Getting horses fit

How to form a fitness plan for your horse

The chances are that your horse has been on a reduced workload during the pandemic, so it is critical your horse is fit for the level of work he will be doing to help minimise the likelihood of any injuries

How to bring a horse back to exercise safely after injury *H&H Plus*

Many horses will have had a season out of work due to the cancellation of the majority of competitions. Laura Fitzharris MRCVS advises on how we can bring them back to their job safely

#SundaySchool: how to nail your horse’s warm-up for optimum performance

H&H offers some useful advice on how to choose the best warm up exercises for your horse and the three stages needed to help optimise equine performance

How to ride and lead horses together safely

If you have two horses and are struggling to find the time to keep them both fit — riding and leading could be the answer. Here’s our guide to doing it safely and avoiding a disaster

What should you do with your horse the day before an event? H&H investigates…

Have you given any thought to what you will do with your horse the day before the event? Should you be running through your dressage test, popping him over some jumps or giving him a day off? We talk to some top riders and trainers to find out what the ideal preparation should be

Chubby companion? Six ideas to help exercise non-ridden horses

Here are six ideas to help exercise non-ridden horses who are healthy and sound enough to be exercised

How racing and eventing training techniques can benefit each other *H&H Plus*

Each equestrian sport can benefit from the specialist expertise of another. Catherine Austen investigates the advantages of interaction between eventing and racing

The benefits of hillwork for horses *H&H Plus*

Training up and downhill can bring all-round benefits for the equine athlete, as Liz Brown MRCVS explains

Jason Webb’s blog: how to help avoid disasters when bringing horses back into work

Jason explains how to get the best out of your horse when picking them up after a winter break

The importance of rest days for horses *H&H VIP*

Recovery phases are essential for performance, allowing a horse’s mind and body to strengthen. Andrea Oakes reports

Therapy regimes: how do the pros keep their horses at the top of their game?

What therapy regimes do top riders follow in order to keep their horses in peak condition? Stephanie Bateman investigates...

Nicola Wilson: 9 top winter training tips

Eventer Nicola Wilson shares her wealth of knowledge about getting your horse fit and ready for the season ahead

Will Furlong’s top tips to get fit and ready for the season *Promotion*

European young rider eventing champion Will Furlong shares his dos and don’ts for getting your horse fit

Innovative new equine fitness tracker wins award

A horse fitness tracker that can also be used to detect problems with gait has been launched in the UK

How do you know when you've worked your horse too hard?

Make sure you can recognise the signs of equine fatigue and know how to delay its onset through appropriate riding

Lissa Green's Burghley blog: counting down the hours until we load this incredible creature on to the lorry

Lissa explains the exercise and fitness regime her Burghley mount has undergone in the run-up to the event

Eventing season count down: follow this fitness plan for a BE100 eventer

The eventing season is just three months away and whatever your horse is up to now, it’s time to prepare a fitness plan so that he’s ready for his first event

How to maximise fitness and minimise lameness in your horse *H&H VIP*

Everyone has their tried and trusted ways of fittening horses, but how many of these methods stand up to scientific scrutiny? In preparation for the spring season, Dr David Marlin reveals the latest thinking in conditioning horses for competition

5 steps to bring your horse back in to work

If your horse is coming back to work after recovering from an injury, what is the best way to proceed? This five-step fitness plan is a good place to start

How can I get the most out of a session on the gallops? [H&H VIP]

Sarah Radford gets expert advice from top riders and trainers about how to get the most out of a session on the gallops