapt feeding
After the cold months, it is not only the coat that changes, but often also your horse's energy requirements. While high-energy feed was often necessary in winter, feeding should now be customised:
- Slowly switch to pasture grass: The grass starts to grow again in spring - but grazing too quickly can cause colic or laminitis. Therefore, gradually acclimatise your horse to fresh grass.
- Adjust concentrates: Adjust the amount of concentrated feed to the intensity of exercise. There should always be plenty of roughage available.
- Targeted supplementary feeding: If necessary, you can work with supplements that support the metabolism to make the changeover easier.
After the winter break
Slow muscle building
Many horses have worked less during the winter and now need targeted recovery training. Starting too quickly can lead to tension or even injury. The following tips will help with gentle muscle building:
- Warm-up and cool-down phase: Extensive warm-up riding is particularly important to prepare muscles, tendons and joints for the workload. Don't underestimate the work at the walk! Extensive walk phases can be combined with loosening exercises.
- Gymnastics & pole work: Ground work with cavaletti or poles can help to build up the muscles in a targeted manner. A slow training build-up with varied units (dressage, lunging, riding out) ensures gentle strengthening of the entire body.
- Leg protection: You should protect the legs with gaiters, bandages and bell boots, especially if your horse is over-exuberant in spring.
1. riding transitions (walk - trot - canter)
Goal: Improve strength, coordination and hind leg activity
- Ride many transitions first from walk to trot and back, then add trot - canter transitions.
- Give your horse time to understand the exercise. If your horse anticipates the transitions, ride a different exercise first or ride the transitions elsewhere.
- Switch frequently between walk, trot and canter to make your horse more responsive. Increase the tempo slowly between the changes.
- Make sure that your horse performs the transitions smoothly and with active hindquarters. Your horse should first step on the hand willingly before you ride a transition.
Training effect: Strengthens the hindquarters, promotes suspension and improves suppleness.
2. pole work in walk & trot with variations
Goal: even muscle development & better coordination. You can combine this exercise well with transitions.
- Place 4-5 poles at regular intervals (normal walk approx. 80 cm, vary the distance for a higher challenge).
- Vary the height with light cavaletti blocks so that your horse lifts its hooves. Protect legs and hooves with boots and bell boots.
- Combine poles at trot and walk to consciously encourage movement and attention.
Training effect: Promotes suppleness and strengthens the entire musculature.
3. cavaletti work at trot & canter
Aim: Strengthening the back muscles & improving sure-footedness.
- Set up 3-5 cavaletti in a row (distance at trot approx. 1.20 m, at canter approx. 3 m).
- Let your horse walk over them first at trot and later at canter.
- Ensure a steady pace and a calm, balanced seat.
Training effect: specifically builds up back and hindquarters muscles, improves coordination.
4. lateral movements (shoulder-in, travers, traversal)
Aim: strengthening the abdominal and hindquarters muscles, promoting suppleness
- These exercises can be performed at a walk, trot or canter, depending on the level of training.
- Start with shoulder-in on a long side or in a circle.
- If your horse is stable, you can move on to travers and traversals.
- Important: The lateral movements should be performed smoothly, not halting.
Training effect: Promotes balance and coordination, specifically strengthens the core muscles.
5. uphill & downhill riding (cross-country training)
Aim: to build up the muscles in the hindquarters & stabilise the back
- Look for gentle climbs in the terrain.
- Your horse should move forwards uphill with active hindquarters.
- Ride downhill loosely and evenly step by step to stretch the muscles.
- This exercise can also be practised well from the ground. For professionals: Have your horse walk backwards up and down the small hill. Make sure that you step calmly and evenly and do not overstrain your horse.
Training effect: Strengthens the hindquarters in a targeted manner and improves carrying capacity.
6. reinforcements and tempo changes within the gaits
Aim: to improve strength and core stability
- Ride e.g. a long side intensified at trot, then collect again to the short side.
- Make sure that your horse does not lie on its forehand, but works actively with its hindquarters.
- Give yourself enough time for this exercise. A fast-moving horse does not directly mean that it is actively stepping under with its hindquarters.
- Your horse should already be swinging loosely over its back for this exercise.
Training effect: Strengthens the muscles through targeted impulses.
These exercises will help your horse to continuously build up strength and endurance after the winter break. It is best to combine different units for a varied training programme.
A riding instructor or another observer who can give you feedback from the ground is of course an advantage.
By the way: Do you want more ideas for training or are you preparing for the next competition? Then take a look at our books: FN Verlag
Conclusion
Start slowly after winter
Spring is an exciting time for horses and riders! With the right preparation, you can make it easier for your horse to change its coat, ensure it is fed a balanced diet and gently build up its muscles after the winter break. So you can start the new riding season healthy and fit together!