Time off in the winter??

[kahjul]

I know alot of people give their horses the winter off. Barefoot, turned out, etc. I have never done this before but am considering it this year as the vet and farrier want her barefoot for a while. I'm having her shoes pulled right before Thankgiving and was thinking of giving her the whole 6 weeks off. She lives on 1/4 acre with a stall so she can run and play, etc. My trainer thinks it would be ok, although she's not thrilled since we're doing really well right now (she also will be losing a bit of $). The BO says its a BAD idea. She says you never get the same level of fittness back and if I want to leave her barefoot for a while, I should just bute her and only ride in the ring (sand footing). She will only be sore for a few days after the shoes are pulled, so that really isn't the issue. She's a young horse and we've worked hard this year. We've put in a lot of hours and travel and learned alot. I could use a break. I'm sure she could use a break. The holidays would be a perfect time to do it. I'm thinking she can just be for the 1st part of winter, then I'll bring her in, clip, blanket and shoe and start over. For those who have done it, how long did it take to bring them back? Would you do it again? Why or why not? Even if you haven't tried it what do you think?

[merrygoround]

I would say from my lofty pedestal of many years, that your BO needs to continue doing what she does best. Shoveling.

Coming from an era in the NE, BW (before Wellington), we all gave our horses, event, dressage, the winter "off" , that is we dropped back from active competition mode, to hacking out, and in general enjoying life. Then gradually in the spring, we'd pick up the pace, slowly start conditioning, and "Voila", another season.

As far as"never" coming back to the same form--again she should stick to shoveling. :D

[pintopiaffe]

I can say that my horses usually come back at LEAST at the level we left off, but usually better. The time off gives any minor aches, pains, swellings etc., time to heal. And more importantly, refreshes their MINDS. I have been stunned at how much my stallion retains--and sometimes I swear he simmers on what we've been working on, and without me *trying* so hard all the time, comes back and ~*voila*~ there it is.

I don't have an indoor, and generally plan on Christmas through the middle-end of February being completely off, unless I want to play in the snow. I start bringing them back in late Feb, when we get the nice warm days, generally starting with lots of long, slow distance road and hillwalking. (no choice! :lol: ) Six weeks later, in April, we're back up to 'work' level, and generally are kicking up the work just as Mother Nature allows.

One year I rode quite a bit--3-4x/week through the winter, though he did have a big long break at some point... but we were no further level-wise for the keeping on... *I* might've been, but he wasn't any further than he would've been with time off.

I'm sure that is entirely different in a different climate, or with an indoor.

[downthecenterlinetheycome]

I've had an interesting, similar yet opposite scenario. During summer I'm usually away, (boo :( Sucks for showing). Last year was 1.5 months, this summer was 3 months. Horsie gets a break, and yeah, he always comes back better.

[idtogo]

My horse ALWAYS comes back better after his winter break. After a long season of
showing, the shoes come off and the lessons stop for six to eight weeks and we do nothing but hack and go to the beach. Never any problem getting back to fitness and his feet always look great after 6 months barefoot. I'm lucky in that he can be ridden fairly normally barefoot so the shoes come off the day aafter the last event and go on 2 weeks before the first show of the spring.

[Equibrit]

It does nothing but GOOD!

[Iride]

It can be beneficial yet on the other hand each horse is an individual. For example, a young horse who tends to be a handful can get to be moreso without a consistent program, especially when the weather is cold and nippy. Just another point to consider. :)

[kahjul]

Well, I am going to do it. My girl is very sensible and even with the first 3 weeks completely off, 2 days in the round pen and she'll be good for a trail ride. I'll just stick w/my plan to play around from Thanksgiving until 1/1, bring her in for a good scrub and a clip, throw on the shoes and blankies and start over. Thanks. Of course, I'll let you know if it ends in disaster!

[JMurray]

My horses always get Jan and Feb off due to weather, no indoor. I need the break. They need the break and we all feel fresher in March. I have done it this way all 8 years I have had my own farm and have not yet had any issues getting back to the level of fitness I need even with my second level horse. But my serious show season usually starts end of May and I show off and on thru November.

