[heyycutter]

so i only have enough time, what with work and everything to ride my horse 2-3 sometimes 4 times a week, for like a half hour-an hour. i always wonder/worry if hes going to loose all his muscle tone from the lack of excerise. how often do you guys ride your horses? do you think this is a ok amount of riding per week?
just curious

 

[Jake and Dai]

Sigh...not nearly enough...

 

[ChingazMyBoy]

I ride 5-6 days a week at the moment I am only riding 45 minutes to an hour as that is all Chinga can do without becoming extra hot in the heat.

 

[heyycutter]

do you guys think 2-3 times for only 30-60 minutes is too little excerise though?

 

[ChingazMyBoy]

Yeahh, I think its to little from what I've heard the horse is meant to be worked 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. I think this would be impossible (I am not suggesting doing it by the way). I know one friend who is a teacher, so she doesn't have much time to ride. So if she doesn't ride she lunges. I know most people ride 5-6 days a week, giving the horse one day of rest.

If you can't ride your horse that much a few things you could possibly do is getting someone out to ride your horse for you, I know many people would like to ride everyday but because of the price of owning a horse or the price of lessons this is hard for them. If you decide to go with this idea you could do a deal eg: They ride your horse for 45 minutes and then have to put them away, feed and rug your horse (general morning or night care) for the day they ride. So this means they get riding time and they also get to do some of the stuff in owning horses. For you it makes it easier. There are a few more things you can do but did you think about not being able to ride enough when you bought your horse.

 

[roro]

My horse has a trainer who rides him 3-4 days out of the week, so I can choose not to ride on weekdays if I don't have time. Typically I ride 3-4 times a week, either dressage, jumping saddle, or bareback pad.

 

[MyBoyPuck]

I'm an addict. I'm up there 6 to 7 days a week. I ride about an hour most day. Trial rides go up to 3 hours. I work at night, so I have some freedoms there that most people don't to ride in the daytime.

 

[M2twisted]

i ride about 3 times a week, sometimes more. if i trail ride it's much longer. i try to change it up alot. i'll ride western, english and bareback (i'm e loser, i can't stay on at the canter bareback on my own horse!), and we trail ride, mostly in western tack.

good question as to if that's enough. i've heard for people getting in shape you are supposed to work out a day, and then rest, to let your muscles rebuild and repair, i would think in some ways it would be the same for horses?

 

[Lucara]

I try to ride Duchess 5 days a week if its not raining. I usually ride between an hour to an hour and a half. With the temps in the upper 90's still, she cant take much and neither can I!

 

[LolaGirl160]

i ride 6 days a week for an hour depending on the workout im giving. I only ride for an hour no longer. Only at shows do i ride longer than an hour , and even then i gey off anddo things to free up their back.

 

[kchfuller]

Maddy: M, W, F and either Sat or Sunday

Brodie: M, T, TH and either Sat or Sunday

i ride for about 30-45 min at a time unless I take Brodie roping, then it's like 3 hours

 

[Cougar]

Cougar gets out for an hour 4-5 days a week. Greylite gets out for half an hour to an hour 2-4 days a week. It feels like nothing. I used to ride 5 horses a day six days a week.

 

[myQHpaul]

during the summer, everyday of the week. during the school year, on the weekends and during vacations or other days off. when we finally move closer to the barn next year, i'll be there everyday again. we want a house with some land and there isn't anything like that around here.

 

[NorthernMama]

do you guys think 2-3 times for only 30-60 minutes is too little excerise though?

It depends what you want to do. If you expect to be able to go on an all day trail ride or lope across the fields for an hour or compete, then, no, it's not enough. But if this is all you do, then, yes it's enough. Watch your horses diet and give them as much free turnout as possible and you should be OK. I work full-time, have a full family, do house renos, school meetings and who knows what else, so I don't have enough time to ride either. My girls get out 1 - 3 x a week for a couple of hours. I try hard to get out on the weekend both days, but it doesn't always work. I never ask much of them though. 90% of our riding is at a walk, 8% at a trot and 2% canter. I've been doing this for years and never had a problem with them.

 

[drafts4ever]

I ride 4-5 days a week and she has two days off. She has all day turn out from 8am-5pm and during that time I try to ride for an hour in the morning and an hour after dinner normally 6:30-7:30. I'm not going to be showing her in anything more than some fun shows, nothing too serious and when my funds come back up I'll be hauling her for trail riding a bit before the rain and snow hits.

 

[xEquestrianx]

During the summer, I ride just about everyday, during school and the winter, probably about 2-3 times depending on the weather.

 

[xLaurenOscarx]

When Oscar Was At His Peek And Was Totally Fit And A Pure Muscle Machiene I Could Ride From 1 hour to 2 hours Depending On How He Was Still Going Just To Keep Him Fit. Then He Got Serios Case Of Colic And I When I Eventually Started Riding Him It Was For Half an Hour and Ive Just Gradually Brought It Up 2 An Hour But Now Im Injured So Cant Ride For A While

During The Summer I Used To Go Down Every Day But Id Always Give Him At Least 1 Day Of A Week And Jump Twice A Week Then Id Either Do Hill Work Or In The Arena Or Just A Quiet Hack As Theres No Fields Locally I Can Ride In
During School I Ride Weekends Tues Wed And Maybe Show On Fri Evening And Sometimes Show On Sun If Not Fri

 

[mom2pride]

I'm able to ride pretty much every day if I want to. And now I've got a new project horse, so I definitely will be out there everyday with her. Plus I've got the two yearlings I'm training...let's just say I horse around alot! I don't complain!

 

[lanlaysapphire123]

i ride 6 days a week 1 day i school 2 day i hack 3 day i jump then do the same again but my ponys only 5

 

[ClassicalRomantic]

Usually between 3-5 days a week with the rides being about 45mins-hr.