Winter presents unique challenges for maintaining your horse's fitness. Shorter days, unpredictable weather, and limited facilities can make consistent exercise difficult. However, keeping your horse fit through winter is essential for their health, wellbeing, and readiness for spring. This guide provides practical strategies for maintaining fitness during the colder months.
Why Winter Fitness Matters
Maintaining fitness through winter offers numerous benefits:
- Prevents muscle loss and deconditioning
- Maintains cardiovascular health
- Supports mental wellbeing and prevents boredom
- Reduces injury risk when work resumes in spring
- Helps manage weight and prevent obesity
- Keeps joints mobile and supple
- Maintains your riding partnership and skills
A horse that loses significant fitness over winter requires months to rebuild conditioning, delaying your spring goals.
Assessing Your Starting Point
Before planning your winter fitness programme, evaluate your horse's current condition:
Fitness Level
- Competition fit: Requires maintenance work to preserve conditioning
- Moderately fit: Needs consistent work to maintain current level
- Unfit/coming back from rest: Requires gradual conditioning programme
Body Condition
- Score body condition (aim for 5-6 out of 9)
- Assess muscle tone and topline
- Note any areas of weakness or asymmetry
Soundness
- Check for any lameness or stiffness
- Address any issues before increasing work
- Consider a vet check if returning from injury
Learn to monitor your horse's health: Understanding Your Horse's Vital Signs.
Creating a Winter Fitness Plan
Setting Realistic Goals
Your winter fitness goals should be achievable given the constraints:
- Maintenance: Keep current fitness level (most common winter goal)
- Building: Gradually increase fitness for spring competitions
- Recovery: Gentle work for horses returning from injury or rest
Frequency and Duration
Aim for consistency over intensity:
- Minimum: 3-4 sessions per week to maintain fitness
- Ideal: 5-6 sessions per week for building or maintaining high fitness
- Duration: 30-60 minutes depending on intensity and goals
- Rest days: At least one full rest day per week
Winter Exercise Options
Ridden Work
Arena schooling:
- Excellent for focused, quality work
- Can be done in most weather conditions
- Vary exercises to prevent boredom
- Include transitions, lateral work, and pole exercises
- Keep sessions interesting and progressive
Hacking:
- Provides mental stimulation and varied terrain
- Builds fitness through natural hills and surfaces
- Weather-dependent but valuable when possible
- Vary routes to maintain interest
- Include walk, trot, and canter work
Indoor arena work:
- Weather-proof option if available
- Allows consistent training schedule
- Can become repetitive—vary exercises
- Consider hiring arenas if you don't have access
Unmounted Exercise
Lungeing:
- Excellent for fitness when riding isn't possible
- Allows observation of movement
- Can include pole work and transitions
- Limit to 20-30 minutes to avoid strain
- Work both reins equally
Long-reining:
- Provides variety and mental stimulation
- Develops balance and responsiveness
- Useful for horses that can't be ridden
- Requires skill and practice
In-hand work:
- Walking in-hand maintains movement
- Hill walking builds strength
- Useful on days when riding isn't possible
- Include 30-45 minutes of brisk walking
Horse walker:
- Provides consistent, controlled exercise
- Useful for warming up or cooling down
- Can supplement ridden work
- Not a replacement for varied exercise
Turnout
- Daily turnout is essential for mental and physical health
- Horses naturally move and exercise in the field
- Provides social interaction and enrichment
- Not a replacement for structured exercise but valuable supplement
- Maximize turnout time when possible
For winter turnout management: Winter Horse Care Tips.