I am no professional though and not an FEI rider so could understand why they would worry about giving 2 months off.

[rugbygirl]

I think you should probably listen to your trainer and that your BO should do as merrygoround said.

By BO's logic, mares that have a foal would never get back to the same level. Maybe hers didn't...but a lot sure do!

And Bute so that your horse goes barefoot? Wow, that's a great way to cover up pain and potentially seriously injure the horse permanently. :eek:

My horses, by necessity, get the winters mostly off. They run around barefoot and get to give the "learning new things" a bit of a break for the coldest months. We hack around in early spring, and start our training program with prep for the schooling shows.

I don't have much experience, in Dressage, but when December hits -40C, even if your horse lives indoors, it's tough to keep the same training schedule.

[patch work farm]

Traditonally, I have had to take some time off during the winter although I do not pull my mare's shoes just in case I can get a ride in from time to time. This past winter was AWFUL for both of us trying to come back, it took seemingly forever...age is no friend to either of us! Based on what you have written, both of you are young enough that it will be no big deal so take the time off and enjoy it.

[ToN Farm]

I know alot of people give their horses the winter off. Barefoot, turned out, etc.
And how many of them have horses that are FEI or even 3rd?? Horses need regular work/exercise, just as humans do. I would only give time off if the horse was injured. Otherwise, they stay in a consistent work schedule. I also don't think it's wise to pull shoes or change the way you shoe, just for the heck of it.

[pintopiaffe]

ToN's point is very valid--I think Third is probably the 'breaking point' where the time off is destructive, because it takes SO MUCH more muscle and condition. Forever to build up to that point, and certainly more time to bring them back after extended rest.

So I sort of take back some of what I said. :lol: :uhoh:

[rugbygirl]

She's a young horse and we've worked hard this year. We've put in a lot of hours and travel and learned alot. I could use a break. I'm sure she could use a break.

My advice was based on this statement.

I think young horses need mental breaks. You can still do conditioning work if you're concerned about fitness...I consider long-and-slow endurance-type training to be time off for a younger horse.

I'm not trying to say I know better than anyone here, don't get me wrong, this is just how I feel about it, and the way the trainers I look up to do things. We have started young horses going, doing pretty intense performance training, and getting to a "good" plateau. They then get a break for a while, run around and be horses, before they come back in for more. While I agree that Dressage training has to be a process of gradually building on previous learning and condition...I that horses, like any athletes, can plateau and need a change. This is especially important with a horse who has a good work ethic and is very willing...the trainer needs to respond to the ebb and flow of their learning cycle. While a "break" for an older horse might constitute adding in conditioning rides or just stopping adding "new" things...a break for a much younger horse might mean turnout and play.

Hmm, that was more of a musing.

[snoopy]

I would say from my lofty pedestal of many years, that your BO needs to continue doing what she does best. Shoveling.

Coming from an era in the NE, BW (before Wellington), we all gave our horses, event, dressage, the winter "off" , that is we dropped back from active competition mode, to hacking out, and in general enjoying life. Then gradually in the spring, we'd pick up the pace, slowly start conditioning, and "Voila", another season.

As far as"never" coming back to the same form--again she should stick to shoveling. :D


:yes::yes::yes:

[InsideLeg2OutsideRein]

If your only issue is wanting/needing the horse to go barefoot, you don't need to give him the whole winter off. It may take more than a couple of weeks, but even my thin-soled TB ( a very unlikely candidate to be rideable barefoot) is doing great. There are many things you can do to support the barefoot process (such as handwalking on asphalt, staying on soft sandy footing only for example, is not the best way to go (though you can of course lunge at first, and then ride there etc.) you may want to read up on that.

As for gaining fitness, horses can and do come back fully (and continue their training upwards) after time off (whether injury related or not), if done sensibly (there are whole books written on bringing a horse back into work, and your vet may have a word to say as well). I'm currently bringing back a mare who was turned out for almost a year as her owner didn't have time for her. She is doing great so far and I'm hoping to show her in the spring. The mare is still barefoot and we're hoping that even once she goes out on the trail again, she can remain barefoot. (I have an eye on buying her, and that would definitely be appealing to me ;) )

[rugbygirl]

I'm sure this isn't a common problem, but my 2 year old needs shoes more when he's out on pasture than he does in training (halter Arabian).

