…This allows muscle fibers and energy systems to be recruited, taxed, and then recover. The body absorbs the exercise stimulus this way as opposed to just tolerating it. There is a big difference between the body adapting to training on a weekly basis versus going through the motions without underlying physiologic changes.

While dressage— and other arena sports— places relatively low aerobic demands on horses, emerging studies have shown that occasional exercise at higher heart rates may improve muscle function.

Depending on the speed and gait, not to mention how much suspension your horse has, ground reaction forces can be a big problem.

Since I have written about cavessons frequently in my books, many readers have contacted me to ask about design, uses, and buying resources. In this post, I will answer several of the most frequent questions I receive about longe cavessons.

At some point, most riders aboard a horse that is breathing heavily will draw a conclusion about its fitness. Respiration, though, can be a fickle fitness marker. And it might sometimes tell you more about a horse’s mental state, physical tension, or plain old natural aptitude than his current fitness. Respiratory rates are always telling us something important. They key is figuring out what the message is.

While it might often be spoken about in artistic, aesthetic, or even philosophical ways, lightness — both of movement and also of communication with horses — is more than an abstract ideal. In many ways, it measures a horse’s current physiological capabilities.

Jec Ballou Canadian Horse Journal Summer 2022 Edition Article: How Does Footing Affect Fitness?

Hill training can serve three different conditioning roles, so it’s useful to figure out which one you’re after.

When a horse is poised and directing his mental and physical efforts forward on his line of travel, he is in an athletic state. Until then, even well-chosen exercises will not create many results.

Learn how to Safely Condition Young Horses from a recent article published in Canadian Horse Journals Spring 2022 Publication

Obviously, there are instances when we do not need or want our steeds bristling with excess energy and seeking outlets of exuberant activity. What follows are the most frequent examples of these cases that I encounter. First, though, I want to draw a distinction between aerobic fitness and what I call mechanical fitness.

What does it mean that your horse can carry a maximum of 20 percent of his bodyweight?

Weak stifles can hinder even a horse with incredible talent. How do we go about helping horses with stifle dysfunction?

Certain exercises in a horse’s athletic development serve as a foundational skill set and a remedial tool later on. Leg-yield is exactly this kind of exercise.

Certain exercises in a horse’s athletic development serve as a foundational skill set and a remedial tool later on. Leg-yield is exactly this kind of exercise.

The exercise that always delivers results: trot to canter transitions! Here is why and how we perform this helpful routine.