Fitness and Development Conditioning Training

There are lots of reasons to invest in a structured conditioning routine for your horse, regardless of what their day job is:

· coming out of a slow season, e.g. from winter to spring

· rebuilding strength and condition after an extended period of time off, whether due to injury or circumstance

· improving and softening the gait, topline, pelvis or poll

· general athletic capacity

Whether a top-level athlete, trail buddy or retired, there are indisputable benefits to keeping a horse in good athletic fitness. Additionally, structured, consistent conditioning programs can help shed light on situations in which a horse just doesn’t seem right:

· sudden increased spookiness

· inability to perform specific physical asks, such as leads, lateral gaits or unidirectional traveling

· repeated injury

· postural issues

Any new fitness program should be designed appropriately and performed slowly and deliberately, with a focus on form over function. Much like a human training for their first marathon, horses can develop strains and injuries if we ask too much too soon. Many of the most effective exercises for developing strength are subtle, and it can be difficult to notice when they’re performed correctly, or even if a horse is unable to perform them at all.

A strong fitness regime should, in the first instance, include input from your veterinarian and, in some cases, your farrier. Once cleared for soundness and health to proceed, Skeleton Key Equine is able offer horses and their owners comprehensive suggestions for longer term fitness regimes. These curricula incorporate proprioceptive groundwork, proprioceptive bodywork, and movement! We utilize both in-hand work and work under saddle*. All work is informed by the horse.

*any provided saddle/equipment must be deemed to fit correctly and be appropriate for purpose before working under saddle