In halter training, he gets his soft cushy paddock...and gets tuckered out doing directed conditioning on the soft cushy arena footing. I have to trim him about every 6 weeks in training.

On pasture, he gets wired full of grass and runs around like a fool most of the day...he can trot faster than most of his herdmates canter (they are older). I haven't even thought about trimming him for the last two months...

[enjoytheride]

Usually I give a couple weeks off here and a couple weeks off there in the winter, usually when its too cold to ride even in an indoor! My friends that have to give the winter off usually miss the first spring shows because their horses are not fit and neither are they!

I have a friend that rides at 3rd and during the winter she pulls all four shoes off since she follows the same program I do and doesn't really go anyplace that her horse needs shoes for.

[kahjul]

ToN, I am not pulling the shoes for no reason. You missed where I said the shoer and vet want her barefoot for an undetermined period of time to help a problem. She will be sound barefoot within 10 days or so so I'm actually only planning 3 weeks completely off, then trail ride, etc for the remainder of the barefoot time (could be 2 more weeks, could be 7). She is schooling 2nd level and will spend her time off in a rolling pasture.
Basically I really need to catch up with my family, and tend to some things that have been left behind while I was so horse busy this season. So, yes I'm going to do it, I was looking for people to tell me it was ok. :)
Thanks!

[Sabine]

I have to agree with almost all that was said here- a young horse needs a break- for sure and that's what the OP is asking. The more mature- higher trained horse needs more of a 'tailored' break- more walk, more leisure- but not a profound change- like pulling shoes...we all hope that the shoes and the physique and the core elements of the physicality of the advanced horse are all working well. Only if an accident occurs- special needs need to be considered.

I would love some recommendation for a young horse in SoCal- where there is no green pasture.....:(!

[Iride]

Out of curiosity, how would you all define "young" horse?

[slc2]

While taking into account the fact that time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects, and has been a major subject of religion, philosophy, and science, even though defining time in a non-controversial manner applicable to all fields of study has consistently eluded the greatest scholars, I'd say a young horse is from 3 or 4-6 years old for sport horse purposes, and for more general purposes, from birth to 4 or 5.

[pintopiaffe]

While taking into account the fact that time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects, and has been a major subject of religion, philosophy, and science, even though defining time in a non-controversial manner applicable to all fields of study has consistently eluded the greatest scholars,

:lol: :lol:

I call 'em youn'uns until they're 7 really. But I'm very conservative. And they (the horses I breed & raise) are VERY late bloomers.

[slc2]

I would not intentionally give a horse the winter off. Too much condition lost, in horse and rider.

[SaraTx]

you just have to know how your horse deals with time off to make that decision. My mare had 2 weeks off after we changed barns and the arena wasnt ready and we had lots of rain, so pasture riding was out, but she got 12hr/day turnout. It took the trainer and I almost 3 mos to get her back to where she was before we moved. She doesnt handle stiffness well, and tends to make herself stiff and uneven when left to her own devices. Right now, I would love to give her 2 mos off, as I am due to deliver at the end of this month and figure it would be another month before I can ride on a regular basis (barn is an hour away), my wallet would sure appreciate the break from trainers fees. But I know that is not an option with my mare without making her miserable. Before we moved, I showed her in a 3/3 test and got 60%, after we moved, I couldn't have taken her in a training level class w/o embarrasing both of us.

I envy those of you who can give your horses time off.

[slc2]

Is it a mare thing? I don't think so, but mares seem to react more to an on again off again schedule.

[SaraTx]

My older mare gets better with a week or 2 off here or there...

