When NOT to be Fit

In spite of its benefits, there ARE times when a high level of fitness is actually counterproductive. Especially when it comes to aerobic fitness, we equine professionals have an adage that “a fit horse is a mixed blessing.” The upside is that a fit horse often feels quite good and energetic in his body. The downside is, well, that he feels so good and energetic.

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. Aerobic fitness involves a highly tuned cardiovascular system and the extra energy already mentioned. Mechanical fitness on the other hand involves improvements in a horse’s balance and coordination, body symmetry, postural strength, and overall soundness in his gaits. A horse (and human, for that matter) can have one of these without the other. In the human realm, an example is an individual who attends numerous Pilates, Yoga, and strength-training classes but never runs, cycles, or participates in elevated heart rates.

In the following cases, it is more constructive to prioritize mechanical fitness while de-emphasizing aerobic fitness.

Young Horses

In the buildup to becoming a riding horse, youngsters are well served by learning how to coordinate their bodies on various terrain and while wearing all kinds of new gear (bridles, saddles, etc). They need to learn heaps of skills related to interacting with and taking leadership from humans. But what they do not need to do is spend lots of days trotting and cantering around a round pen or longe line. This only increases their cardiovascular adaptations, and often does so quickly. Exercise tolerance is raised daily along with the desire to release energy. It means if/when the horse does get anxious or excited at points during early training, he will have more exuberance to fuel that excitement and also more stamina to sustain it. This is generally the opposite outcome we seek when helping young horses manage the world around them.

With youngsters, focus on skill attainments and mechanical fitness first. When they are progressing beyond “green” under saddle, then you can shift to making aerobic gains.

Horses with Sidelined Owners

For the same reasons as above, when a horse’s owner is going to be laid up for a while and unable to ride, I let the horse’s aerobic fitness decline while keeping its body mechanics tuned. As an example, a dear friend recently had ankle surgery and sent her horse to me for the two months she is recovering. When my friend eventually does get back in the saddle, it will take her a certain period to reclaim her balance and confidence. This process will be accelerated by her mare offering a calm, focused ride. Most ideal would be both horse and rider having patience with lots of walking. The process for my 60+ year old friend would be hindered if I ramp up her Arabian’s aerobic system to the point where she has energy and stamina that needs expending daily. This would produce a frustrating and unfair scenario for both horse and rider. Instead, my strategy is to exercise this mare daily but to avoid workouts that lead to aerobic fitness.

Rehab Horses

To use an automobile analogy, I like to remind people it is no good getting a motor all revved up with power if the chassis is falling to pieces. The engine might be capable of roaring down the freeway at 90 miles per hour, but if the bolts, hoses, belts, and wheels are flying off, how far will you get? It is the same with a newly or recently injured/sick horse. When he or she is necessarily confined due to these factors, aerobic and mechanical fitness levels decline significantly beginning around the third week of layup. They continue to drop off until around week 8 when any previously existing fitness has disappeared. When these fitness levels fade, there is no reason to panic, because they will return with appropriate conditioning. As you begin conditioning the horse, though, prioritize proprioceptive stimulus, low intensity work, and Corrective exercises. Only when the horse is physically durable and capable of withstanding a consistent weekly volume of higher wattage workouts do you want to begin adding aerobic work. Cardiovascular adaptations can be raised— and often quickly— once the physical body is sturdy enough to withstand more intensity of activity.