Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Starting a training regimen
• Part 2 of 3: Increasing physical activity
• Part 3 of 3: Changing the Horse's Diet and Other Care
• Tips
• Warnings

The right training regimen can shrink your horse's belly, prepare him for competition and improve his overall health. As with physical exercise for humans, the best results come from persistent effort over many weeks, not from overworking or overworking. You can also consult your veterinarian about your pet's diet, but keep in mind that as the horse's activity changes, it will need more food than before to maintain a healthy weight.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Starting a training regimen

1. 1 Consult your veterinarian if the horse has been injured. If your horse is recovering from an injury, always consult with your veterinarian before making a training plan. Most likely, the animal will need a period of rest and stay in the stall, and after some time after that, the load should not exceed a quiet short walk on the lane.
2. 2 Decide if you will lure or ride. Line chasing, while leading the horse off the ground with a long leash, is a great way to start light exercises for an out-of-shape horse. It will also help the horse get used to (or get used to) your commands and body language, and is especially recommended for untrained horses. If the horse is only slightly out of shape and is already used to riding, follow the rules below, just saddle the animal.
3. 3 Walk your horse daily. Take daily walks for 10-20 minutes. Lead the horse in a straight line, then in a circle, and then in eights, but give the animal room for a wide arc as it turns. If the horse has not been trained or does not want to cooperate, then the training must be focused first. When the animal begins to respond to your commands, increase the speed to a fast stride (but not trot) to increase the benefits of the exercise.
   • Change direction and turns to get the horse used to following your lead rather than following its usual route.
4. 4 After a week, add a trot to your workout. You need to trot for the first time a week after walking exercises. Start your workout with 5-10 minutes of walking and then move to a trot for 5-10 minutes.
5. 5 Watch the horse's reaction. She should puff a little after trotting, but should not gasp, gasp, or sweat excessively. Some out-of-shape horses can handle longer trot runs, but watch them carefully to avoid injury.Find a certain trotting foundation that your animal can handle without serious effort, but always start with walking and do not exceed the initial training time of more than half an hour.
6. 6 Finish each workout with a walk. After each trot, dismount (if riding) and walk slowly with your horse for at least 15 minutes. You can also just let the animal wander around the pasture at this time. The main thing is not to return the horse to the stall until it has cooled down after training with calm movements.
7. 7 Gradually increase your trotting time. The trot is great for building muscle, but patiently, gradually increasing your trot time is the safest and most effective way to get your animal in shape over the long term. After every two to three workouts, increase your trotting time by one to two minutes.
8. 8 Move on to the next section when the horse is ready. A heavily out of shape horse will take about four weeks of training or more before improvements begin to show. Be patient and focus on the long-term benefits. When the horse can easily master 15 minutes of walking followed by 15 minutes of trot, move on to the second part of our article.
   • To follow the recommendations of the next part, you will need to ride a horse, if you have not already done so.

Part 2 of 3: Increasing physical activity

1. 1 Slowly increase the duration of your workouts. Start gradually extending your exercise sessions, but no more than a few minutes per week. Use a walk, trot, walk, trot pattern to increase the duration of your training without exhausting the horse, but also continue to increase the amount of time you trot.
   • Remember to always end an exercise session with a riderless walk.
2. 2 Rest your horse at least once a week. Now that exercise begins to go beyond short, calm sessions, it is imperative that the horse rest for a sufficient amount of time. Give your horse a break from any type of riding at least once a week.
3. 3 Start walking and trotting over the hills. Jogging up and down hills is especially effective for building up the horse's glutes. Be aware that the animal may run at a slower pace over hills.
   • Avoid driving on slippery hills or other dangerous unstable surfaces.
4. 4 Gradually incorporate the canter into your workouts. If the horse can trot for an hour without a break, then it's time to try the easy canter. Change from trot to canter for a couple of seconds, and then return to walking again. Do this every day or every other day, gradually increasing your canter time after every couple of workouts. It may take several weeks before a horse can run comfortably at a canter.
   • Get into a leaping seated canter position to take most of your weight off the horse's back and to maintain balance.
   • The gallop is a good way to develop the horse's breathing, but the trot is more effective as a general muscle training.
5. 5 Only go into canter when the horse is ready. Do not force the animal to do this. It usually takes at least nine weeks for an out of shape horse to be ready to gallop. When the animal is comfortable with a light gallop, switch to a normal one, and after a while again to an easy one. Do this once or twice a week, gradually increasing the amount of time you normally canter.
6. 6 Train your horse to jump carefully. If you are preparing your horse for competition, it is important to understand that you do not have to jump every time you practice. At the start of the season, a few jumping exercises will be helpful to get the horse back in shape. But other than that, high jumping exercises are not recommended due to the stress on the horse's joints.Better to start the horse at a trot and jump over small obstacles or use other exercises to develop the muscles for the jump.
   • Exercises with a change of pace will be useful, as well as movement simultaneously forward and to the side.

Part 3 of 3: Changing the Horse's Diet and Other Care

1. 1 Adjust the type and amount of food. Your veterinarian or food retailer may recommend healthier cereals and / or low-calorie hay. If your horse is overweight or has ribs visible, consult your veterinarian about your horse's feeding schedule.
   • Keep in mind that a working (or training) horse needs more food than what is left in the stall or pasture all day.
   • Do not give dietary or medical supplements to your horse without the advice of your veterinarian.
2. 2 Minimize unhealthy treats. If you are pampering your horse with treats, cut back on treats or switch to healthier alternatives. Carrots will be a healthy treat, but sugar cubes will not.
3. 3 Let the horse out of the stall. Let your horse go out to pasture for at least three hours a day, preferably six hours or more. Walking and grazing outdoors can increase a horse's energy levels, reduce negative attitudes, and even positively affect metabolism and recovery from injury.

Tips

• Make sure the saddle girth, rein and / or bridle are well adjusted and comfortable for the horse. When chasing the horse on the lane, hold the stirrups so that they do not hit the sides of the animal.

Warnings

• Do not ride your horse immediately after it has eaten.
• Beware of colic from sudden changes in diet, pasture, or daily routine. See your veterinarian if you notice any health problems.
• Cool your horse with water and minimize exposure to heat.