[RedMare01]

I don't know if it's just "mares" per se (having only owned a mare), but I can say that there is no inbetween for her. She does well with either no breaks or a long break. She is excellent when I ride at least 3-4 days a week a least or give > 1 month off. She had probably ~ a two month break last spring when I was shopping for a new barn (old barn decided to go into business foaling out race TB's and filled the indoor with stalls). She was perfect when I started her back in the summer, and started exactly (and better) from where we left off in the spring. Of course there was a loss in fitness, but nothing that 2-3 weeks back undersaddle didn't fix. But, I got married early last month and was only riding once or twice a week for awhile. She was not good then, stiff and resistant. I really think it depends on the individual horse, the level working at, and training program. FWIW.

Caitlin

[rugbygirl]

For the SoCal person with no grass...

We've moved around a lot, and I'm not an expert or anything, but one thing I liked to do to mix it up or my young horses (younger than 5) is to start on a trail program. Not just hacking, but not as structured as arena work either. There are some Endurance training websites with good programs to build overall fitness...hillwork is not nearly as mentally stressful as collection work, but they both help in building topline, for example.

I also trail-walk my horses, and jog with them. They like it, it tires them out, but is more of a break than a ride.

[Kaluna]

I know alot of people give their horses the winter off. Barefoot, turned out, etc. I have never done this before but am considering it this year as the vet and farrier want her barefoot for a while. I'm having her shoes pulled right before Thankgiving and was thinking of giving her the whole 6 weeks off. She lives on 1/4 acre with a stall so she can run and play, etc. My trainer thinks it would be ok, although she's not thrilled since we're doing really well right now (she also will be losing a bit of $). The BO says its a BAD idea. She says you never get the same level of fittness back and if I want to leave her barefoot for a while, I should just bute her and only ride in the ring (sand footing). She will only be sore for a few days after the shoes are pulled, so that really isn't the issue. She's a young horse and we've worked hard this year. We've put in a lot of hours and travel and learned alot. I could use a break. I'm sure she could use a break. The holidays would be a perfect time to do it. I'm thinking she can just be for the 1st part of winter, then I'll bring her in, clip, blanket and shoe and start over. For those who have done it, how long did it take to bring them back? Would you do it again? Why or why not? Even if you haven't tried it what do you think?

Hello. I agree with many of the responses, but not so much with others (like the mare comments or that horses need to go through the winter on a schedule). I'm quoting the above post to stay on track.

I know eventers that pull shoes every winter and give the horses a break. they then do lighter riding after the horse adjusts. Adjustment can take 5 days - one of them took as long as 3 weeks one winter. In the early spring, they increase the work, they put shoes on, gain fitness by disciplined strength and cardio interval training, and ramp up to competition level work. They don't do this just for young horses (under 7 in my book). It takes them about 2-3 months to come back, but then they are in competition fitness for event horses. And it works for them because they have a real program.

If your horse is doing lower level dressage, there is no reason why he can't take a couple of months off and come back just fine. Probably with a refreshed attitude. It's all in your program.

I had a FEI level dressage horse who had a month off here and a month of there ... it took time to come back but the horse seemed to appreciate the time off. She came back with a better attitude about some of the collected work. Life happens and life is important - the horses care less than many think. just develop a solid conditioning program and don't push too hard too fast. :)

[Sabine]

For the SoCal person with no grass...

We've moved around a lot, and I'm not an expert or anything, but one thing I liked to do to mix it up or my young horses (younger than 5) is to start on a trail program. Not just hacking, but not as structured as arena work either. There are some Endurance training websites with good programs to build overall fitness...hillwork is not nearly as mentally stressful as collection work, but they both help in building topline, for example.

I also trail-walk my horses, and jog with them. They like it, it tires them out, but is more of a break than a ride.

Thank you- that's what I have resorted to as well and just working for a stretch like 3 to 6 weeks- and then taking a week of massage/chiro/PE and rest...it seems to work well for them (age 9 and 4 ) and they are not loosing muscle or conditioning but come back fresher and like they haven't forgotten a thing.... I am considering paying my trainer for 3 weeks out of 4 every other month- to accomodate this rest period- or moving the lessons to other times or saving them for show coaching...

