Hi Mel, where you been???
Starting a horse back into work hmmm.. Depends on why it was taken out of work to start with and how long it's been off work.
But I think a back to basics to assess the horse is a good place to start. Depending on the horse and its reason for time off, age etc sends on how quickly you progress with the restart process. In any training method if the horse has any issues at any point you either go back a step to regain confidence (if it is lost) or you break the issue area down, to let the process the task it's being asked to perform.

Mel, do you remember when I first got Winter, mates other half was on and on that he wanted her brought on and being ridden. He couldn't see that she was a weakish 4y.o and that as I'm no lightweight, I wanted to have her teeth and back checked and sorted before I got on. She's had a few months off to fill out and oh boy has she!! I had her back checked again the other day, she fell over her own feet and I came off, and its beautifully soft all the way through, we're having a few confidence issues about going out but getting there slowly. So many young horses are started and rushed to go out and "do" that they can end up with injuries that need lots of time off.

Hi Tiggy, health issues and just doing needed essentials to get by, feeling much better now though. :D
Agree back to basics as a good place to start in nearly all cases of back to work horses.
Very memorable with Winter :D, really pleased she is doing so well, hope you got the fall on camera ;).
One of the reasons Pye ended up so bad is from being started too fast and expected to do too much too soon and before he was ready. He's still being worked from the ground and has come a long way.
Just to help others out a bit Tiggy, when you say back to basics, what would you do as basics?
hugs
Mel
x

Glad to hear you're feeling better Mel.

By basics, I mean groundwork, Inc Dually lessons, join up and lunging. I would use these tools to build strength and fitness as well as giving an idea of things that may have been the cause of the time off. Regular work without the weight of a rider depending on reason and amount of time off. Even using Traditional ideas of long lining on roads and tracks (in the UK lots of people long line by walking behind the horse), to start to harden the legs, you can also see how the horse moves from behind and pick up on abnormalities in the walk at least..
Sorry, I'm rather old fashioned on some things I was taught that to get horses properly fit especially to compete you start with a month of just walking then the next 2 weeks introducing trot a month of mainly trot work, then 2 weeks introducing canter work then a month of as much canter work as you can do. I had very few leg injuries with my old mare by doing this, and if she did go lame it was usually only for a week or so. She retired sound and although getting stiff now is she's not lame.

Brilliant information Tiggy :D

I think you can combine traditional methods with Monty's methods, yes it may take longer by combining both, but with a horse thats returning to work the extra time can be beneficial.

Hi Mel, Tiggy and all,
Wonderful idea to share thoughts about restarting after time-out!
I had good results with a gelding after a hoof injury, building up slowly by longlining, then using the two lines to "drive" from behind, doing obstacle-courses, most of all working on backing-up through obstacles. This had him concentrate very much and it helped building-up muscles and coordination again. He'd been through Join-up before and I didn't want him to pick-up speed after his time-out, so Dually-work and what I describe above had him with me all the time. I fully agree, that slow is fast, first walk only, after quite some sessions trot and much later move up to canter.
Finding his balance before having a rider on him was my goal and it worked very well.
He was happy all the time, no stress, and could pick-up where he left off after an astonishing short period of time. One of my thoughts was to keep his mind busy, never to bore him with dull exercises.
I'm very curious to read how others worked to get their horses back to work!
Miriam

I turned my young mare away for 5 months when she became mareish and was growing like a weed last year around July/August time, she had had enough training and needed time away. I brought her back into work in winter; January as she's hormonal over summer and angelic over winter so that was naturally a good time to get good results from her, I went back to long lining out on 'hacks' on her own so she learnt to be confident out on what would be our usual rides. I then went back to bellying over with the help of a good knowledgable friend and really did a 'fast tracked' re-backing so just did very short sessions every day of hopping on and having someone walk with me out the yard and round the block and they increasingly dropped back so she had no lead at all and we were hacking 'alone' with my friend walking a far bit behind me. I did stay away from hacking out with other horses only because for me I knew that we would in the future mainly ride out along so I used human leads if she needed it. After she was confident hacking alone we would occasionally hack with friends and that way she had no separation anxiety if they hacked off home or if we decided to cut it short and go home alone. It also meant if other horses went past in narrow lanes or cantered past on the trails she wouldn't follow. (Probably because she's a tad lazy as well ;)! )
It took a few weeks but I did go over every single step of backing that I had done before just to make sure there were no aspects she had become uncomfortable with. Plus I've seen too many people say 'they'll be fine!' after months off and get rodeoed off! I'm a bit neurotic about fitness as well so I made sure I did little and often and walked her up some hills and down hills so she built up a very good level of fitness as we live in a very very hilly area!
Does anyone have any tips though on getting hormonal mares interested in work? My mare might be safe as houses but when shes hormonal she is slow under saddle and disinterested in going out yet conversely has so much energy she's bouncing off the walls...

