Getting Fit Little by Little

Are you trying to get yourself and your horse fit?

It's hard to remember in the doldrums of winter, but good weather kind of sneaks up on you - and every spring and summer, people are taking unfit horses out onto long trail rides without much preparation.

It can feel daunting to get a horse fit, but it really doesn't need to be that complicated - really just keeping them moving in small, consistent ways adds up!

Sitting around in a pasture all winter and going out on that first spring trail ride for hours up and down hills is not a good recipe for soundness and longevity - or even much of a fun ride (spring cobwebs in the brain!)

You don't have to have abs of steel by spring time, but if you start now - a little bit as you can on some consistent basis, it is so much easier to be fit by spring.

The biggest issue with fitness for many is all or nothing thinking: that you have to have an hour a day of intense work. This can make people feel so easily overwhelmed that they don't do much except when they have chunks of time.

But the best thing you can do anything - anything always trumps nothing.

If you're in the habit of a little bit of movement by spring, it's much easier to add on more, especially with those delicious first days of warmth and sun adding energy to your step.

So start now (as your weather and daylight permits) - start small, stay consistent, and reap the benefits by spring of a much more mentally and physically adjusted horse.