[slc2]

Just because time off is the popular opinion here and people who don't agree are getting group pressure here to not discuss any other viable option, doesn't mean it is right for all, or that all believe that, quite the contrary.

I can't think of any more advanced riders who give the horses a week off out of every month for chiropractic unless the horse has an injury or chronic problem, the schedule like that may work for a busy amateur but I don't see too mmany trainers or more advanved riders doing that.

It's more like a day off here and there, or training days interspersed with other exercise throughout the week, or having 'gait development' only days or hack only days. It's common to give a little time off after a major show, but not to take the horse out of work deliberately, unless they are injured or actually require rest due to soreness, etc. Some will have a less advanced rider hack their horses several days a week as well.

I know quite a few eventers, the only ones who take the horses out of work in the winter and pull their shoes are those who don't have access to an indoor arena, or who don't like working in the cold or are working at a lower level and do not expect to advance. They are not riders doing Advanced. I DO know people who give their eventers time off for longer periods, and it's usually because they are sore footed and they have to have the time off.

It is NOT universally believed among eventers that taking the winter off, with NO work, is good for the horses. Nor among dressage riders.

There are quite a few people who have been in dressage for a very long time, who are adamantly against the horses having long stretches of time where they are just turned out/not worked. Most of the more advanced dressage riders I know HAVE to give their horses some time off, hopefully not more than a week here and there, due to their travel and competition schedule, but most of them try to have someone work the horse at least some, while they are away from the barn.

Mostly though, instead of giving periods of time off, they structure their work so the horses remain fresh, do not get sore, and have a mixture of kinds of training days so they remain in good mental state for years, and still more or less continuously work dressage. The key is how the fitness level builds and builds.

This often means briefer but more frequent rides (the individual rides are often less than 30 min, but they may ride even as much as 5-7 days a week, some even twice a day), most importantly with a start, a middle work period and a finish, often with a hack after and additional exercise at the walk (eurociser, hand walking, or whatever they can manage), not drilling or repeating any exercise more than a few times during a given ride, etc.

As the level of fitness of the horse increases and gets built on, the work becomes easier and easier for the horse. The time off is interspersed throughout a work schedule, rather than given in blocks of weeks or months. Mentally, I think this is actually much easier on the horses, as their schedule is more consistent.

There is, most absolutely, a very effective and kind way to keep horses in work year round, throughout a given month or week, without them suffering mentally or physically, and while enhancing their fitness and their training progress.

And you won't find more advanced riders in either dressage or eventing, giving lengthy blocks of time off deliberately, there's just too much potential for injury as the muscle, tendon and ligaments are affected by time off. just because months or weeks of time off is a popular way here, doesn't mean everyone believes in it, or that people who don't do this are making the horses suffer mentally or physically.

I think we often believe what we need to believe. If an intermittent schedule is what we can manage, then it must be the way everyone should do it, and any other opinion is shouted down.

[snoopy]

I know quite a few eventers, the only ones who take the horses out of work in the winter and pull their shoes are those who don't have access to an indoor arena, or who don't like working in the cold or are working at a lower level and do not expect to advance. They are not riders doing Advanced. I DO know people who give their eventers time off for longer periods, and it's usually because they are sore footed and they have to have the time off.





I will have to disagree with you on this one. As an event rider and one that has competed through the three star level I can tell you that it is the NORM to give horses time off...usually after the last big event of the season. With the annual migration to warm climates for more and more North American based riders, yes the time off has become shortened a bit BUT, the horses do still get extended periods of time off.
It is certainly still normal to let ones horses down, pull shoes, and turn out from OCT-DEC in the UK. January they come in and start a month long period of walking/hacking/legging up. On average it takes about three months to get them ready for their first competitions in early march, with peak fitness achieved for their spring "three days" in about four months.
The time off does everyone good, horses come back feeling rested mentally and physically.
How this concept equates to pure dressage horses I would not know as event horses and dressage horses are conditioned and muscled up in different ways. I was informed by one vet that it takes on average 16 days for the horse to start letting go his muscle tone when on a break..

