Most riders possess an arsenal of useful exercises to perform with their horses. But when it comes to improving equine fitness, exercises rely not only on weekly relevance but on dosage—how intensely an exercise is applied, the duration and frequency of execution, and the weekly schedule within which workouts exist determines its impact on fitness. How long and how frequently your horse exercises, and in which combinations they are best performed, will help you maximize your horse’s athleticism.
My workouts help accomplish the performance goals that many riders strive for within their disciplines but often fall short of reaching—stronger, more agile, and more balanced horses. They do this by circumventing the tension, both physical and mental, that often spoils conditioning attempts made within a discipline-specific or skill-based session. By providing the right amount of stimulus while avoiding the boredom/laxity, fatigue, and habituated neuromuscular patterns that can be typical of a schooling session, these routines lead to physiological gains.
The importance of equine fitness cannot be overstated because performance erodes without fitness. In terms of health, good behavior, and overall wellbeing, it is a critical tool in your toolbox. While it can be tempting to assume that horses make daily conditioning gains by practicing the skill sets within your chosen discipline, this fails to be the case over the long term. When performing at a similar power output, metabolic state, and duration, a horse’s physiological state reaches a point of diminishing returns. Eventually, the body becomes so efficient at performing habituated routines that fitness begins to erase. Becoming more efficient means the body has practiced movement patterns so frequently that it recruits fewer muscle fibers to operate the same muscle contractions and accomplish the same gymnastic task. Without varied stimulus, previously engaged muscles become less active. Therefore, targeted bouts of stimulus that are not tied to skills within their discipline are what can help most horses continue gaining, or maintaining, fitness.