Best Ways To Increase Your Horse’s Stamina
No matter the activity, it’s critical that your horse can handle it. Developing a fitness program for your equine is one of the best ways to increase your horse’s stamina. Sticking to the schedule will yield the results you seek.
Start a Conditioning Program
Designing a workout regimen for your horse is an excellent way to build on their stamina. It’s imperative to begin this practice as soon as possible, considering stamina takes some time to develop endurance in. A well-planned routine will guarantee you don’t overwork your equine.
Concentrate on progressively increasing the physical strain on the horse and time your exercises so that your horse can recover with a light day after a highly demanding session. Write this program down and relay the information to anyone else working with them.
Trot Poles & Acrobatics
You may incorporate acrobatics and ground poles into your horse’s routine. Doing so may be more challenging and strengthen their muscles. Introduce trot poles at a reasonable height and steadily increase the heights as your horse gets more robust and gains the precision to handle the poles.
In terms of acrobatics, it can be beneficial, even if your horse isn’t a jumping horse. Gymnastics at a short height can provide a cross-training experience for your horse by allowing them to build muscles that you don’t usually address. Working out all parts of their body improves their endurance to handle any activity you throw their way.
Climb Hills
Hill work is generally one of the best regimes to increase a horse’s strength and stamina, especially running uphill because it is much more demanding than galloping on level terrain. Ascending and descending hills at different paces engage all your horse’s muscles.
The best method to boost your horse’s cardio is to canter up the slope and then walk back down. Downhill isn’t as effective as going uphill, but it does work different muscles in their body. Double-check to see if your horse’s attention is still on you when you do this task a handful of times. Don’t be afraid to trot if they aren’t acting accordingly.
Interval Training
Short bursts of high-intensity exercise alternating with lengthier bursts of lower-intensity training is a vital piece of any conditioning program for humans and horses alike. Proceed with caution for interval training because the high-intensity portions have the potential to cause an injury.
Assess your horse’s behavior for symptoms of weariness as you intensify your interval training. Using a training log to keep records of the frequency and duration of your intervals allows you to monitor your horse’s progress and adjust the program if necessary. Rest days are crucial even if they are progressing well. Plus, a horse’s performance can vary day-to-day, so don’t lose faith if they struggle at times.
Take It Slow on a Trail
If you are preparing for a marathon, you don’t want to prepare by running sprints. You want to start slow and build your way up to handle the distance. It’s no different when it comes to taking performance horses on trails. Handling the varying terrain and slow pace lets your horse handle any situation in the future.
The best ways to increase your horse’s stamina will benefit both you and your horse. Remember, take it slow and pay close attention to their queues if they are winded. Otherwise, you can enjoy the process together.