[slc2]

It's not the norm for every eventer in my area to give 2 months off, it varies. Many don't give more than two weeks off in the fall; some have told me they simply don't work their horses hard enough where they need any time off, others say after a big event they want the horses to have time off and they seem to plan for the biggest run toward the end of the season and then give themm a break. Others will say more than a few weeks creates problems, such as reinjuring old injuries, etc. It varies. Some pull shoes, others don't.

There has been some research that suggests speed conditioning may be more persistent than dressage conditioning. Some research that just measures the speed over distance (rather than recovery times, which i'm sure change) suggest that's very persistent over time off. it may make more sense to give time off speed work and/or jumping than off dressage work. Alot of people seem to feel it's dressage work specifically that makes their horse sour, so want to give time off of that.

I think it's also dependent on a person's situation. Without access to a fall or winter pasture, it becomes more difficult to provide a vacation of that type.

[snoopy]

SLC

I have just re-read the part of the post I quoted where you said "they are not riders doing advanced". Sorry I misread.

So I will agree that the younger horses who are not at the higher levels of eventing do NOT get as much time off as the advanced horses. Their work load...at least physically anyways...IMO...does not require extended periods of complete rest. I do give a week off here and there though to give them a mental break. Some may have a week in the field others may hack. So I do agree it is different for all horses depending on what their needs are. But I will say that I am not against rest in any form ( as some have indicated). Athletes require rest it is actually part of the conditioning/development process.
I personally have had great results with having some of my horses taking a complete rest for a couple of months.

I will say I am interested in this topic as far as pure dressage goes, as I am moving in that direction and for so many years my let down process/period has been based on event horses and their requirements.

[slc2]

Most of the more advanced dressage riders I know do not give two months off in the fall or winter at a stretch. Most of them work all winter, and in fact, for most of them, training is at its peak in the winter. That may be when they go to FLorida to work intensely with an instructor or when they move their horse up for the next show year.

I do not EVER want to be schooling something during the summer show season. The horse is rock solid and doing it in his sleep by then. I want the horse to COAST all summer if I'm showing.

Part of not making them sour is that they ARE coasting all summer, and that the real work takes place long before that.

I also believe that one just cannot move a horse up in dressage with long periods of time off. There is the unusual case where it works, but I would say for 1 that works 100 cases it doesn't work in. Fitness for horse and rider is progressive and builds up. Everytime you take time off your training moves back. You don't notice it if you're doing training and first level. You DO if you're at a higher level and want to move up each year.

I think many dressage people giving horses the winter off don't have any choice because they have no where they really can ride in the winter.

Especially up north, boarding anywhere with a decent indoor arena is very expensive, getting close to a thousand dollars a month in many communities, and you're talking about a VERY crowded indoor arena during the winter, that is very difficult to get anything done in, in most cases, and also a place where you usually have to pay more to bring your instructor in or may not be allowed to bring him/her in at all. At one place, there were sixty boarders in one indoor riding arena all winter, they were all about to kill eachother with their bare hands by spring.

And to tell the truth, there are as much as six months out of the year here (Oct-Mar or more) where riding outdoors is just not practical. It's not just cold or wind or dark, it's the footing. VERY few outdoor arenas are 'all weather' and it can cost almost as much as an indoor arena to build an out door arena that would drain and be even partly close to an 'all weather arena'.

Here, the footing deteriorates into mud or ice and mud or ice and mud and holes, and it's very hard to do anything other than walk outdoors if that (assuming you have the entire day off from work and are not planning to ride before 7:30 am or after 4:30 or 5 pm!). It's a very exceptional piece of property in this area where the whole county is clay and low, that is high and dry and sandy.

[egontoast]

do not EVER want to be schooling something during the summer show season. The horse is rock solid and doing it in his sleep by then. I want the horse to COAST all summer if I'm showing.




In dressage there is always schooling. For most people (other than slc)training does not stop for a season because you are showing.