Hi Becky - what a great, well thought through plan,what I really like it about it is how considerate you are to what your horse needs and not just what the human wants.
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Re: getting her interested - well it's hard to battle the hormones bless her and you are clearly well tuned to her Becky so I would say to go with her mood and adapt accordingly. Paradoxically, the more you do that, the more she will trust you not to ask more than she can give and will therefore be more likely to be willing to give:
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One practical tip that may help, some mares in season/hormonal are very sore in the ovary area and much more sensitive to touch than usual (human women can be too). This can add to the grumpiness/not willing to work because everything is irritating and a bit swollen so the saddle twinges a bit, your legs irritate a bit...you get the idea.
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So on these days, maybe a shorter ride, a lighter saddle etc etc. whatever you can do to lessen the pressure but still kindly ask for what she is willing to give. I have every confidence you will find this balance Becky :-)

Hi Becky, my young mare REALLY comes into season. I could never tell with my old girl, so the new mare is totally different, I use Agnus Castus to help level her hormones, it's helped my mare and I only give her what I can get if I cup my fingers, so a little more than a teaspoon I would say, twice a day.
Vicci's right it's finding the balance to begin with, but you can gradually ask for more and as she gets older she'll be able to give more, but like everything, it can take time, some require more than others.

Hi Becky,
Like vicci said, you can't fight with Mother Nature.
Learn to know her moods and you will stay on her god side.
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My friend had a mare who defined the b-word (and that is putting it nicely) and not just in summer but all year round. It was really difficult for her, poor girl. She had her examined and there were hormonal deficiencies and possibly benign cysts on the ovaries that played havoc with her hormonal system. There are ways to remedy that, so if she gets unusually mareish, it might be worth a check up.
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Like Tiggy, my friend tried giving her Monk Pepper (chasteberies or agnus castus (lat.) ) but it was very hard to get her to eat it, so it was hard to tell if it worked for her.
You can check with Hilton Herbs what they have in ready-mixes etc. Keep in mind that all herbal remedies will probably take up to a month to show any results so don't count on any quick fixes.

Hi Guys thanks for the messages! She funnily enough is already on Agnus Cactus but has come off it just over a month ago as she's on Regumate as she was a capital B****, she's had a new saddle and back checked and the Regumate has levelled her a bit, she has goodish days but last night was nap nap nap! Next step is vet check I think in case she needs a marble- funny thing is when she's out of the influence of the yard and therefore 'home' she's like 'oh cool lets go out!'- She's obviously doesnt feel like she wants to leave her comfort area but realises once she's out its really not so bad.... MARES! who'd have them... ;)

Sorry if I'm telling you what you already know Becky but be careful handling Regumate as it apparently affects human women too (I've only just learnt this so apologies if I'm stating the obvious!)

Vicki, haven't we had a discussion about hormonal mares and treatments in another thread, it came up at some point. Possibly might have been the original post about Winter.... Will have a gander in a more, didn't know that about Regumate, but haven't had any dealings with it, useful bit of info though thank you..

http://www.regu-mate.com/label.asp

Glad it was useful :-)

Hi Guys, some great thoughts coming through. Message seems to be clear though, take it slow and cover all the basics so your horse knows what's being asked again. :D

We've had 2 horses not too well, Barney our Shetland has managed a bad sprain on his back foot and a day later Dakota our mare came down with fever, thankfully both on the mend.

Hello guys!

Love this post, so many good ideas! Since my fall last year I've really lacked confidence and the yard i was at was just the pits for woods so was hard to get going with anything. i have recently moved (hence lack of contact on here) to a lovely yard where he is really settled and happy and relaxed-no donkeys (win)and concentrates so much more. i do bareback stuff with the dually as he is a lot happier with it, a lot more responsive and i feel a lot more balanced!
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But, mainly with my lack of confidence, i think i'm taking this too slow for him. we still haven't hacked out yet but have been lunging in the school which is going well and riding practicing turns, stops and trying to get into canter (some days hes fine but i think if i over think it we don't get it as he has a habbit of bucking when he goes into canter if he hasn't done it for a while-which he did do the other day but after was fine and transitions were perfect but since then no luck)
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I can walk and ride him over tarpaulin-easy peasy but as i don't want to a. push too hard as it upsets him (if he thinks im having a go he panics due to aresholes in the past and b. worried about falling off again, i think im just boring him.
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I'll start doing the taking him for walks out and long lining out as Becky did but is there any other ideas you guys have for starting back again?
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Also having problems catching him but i'll be starting a post on that separately!
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Glad you are all doing well and Mel i hope they both recover very soon!
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Thanks in advance!

