# How often should one ride a horse per week?



## LovesMyDunnBoy (Aug 11, 2011)

I would say it depends greatly on the horse, what your horse is doing, his age and all that. A horse that gets hyper, and is suppose to be a barrel horse would need to be ridden more often to stay happy and in running shape than say an older pleasure trail horse.
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## BarrelWannabe (Feb 8, 2011)

There really isn't a "maximum" or "minimum". It all depends upon the individual horse, rider, and what their chosen discipline calls for.
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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

Like above: it depends on the horse. I board with a 4th level dressage gelding who, if not worked daily, turns into a very hot, spooky animal that is just obnoxious to handle. When worked daily, he's totally fine and a very sweet boy.

My mare, I can ride every day and she'll be happy or she can sit all winter and be the same in the spring as she was in the fall. 

It depends entirely on each individual animal.


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## AnrewPL (Jun 3, 2012)

Like others have said, it depends on the horse and what you are doing with them. When I used to be a stockman (Australian version of a cowboy) I was sometimes on a horse every day for months, I had 5 of my own work horses, two of which were going really well and could handle more work, two of which were a little bit behind the first two and not ready for a lot of work, and one which was not ready for any cattle work. On the big days one of the first two were ridden, if we had a smaller day with light work I’d ride on of the other two. 
If they are really fit and enjoying the work they can be ridden pretty hard maybe two, or three, days in a row; and I always had the rule that for every days work they got they got a day off in the paddock, so if I rode one three days in a row it got three days in a row off. But, if they are a bit younger, and you are doing a fair bit of training them, too much in one go can get on their nerves, you can overload them and sour them, so regular short rides can be better in cases like that. Having said all of that though I think one of my own biggest mistakes and flaws was that I would get too keen and enthusiastic and over work all of them. It took me quite a while to learn to control myself and just leave them alone sometimes, and that includes even when you are on their back; don’t fidget with the reins, don look for perfection with everything they do. When I finally got that through my skull I found that the horses I start get good much faster and more easily. One of the best rewards you can give a horse is to just leave it alone sometimes.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

How long is a piece of string?

I try to work my gelding 5-6 days/week, generally one of those days is work in long reins or on the lunge. He is competing Novice Dressage and training Medium (similar to US 3rd/4th level I believe). After a couple of days in the paddock, he will take a good week of solid work to get back to a work mindset, he's a rather reactive little fellow so benefits greatly from regular work. 
Each session is generally between 30-60minutes, depending on how he is working.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I try to ride 6 days a week on my dressage horse and when reeco is back in work i will be riding him as well.


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## chandra (Sep 25, 2012)

Thanks all that was very helpful and gave me an idea on what to do next with my horse. Thanks all


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

I ride for no less than an hour almost every day on rough trails and jumping creeks or logs on my 19 year old 14 hander.


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

I ride 5/6 days a week. 
My mare has been consistently ridden for the past four years, so we're pretty well toned.
The other horses I ride, I would never push to that extent, (especially since they're not mine), probably only 2 or 3

Plus my are is only 10, and has built up some stamina.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Here's how I ride my CTR horse:

Monday: Off.

Tues: Light work or sometimes off as well. 30-45 minutes arena, lunging, round pen, or ground work. Sometimes an -/+ hour trail, depending on what else I have to do that day.

Wednesday: 45 minute walking trail with a lesson student.

Thursday: Ride for at least an hour. At least 50% trotting.

Friday: Same as Thursday. Sometimes off.

Saturday: Ride LONG. Two/three hours.

Sunday: Depends of how we did Saturday. Maybe do ground work if we're tired. Maybe play for an hour or so.

My mare does best on a plan like this. She isn't easy to keep fit. She's also prone to tie up if I don't keep her exercised consistently. Being ridden frequently keeps her sane as well. She's pretty hot and is totally obnoxious if she isn't worked. She's turned out 24/7 on a huge pasture, which makes me feel better if I have to skip a day. She's also only six-years-old, so we do a lot of long, slow distance.


