Ask Clinton: Bringing a Horse Back to Work

Q: My horse has been on stall rest for a year. How do I safely bring him back to work? – Kathy H.

A: The main thing to remember when bringing horses back to work after a long period of time off is not to overdo it and to stay safe. A horse that’s had minimal turnout and no exercise is going to be full of energy, and you need to be careful so that he doesn’t accidentally harm you or himself.

When I bring a horse back to work that has had time off, I always spend several days doing nothing but groundwork. That gives us both the chance to get back in tune with one another and allows me to remind the horse that I am the leader and can move his feet forwards, backwards, left and right.

More than likely, when you first bring your horse back to work, he’s going to be fresh and full of beans. The safest way to get him to use the thinking side of his brain and work his excess energy off is by doing groundwork. I’d start off by reviewing the exercises he already knows because he’s already familiar with them and you can double-check he hasn’t forgotten anything. If you find an area where his knowledge is lacking, you can fix it now, rather than trying to teach him something new and discovering that he has holes in the program.

Once you’re certain your horse is using the thinking side of his brain and has his attention on you, then start riding him. Just like with the groundwork, quickly review what the horse already knows, and if you run into a trouble area, take the time necessary to fix the hole. You might spend the first few days reviewing exercises with him before moving on. You’ll especially want to focus on exercises like One Rein Stops (making sure you have a brake) and impulsion exercises like the Cruising Lesson (ensuring you have a gas pedal).