Hiya Widgymaphlip! Just commented on your moody horse post! Maybe take a leap of faith... hack him out- pop someone walking with you for safety and a lead if you need one. I reckon maybe and not sure what other people think- some horses just hate working in the school if they're doing it a lot. I think sometimes there's lots to be said for getting them out on the tracks and schooling whilst you're out there. I don't know a single horse that hates hacking out (once they've come to terms with the exercise bit...) but I know a lot of horses that are right monkey's in the school.
Re the hormonal mare on regumate we've finished our course and going alone now it's Autumn time. We've taken back up a little bit of napping but you know what this time I have got a bit stern with her and do give her a sharp word (no stick or anything just voice) as we've now had everything checked and re-checked so it's now a habit! She makes a cross face shakes her head but moves off so we're getting there just very... very slowly! haha

Getting much better thanks Widgymaphlip, Pye went lame Monday though seems to have pulled a muscle overnight.

I'm a firm believer that our horses know what's going on inside our heads, so if we 'over think it' are horses are already aware that we're not ready and they won't perform.

What I do is always have a escape route, so if in a stable with an unbalanced horse mentally due to ill treatment, I have it in my head how I'm going to respond if the situation turns wrong, but then just carry on as needed. As long as I have a plan, I know I'll be ok.

Knowing how to fall off or launch off in an emergency is always of value. A recent horse I wanted to ride bare back, lovely temperament, but is so used to just people getting on her and riding her no matter what, when I got on her bare back she went into walk before I got my balance, she's 18 hands, then only to realize that she was so slippery there wasn't a chance I was going to be able to stay on, so I launched myself off landing on my feet and asked her to stop.

With bucking especially if they have had a reason to do so in the past, I ask the horse not to buck in my head. May sound a bit daft, but with asking them in my head one they seem to hear and two it's not a negative thought for us. So Widgymaphlip before asking for canter and expecting a buck, ask your horse not to buck and say in your head you're going to ask for canter, then breath out and give your canter aids. It may even be that you're breathing in fast or holding your breath as you ask for canter which will translate through to your horse and you're less likely to be balanced, which your horse will tell you either by not going into canter properly or as in your case a possible buck. If he does go into a buck, did you want to try and ride it out, or choose to launch yourself off and take control from the ground. There is no hard fast rule to say you have to ride it out, the main thing is your safety and your communication with your horse. If he bucks because of past experience then repeating that experience with trying to stay on may only confirm to your horse what's happened before. By launching off and reassuring your horse in a controlled manner from the ground, may help him move forwards.

A little problem I have have with Pye is small spaces, I've found out why and it's not nice, so although I try and encourage him with small spaces, we do it in a way that he is comfortable doing it. Example today, he had to go back into the small pen for the night as he's not 100% yet. It's taken months for him to get through this small gate at liberty and be 80% happy doing so. Today though I'd put water containers slightly in the way and wanted him to walk between the water trough, which happens to be a big blue paddling pool, and the water containers then in the gate. He stood firmly his ground and wouldn't budge an inch, so I said lets go around the water and past the containers, which he gladly did and then went through the gate. I still achieved what I wanted to with him getting passed the water and the containers in a small space then in through the small gate, but we had to find the way he was comfortable with for him to move forwards. Working together to achieve!

So try and find what your horse is comfortable with Widgymaphlip, don't try and force anything. If he's not ready, then wait and if you're not ready, then wait. There is no race to an everlasting friendship!!

Mel
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Thanks guys, yes it really is my head and as he always knows what I'm thinking! Over the past few weeks I have been wanting to hack out so I think I will try and man up and go maybe at the weekend- gaffa tape at the ready! Also I have a lovely lady who owns the yard who teaches so will get her to give me a lesson-she is really open to me riding differently than the 'norm' so hopefully that will help too.
I am also going to try and walk him out a bit as well as I totally agree with you Becky that they get bored. Or even just do small sessions in the school with jumps, obstacles ect -any one got any suggestions of 'games' i could do?
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When he did a little buck in the school last time we tried canter, I out my hand on his neck and said he didn't have to do that, he was being dramatic and next time I asked we got it with no buck so I know what you mean Mel! I have also been thinking about going on one of these rider confidence courses-has anyone been before or know anyone who has?
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I like how you worked round Pye's small space fear, it really is applying this way of thinking to the individual isn't it! But I feel like it's my confidence which is holding me back. It's been a year and a half now since the accident and I think I need to push myself with him to try and get over it. Otherwise I don't think I will ever be ready- ive been waiting to be lol, but I think ive waited enough!
Thanks again for your advice, it is always every much welcome!
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That is the big thing Widgymaphlip, am I ready. Try and change that thinking to 'are we ready' you're doing this as a partnership. When you both feel comfortable with what you're doing, then take the next step. Remember little steps all the way & have fun!
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just to say we went on our first hack on sunday!! wasn't planned, very spontaneous and I did nearly chicken out but it was great! woods loved it and out walked everyone he was so excited! very good boy and once I was on and moving it felt like home :) just doing baby steps but feel so much better about it all now :)

Aww that's fantastic to hear, I am truly pleased for you, take it from someone who has never mastered fear of riding (it's still a work in progress!) - I know how big a step this was for you both.

Fantastic Widgymaphlip, baby steps is all you need!!! Home is a good place to be, especially when it's on the back of your horse! :D
xx