BY KIMBERLY LOUSHIN
The moment the veterinarian clears a horse who’s been injured and on stall rest to begin working again is thrilling for owner and horse, but it can also be stress inducing. After a prolonged period stall bound, the horse can be more fractious than normal, and there’s about aggravating the healing injury. While the rehab process requires more thought than a run-of-the-mill ride, careful planning can help ensure a successful return to work. The exact exercise program varies based on the individual injury, but during the 2025 American Association of Equine Practitioners, renowned veterinarian, researcher and horsewoman Hilary Clayton, bVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, FRCVS, shared some best practices and advice for a successful ridden rehab program.
Set Up For Success
One of the most important things an owner or trainer can do before embarking on a ridden rehab program is to have the saddle fit checked. Prolonged periods of stall rest or limited turnout can drastically change the horse’s musculature due to disuse, and in turn change the back shape. It does the horse no favors if it returns to work in an ill-fitting saddle. If the changes are minimal, using a pad or shims can temporarily solve the problem, but extremely poor fitting saddles will require reflocking and consistent shapes as muscle tone returns.
Then consider who is going to be the one to do the initial rehab rides. An amateur or more nervous rider might not want to take on potentially explosive early rides, so they can employ a professional or confident rider to take the reins until the horse has settled into the work.
If the horse is recovering from kissing spine surgery or any back injuries, adding weight to their back should be done carefully and gradually. Thoracic lifts and other core exercises will help build strength before weight is in the form of a weighted girth or saddle cloth, both of which are more often found in the racing world.
“The principles are that we’re going to increase the weight gradually,” Clayton says. “We want to place it as close as possible to the horse’s center of mass, and the weight has to be securely attached. That’s why it’s better to use one of these products rather than just trying to tie weight onto the horse, because if the weight is bouncing around, the first thing you can do is annoy the horse, but also get the inertial effect on the horse’s back.”
Intensity, Duration, Frequence
Whether you’re embarking on a general conditioning program for a horse who had a vacation or legging up one following injury, the same principles apply. The exercise volume is determined by the intensity, duration and frequency of the workouts, and the duration should increase before upping the intensity.
“When we’re doing a general fitness program, we’re looking at it like a staircase where we increase the amount of exercise the horses do, but if the horse had an injury, that’s the primary concern, and that’s always going to be the limiting factor in how fast we can progress with the exercise program.”
All rehab and fitness plans should begin with the walk, increasing the duration by five minutes each week. Since walking is a low intensity activity, Clayton recommends the horse work five to seven days a week.
Though walking might seem boring, Clayton encourages owners to get inventive, whether hand walking or in the tack, with circles and changes of direction. Gradients can be incredibly beneficial, where going uphill encourages horses to carry more weight on their haunches, building strength in their hindquarters. Walking downhill increases concussion, but is good for the thoracic sling muscles as long as the horse stays in self carriage and isn’t leaning on the reins. Polework, starting with a single pole before progressing to a series, can also be used to train flexibility in the limbs and strengthen core muscles.
The trot should be introduced in short intervals. While some suggest starting with five minutes, Clayton believes that is too much, preferring that the trot be done in 30 second spurts with breaks in between initially. She also encourages riders to consider how their position affects the force on the horse’s limbs and back. Unsurprisingly, a sitting trot exerts the most force, while a posting trot exerts uneven force, with more force occurring in the sitting phase of the stride, which may not benefit a rehabbing horse. Two-point, or standing in the stirrups presents the least amount of force.
“The total force of the entire stride doesn’t change between these positions; it’s just the way that the force is distributed that changes,” says Clayton. “So with that standing position, there are lower peak forces on the horse’s back, and it’s peak forces that are going to hollow the back.”
Once the trot is introduced,, the canter can come more quickly, Clayton says, as the loading forces on the horse’s limbs are pretty similar in the two gaits. However it’s important to remember that at this point, you’re not training the trot or canter, but conditioning it, so it’s important not to overdo it.
“Introducing trotting, I would have them think the horse is like a western pleasure horse, a small trot, the smallest trot that they can get the horse to do,” Clayton says. “If you put on a professional trainer, then, of course, they immediately want to improve the quality of the trot and get the horse going and develop some impulsion. That comes later, when we increase intensity.”
Rehab programs aren’t necessarily linear, and additional imaging and evaluation as the horse heals and returns to work may necessitate plateauing the workload increase or backing off to allow more healing time. But with careful consideration and support from a veterinarian, the horse will go return to work.
Strategies for Stall Rest
- As soon as it’s safe to do so, Clayton prefers to minimize stall rest. Depending on the injury and facility this can be a handwalk, a small enclosure attached to the stall or even a small paddock. But the emphasis is on small, as it’s important to prevent the horse from picking up speed. Use sedation if needed to keep the horse and humans safe.
- Even when on stall rest, work on flexibility and core strengthening exercises. While this should be with a veterinarian’s supervision to prevent from exacerbating the injury, carrot stretches, core exercises and tail pulls can keep muscles activated even while on stall rest.
- A horse on stall rest doesn’t have the same nutritional needs as an active one, so their feed may need to be reduced. Overfeeding an injured horse can inhibit healing if they become overweight.
- Using slow feeders, hay balls, treat balls and toys can help alleviate boredom (and serve as weight control).