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## IRaceBarrels (Jan 21, 2012)

I usually ride 3-4 days a week and lunge or do other ground work once a week. One of those days is gaming practice. Ive tried to make a schedule for myself on what days to ride but it never works. The riding part last about an hour. But it takes my 2 1/2 hours to get everything done(grooming wetting down arena tacking up). I can tell when Kali is getting sick of riding a so ill give her the day off after that. You just have see what works for your horse.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I guess I'm one of the ones who are only weekend riders.

Long trail rides, most every weekend except in the rain. Seldom ride during the week.


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## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

I ride my mare 3/4 times a week, two of those are probably in an arena rides, like jumping, a lesson or a pony club rally. the others are usually nice trail rides.


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## enh817 (Jun 1, 2012)

I ride every single day. Rarely do I give my horse a day off. Some days, we just do some easy slow work, but I try to get on him every day. 
He's the type of horse that has endless energy and will be on the verge of out of control, if I give him a day completely off. It doesn't help that we don't have any turnout at my barn. The only way to get him out of his stall, if I don't ride, is to put him in a round pen. But I don't like to leave him out there too long, because he doesn't have access to water in the pens. 

It seems like he really enjoys getting out and going for a ride. I don't think he'd appreciate not being worked everyday. But like everyone has said, each horse and each situation is different.


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

I was riding my boy 5x per week, until he whanged his suspensory a month ago roughhousing in the paddock. Now I go in every day a couple of times to groom him and hand-walk him, and try to avoid shooting jealous looks at the others who are riding their own horses. My guy hates being laid off, and so do I. 5x per week, for 30-45 minutes at a shot, was putting some really nice muscle on his topline and haunches. He's 18, so it can be a challenge to maintain that.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

My lad gets anywhere from nothing to 6 days a week. Depends on whether I have any motivation that week or not. He's usually worked more in the leadup to a show and left be in the off season.

He is 17 and has a very long back, so I should keep him in more consistent work, but sometimes it's just too hard.


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## princecharming (Dec 2, 2011)

i TRY to get my horse out 4-5 times each week during the school year, sometimes with school...its just not possible. Im a soon-to-be C1 in pony club, going beginner novice and hopefully bumping up soon. 4 times a week keeps him fit, happy and sane XD 5 or 6 is my ideal though he always get one day off a week(at least) for him to just be a horse out in the fields.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

I think horses can do great being ridden somewhere between never and long hard work 5 or 6 days a week. Depends on the horse, the rider, and the work. My guy gets ridden out for a several hour ride at least once weekly and then four other 1-2 hour shorter rides or arena sessions weekly, so 5 days a week usually. But then again, he had all of last week off due to horrible mud. He's also had weeks where he worked right through 7 or 10 days.


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## heymckate (Nov 23, 2010)

I generally try to ride 3-4 times per week, five if I can manage it (rare). He's generally very good regardless, but if he has any significant time off (say 3+ days), the next time we ride we have to run off a little energy before really getting to work.


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## BarrelRacingLvr (Feb 26, 2012)

Depends on the horse and what your trying to accomplish.....

I am riding my main 3 mounts 6-7 days a week right now and try to keep that routine through the winter as well. Some days we just long trot, or we work on the basics with bending and flexing. On the horses that I am starting or am trying to finish on the pattern they get worked on the barrels about 4 days of the week the rest are a few drills or basics. The finished horses usually do drills off the pattern but do take them through while cooling them down after our workout.


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## justxride97 (Jan 12, 2012)

You would have to figure out how old the horse is, if your trying to accomplish something and if the horse is in shape. For most middle aged horses who are in shape you should ride a minimum of 1 time a week. Other then that you shouldn't really ride your horse more than once a day just because some horses get over worked and/or stressed out. I know if I ride my pony twice a day she seems to be distressed... unless your just doing light work both rides. Or at least one of them.
Happy Trails


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Ruger gets ridden 6 days a week; Selena 5, Rebel 4, Harvey/Carmen once or twice (But that's because that's all I'm getting paid for).

You also have to take into account what your horse does when ridden. Like before a barrel race, Selena CAN NOT be ridden the day before. She will lose the freakin' mind the day of if you do. Ride her the four days in a row before that, then give her that day off.

Ruger on the other hand, before a show or race, you better ride him at least the couple days before and a little extra the day before.

Then there's Rebel who works the same no matter what you do....


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