[Moogles]

I had a horse that I working towards Young riders with and I always gave him some time off in the winter. There were some valid reason. First, it gets darn cold up here in Canada and even with a heated indoor arena, I think it's mean to turn a horse out to -30's celsius after riding (even when ensuring he is dry, he used to get blow dried:lol:). Second, I believe that a month off is not going to significantly damage a horse as long as you bring them back slowly to work. Take your time and focus on gymnastics. After every short break I always felt that he came back more refreshed. As a permanent outside horse (he hated being inside, would bang on the stall all the time), we pulled his shoes to prevent him from from developing wicked ice balls. He would constanly be standing with his feet at weired angles from the ice build up on his metal shoes if I didn't get them off. I found snow pads for shoes would help but not 100%. I also heard too many horror stories about using boruim to prevent sliding on ice. I would understand keeping highly trained (ie GP) horses in regular work, maybe just having some down time in the form of trail riding or hacking out more.

[Ajierene]

My experience with giving horses breaks:

My first horse I bought when he was 19 years old. Breaks did not matter to him. Give him a month off or ride him for a year straight and he was the same horse.

My filly: SHe LOVES people and LOVES work - she thinks it is fun. So when she gets to much of a break, she gets a bit depressed. She thinks you don't love her anymore or something.

The gelding I once owned: Give him a break and he turns into a bit of a freak first day back. Crazy spooking, spinning and other shenanigans.

My mare. She likes breaks every once in a while, a mental recharge. If I do not give her a break, she gets annoyed with work. She will sometimes get a few days to a week off afte a show, or just some time during the season. Every fall, after the last show, her shoes are pulled and she does little to no work. I usually ride her bareback with the beginner lesson kids and follow them around or plod around the fields. I have to trailer her out to trail ride, so that is not done much in the winter.

If I do not pull her shoes and let her walls 'rest', her hooves will start cracking and soon there will be nothing for the farrier to nail the shoes onto. She is also 'flatfooted' and definitely needs shoe for work.

As far as fitness goes, any horse can go several weeks without losing to much fitness and while my mare does tend towards stiffness and can be a bit stiff when she comes back into work, it does not take to long to get her back in shape. I usually bring her back in the middle of February. I may to a small show in April, but will start showing regularly in May.

There is no set general rule for mares or geldings - so disregard gender when deciding. As far as 'speed' work being better then 'dressage' work, I would like to see some studies on that. I would think it would depend on the horse, just as it depends on the person.

[okggo]

The breaks for me come with necessity, and I'm really looking forward to getting into regular work again. I used to board at a place with an Olympic size indoor, and while I probably rode less during the winter (I personally don't handle cold frozen bones well) I did keep up work and come spring there was really no 'getting back into the groove' b/c we had been fairly consistent.

Now...well no indoor. And frankly that makes all the difference in the world. In fact I was boarding at a place with no arena at all for awhile, and that makes dressage schooling a challenge, esp when the nice open fields are off limits b/c of farmland. We moved and got an outdoor built but had some issues with drainage that we are just now finally resolving. I'm DYING to get back into a routine, but I know cold miserable, icy snowy weather is just around the corner. So, as long as I can only ride outdoors, I'll probably be one who gives them a couple months off every winter.

What I have seen that people need to be careful of, is bringing them back too fast. I've seen people not exercise their horses in months and come out for a 2 hour "hack." Since I can't be consistent yet, when I do ride I keep it light for my horses sake.

And, btw, until I get up to a high enough level of activity or notice any problems, my horses are all and will remain barefoot.

[J-Lu]

The vast majority of the posts here address the original post. The original poster is not an upper level eventer or and FEI- level dressage rider. SLC2, I don't think most people are talking about upper level/FEI-level horses -is this why you are confused? Where did anyone say that eventers universally take 2-3 months off?

I boarded in PA for a while and the eventers in our barn pulled shoes and gave time off in the winter - and we had the best indoor in the area. No, they weren't riding advanced horses. But MOST HORSES aren't advanced horses. This strategy worked for them and they were very into interval training and things to condition at the start of the season. They worked for years with Denis G and purchased horses through him. I might pay money to watch slc2 tell them/Denis G. that they're all wrong.