What should i do riding?

Question

i am horse sitting for my friend and i am going over there to ride them today. i was planning on jumping one (abby) and doing mostly ring work with her. does anyone have any suggestions on what else to do with her?

then theres bonnie i dont know what to do with her because she has dropped fetlocks and i dont really want to work her to hard, any suggestions?

P.S. they are really out of shape so what could i do to help get then back in shape.( I think part of the reason is they are on grass all day so.)

Answer 1

for bonnie i would work her lightly, maybe 15 min in the ring walk and tort or you could walk her on the trail if she doesn't spook.  and if you don't want to ride her 10 min of hand walking.  for abby, i would work her hard.  um maybe 45 min of getting to know her in the ring, lead changes, transitions (canter to halt)  then 15 of jumping and 10 in of a coll down trail walk. (if she won't spook)  make her sweat!!!!!

Answer 2

As for Bonnie maybe ten minutes of walking. I wouldn't risk much!

As for the others, how about some pole work?  Make sure not to overwork them though =]

Answer 3

It's not a very good idea to jump an unfit horse. It is too much weight for their forelegs to land after the jump.

I would say walk/trot the first horse- maybe a few laps of canter and then take it for a 1/2 hr hack. The one with the over-fetlocks, I would say just walk her in the arena in the soft sand. Take it easy, maybe bareback her. Over-fetlocks are painful if they move around too much.

Lots of walking/trotting uphill can get a horse in shape. As well as walk/trot patterns with poles and raised poles.

Answer 4

Jump both of them...hack...walk them around! ANYTHING!!

Answer 5

well for getting them in shape if you want you could buy them a jollyball and trow it around when rding walk abby up and down hills with bonnie i would just walk and not even a lap of troting with bonnie ride her a couple times on and off i would bareback it for her good luck on getting them in shape could you but some pics on so then i could tell you some more things to do with them

Answer 6

firstly why has your friend let them get out of shape?

if you dont have time for a horse you shouldnt own one

with abby just do as you planned and then possibly turn her out in a paddock for the rset of the day

with onnie id just ride her for a short distance or purhaps just some light ring work and then turn her out also

hope this helps! :D