Whether bringing a horse back after time off or building towards a season, the rate of change matters more than the volume. Muscle, tendon and bone all adapt, but not at the same speed.
Build in gradual increases, keep the surfaces varied and sensible, and allow recovery days to do their job.
Where a horse is returning to work after injury, any programme should follow veterinary guidance first.
This article is general information for horse owners. It is not advice about any individual horse, and it does not diagnose or replace veterinary assessment.
Equine therapy supports, and does not replace, veterinary diagnosis or treatment. If you have a concern about your horse's health, speak with your vet.
Related reading
- Signs your horse may be experiencing muscular tension
Tension rarely announces itself. More often it shows up as a series of small changes an owner notices before anyone else.
- Understanding your horse's topline
The topline is often discussed as a shape. It is more usefully understood as a function.
- Recovery following competition
What happens in the days after an event shapes how the horse arrives at the next one.
