Riding Tips

Here is some riding tips you asked for. the Arthors name is at the bottom. Hoof Prints Magazine Does'nt own these tips.

Riding Tip

Many people ask me how we get our horses in such good condition for the climate and the terrain of New Zealand. I very much enjoy talking to people about this since we all, as riders, are interested in how to prepare for the best in our trail rides and want to help our equine partners stay in peak condition.

During the course of the next few minutes, you will hear my ideas on several elements that I pay close attention to so that our horses are happy and ready for work in the varied and mountainous topography of New Zealand.

First, you will need to assess what your horses' current level of fitness is. Typically, there are some "tell tale" ways to determine if your horse is in good health. They include (but are not limited to): shiny coat, loose and supple skin that moves easily over the bones, no signs of sweating when at rest (unless for very hot days), alert and fully open eyes, good weight (covers the bones but not fat), even distribution of weight on all four hooves, sound, normal manure, respiration, temperature and pulse within appropriate ranges.

Depending on where your horse falls on the "health spectrum" you will also need to assess his current level of nutrition - both the quantity and the quality. When our horses are out of work, we curtail their grain intake substantially. Since they are able to spend long periods of time on grass, this is really the best source of nutrition for them and we try to interfere as little as possible. As our work demands increase however, we must make additions to their diet so that they are able to produce more energy and build up more muscle. Given that as the work increases, the amount time available to graze decreases, we are always conscious what stage of our conditioning plan we are in, so we can make sure we are feeding appropriately.

All of our horses, when in work, have one day off per week. We find that this keeps them fresh, interested and generally happy to host the guests that ride with us throughout the year.

When we are beginning our conditioning program, we start the first three to four weeks with hacks that consist of walking and short periods of trotting. We begin with a thirty minute program and work up to an hour and a half. By the end of the first month we will often have integrated some small hills.

The next "phase" of our training combines some actual work on the part of our horse and includes some suppling and rounding exercises. We usually spend about three to four more weeks at this stage and want to get the duration of the rides up to 2 hours including some good hill work. At this point, we have only asked our horse to "move out" or "come back" on the trail. Adding the request for a "frame" encourages your horse to really use his back muscles, step under himself more and carry himself - be responsible for the way he maneuvers. This is the beginning of a balanced horse that is a pleasure to ride.

If you intend to compete your horse, or are looking for more conditioning add periods of slow canter building up to longer periods and cantering up some hills. Always be mindful of your horses' attitude, respiration, soundness and time of recovery. If your horse is like many of ours, they will give 150% even when they are tired. It is very easy to get excited about the changes you and your horse are experiencing and to go too fast or too far without taking the appropriate amount of time to build up. After about another five to six weeks, your horse should be able to comfortably canter about a mile.

We typically put our horses into regular trail work with our guests after about three to four months of conditioning. We review their weight, vital signs and demeanor daily so as to make any modifications in feed, work schedule or routine that would best benefit them.

As a closing comment, don't forget to vary your horses' routine by riding different trails, riding trails in reverse, varying the exercises on the trail and giving the well deserved day off. This helps keep everyone fresh and interested in the task at hand whether that be work or fun!

Happy Trails! -Karen Niederer