LEGGING UP

Proper conditioning plays an important role when you are getting ready to start hauling and entering  again.  Your horses length of time off will come into play when  you are figuring out how long it's going to take to leg them back up.  I look at the physical condition they were in prior to lay off and if we are rehabbing an injury.  Another factor I consider is if they stalled or turned out and the age of the horse.  These factors all play a part when you are planning a program that works for you.  I laid my horses off for a little over a month this winter but I still tried to get on and walk 2 days a week.  They are all turned out to pasture.  I also try to Theraplate them 4 days a week while they are off as well.  My protocol in this particular situation is:

Jessica's 5 Week Program

• WEEK 1-Walk them  for a week up and down hills and in the arena.  I start with 10 minutes and I build my way up to 40 minutes by day 5.
• WEEK 2- Walk for 10 minutes to start and then trot for 10 minutes and then walk for another 10 minutes.  I will build up to 20 minutes at a trot by day 5.
• WEEK 3- Walk for 10  minutes, trot for 10 minutes, lope for 10 minutes and walk for 10 minutes.
• WEEK 4- Walk for 10 minutes, trot for 10 minutes, lope for 10 minutes, In week 4 I add turns and figure eights and I will do straight line sprints, I always end with walking for another 10 minutes.
• WEEK 5- they are ready normally to haul again, depending on the horse.

I also try to work them different days of the week on different types of ground. I don't want to work every day on the same footing because when you haul and run they won't be on the same footing everywhere and I believe it helps avoid injury to leg them up on different types of ground.