Why Conditioning your Equine in all Seasons is Important

Your equine still needs to get out and be worked with. Winter can be challenging when it comes to keeping up with conditioning your equine especially if you are in an area that gets a lot of snow and no indoor arena that you can use.

Plan out your goals and what you want to work on regularly. For an example of a way to use; Goal: be able to counter canter by next summer, Plan: start with a warm-up, practice loping, cool down, slowly add in counter canter during the loping slot. You should make time to practice/ride at least 4 days a week (Monday-Sunday).

Knowing the equine's normal signs for a healthy adult equine is important information to have when you practice.

Temperature = 99-101 Fahrenheit

Pulse = 28-44 beats per minute

Respiration = 10-24 breaths per minute

Mucous Membranes = moist pink color

Capillary Refill = 2 seconds or less

Gut Sounds = gurgling, fluid, growls

If your adult equine seems a little off before riding it is a good idea to check the vital signs and decide based on your discoveries. This could be a day where do just a light walk around the arena day.

Thank you for joining the Equidae Family here at Benner Stride! Our goal is to keep you and your equine safe.