Sample Winter Fitness Programmes
Maintenance Programme (Moderately Fit Horse)
Monday: 45 min schooling (flatwork, transitions, lateral work)
Tuesday: 30 min lunge with poles
Wednesday: 60 min hack (include hills and varied gaits)
Thursday: Rest day (turnout only)
Friday: 45 min schooling (focus on weaknesses)
Saturday: 45 min hack or arena work
Sunday: 20 min in-hand walk or light lunge
Building Programme (Unfit Horse)
Weeks 1-4:
- 4-5 sessions per week
- 30-40 minutes walk and steady trot
- Focus on rhythm and relaxation
- Include hacking for variety
Weeks 5-8:
- 5 sessions per week
- 40-50 minutes including canter work
- Add transitions and simple schooling
- Introduce hill work
Weeks 9-12:
- 5-6 sessions per week
- 45-60 minutes varied work
- Include discipline-specific exercises
- Build intensity gradually
Dealing with Winter Challenges
Limited Daylight
Short winter days make scheduling difficult:
- Ride at lunchtime: Maximize daylight hours
- Arena lighting: Invest in or hire lit facilities
- Hi-vis gear: Essential for early morning or evening riding
- Weekend focus: Prioritize longer sessions when daylight allows
- Unmounted work: Lunge or long-rein when riding isn't safe
Poor Weather
Rain, wind, and ice affect riding conditions:
- Indoor arena: Weather-proof option if available
- All-weather surfaces: Allow riding in most conditions
- Flexible planning: Ride when weather permits, adjust schedule as needed
- Appropriate clothing: Invest in waterproof, warm riding gear
- Alternative exercise: Lunge or in-hand work on very bad days
For winter riding clothing: Layering for Horse Riding.
Frozen or Muddy Ground
- Avoid riding on frozen ground (injury risk)
- Use arena or all-weather surface when fields are frozen
- Limit work on very muddy ground
- Consider studs for slippery conditions
- Walk in-hand if riding isn't safe
Lack of Motivation
Winter can be demotivating for both horse and rider:
- Set goals: Work towards spring competitions or milestones
- Vary routine: Change exercises and locations regularly
- Ride with friends: Social riding increases motivation
- Track progress: Keep a training diary to see improvements
- Reward effort: Celebrate small achievements
Keeping Work Interesting
Variety in Schooling
- Change exercises and patterns regularly
- Use poles and cavaletti for variety
- Practice different movements and transitions
- Set up mini courses or tests
- Include games and fun exercises
Groundwork and Training
- Teach new tricks or skills
- Practice liberty work
- Work on ground manners and handling
- Introduce clicker training
- Build obstacle courses
Cross-Training
- Try different disciplines
- Include jumping if you usually do flatwork
- Practice dressage movements if you usually jump
- Explore trail riding or working equitation
Monitoring Progress
Regular Assessments
- Monthly fitness checks: Note improvements in stamina and recovery
- Body condition scoring: Monitor weight and muscle development
- Performance markers: Track ability to perform specific exercises
- Resting heart rate: Should decrease as fitness improves
- Recovery time: Faster recovery indicates better fitness
Adjusting the Plan
- Increase work if horse is coping well
- Reduce intensity if showing signs of fatigue
- Address any soundness issues immediately
- Be flexible based on weather and circumstances
Nutrition for Winter Fitness
Fueling Work
- Adjust feed to match workload
- Provide adequate energy for exercise
- Ensure sufficient protein for muscle maintenance
- Include quality forage as the foundation
- Consider oil for slow-release energy
Weight Management
- Monitor body condition regularly
- Reduce feed if gaining unwanted weight
- Increase work or reduce feed if overweight
- Balance energy intake with output
Injury Prevention
Warm-Up and Cool-Down
- Always start with 10-15 minutes of walk
- Gradually increase intensity
- Cool down thoroughly after work
- Walk until breathing returns to normal
- Consider longer warm-ups in very cold weather
Surface Awareness
- Check footing before riding
- Avoid deep mud or frozen ground
- Be cautious on slippery surfaces
- Adjust work to suit conditions
Monitoring Soundness
- Check legs before and after work
- Feel for heat, swelling, or sensitivity
- Watch for changes in movement
- Address any concerns immediately
Final Thoughts
Maintaining your horse's fitness through winter requires commitment, creativity, and flexibility. By setting realistic goals, varying your routine, and adapting to winter challenges, you can keep your horse healthy, happy, and fit throughout the colder months. The effort you invest now will pay dividends in spring when you're ready to pursue your goals without months of reconditioning.
Remember: consistency is more important than perfection. Even moderate, regular exercise is far better than sporadic intense work. Work with the conditions you have, stay safe, and keep both you and your horse motivated.
For more winter horse care advice, explore our Stable & Sound blog and discover quality winter riding gear.
