Horse Fitness & Exercise: How to Build the Best Plan for Your Horse

Why Exercise Matters for Horses

Why Do Horses Need Exercise?

Training is more than just riding. It means systematically exposing the body to physical stimuli so that muscles, tendons, the cardiovascular system, and even the metabolism adapt and grow stronger. The goal is to improve performance and maintain overall horse health.

But do all horses really need a fitness plan- even if they’re not competing?

Absolutely.
No matter your discipline or ambition, every horse that carries a rider is an athlete. And just like any athlete, they need proper preparation to stay injury-free, mentally balanced, and physically healthy.

Even leisure horses need a basic horse training schedule to build the muscle needed to carry a rider safely and prevent long-term strain. A structured plan helps to track progress, increase motivation, and add variety—keeping both horse and rider engaged.

Benefits of Exercise for Horses

Regular exercise for horses provides a wide range of benefits:

• Supports cardiovascular health
• Builds and maintains muscle tone
• Improves joint flexibility and balance
• Boosts digestion and metabolism
• Reduces excess fat and helps manage weight
• Prevents or controls metabolic diseases like EMS or laminitis
• Supports mental well-being, reducing stress and boredom
• Improves rider-horse communication and deepens partnership

Especially for the overweight horse, structured movement is the safest and most natural way to achieve long-term, sustainable weight loss.

Risks of Under-Exercising

Horses without sufficient movement can develop serious health and behavior issues:

• Increased risk of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
• Laminitis due to uncontrolled weight gain and poor metabolism
• Stiffness, back pain, or joint degeneration
• Aggression, boredom, or learned helplessness from mental underload
• Weakened muscle tone and poor posture

In short, lack of exercise not only affects your horse’s body—but also its mind.

Why a Plan Helps Every Horse

A training plan helps you:

• Monitor and adapt progress
• Avoid over- or undertraining
• Stimulate digestion and metabolism
• Add variety to your horse’s routine
• Create shared goals that strengthen your bond

Whether you’re working with a young horse, a senior horse, or bringing a horse back into work, a structured fitness plan helps maintain horse health, enhance performance, and prevent future problems.

Assessing Your Horse Before You Start

Bevor du mit einem horse fitness plan beginnst, solltest du zunächst den aktuellen Zustand deines Pferdes genau analysieren. Nur so kannst du einen passenden Trainingsansatz entwickeln – individuell, sicher und wirkungsvoll.

Step 1: Evaluate Body Condition and Fitness Level

• Is your horse overweight, underweight, or just right?
  Use a Body Condition Score (BCS) and visual indicators (fat pads, rib visibility, topline) to evaluate.
• Has your horse had time off due to illness, injury, or winter rest?
  A horse that’s returning from a break needs a slow, gradual build-up in workload.
• Is it a young horse, a senior, or in regular light work?
  Age and prior experience influence stamina, strength, and coordination.

Step 2: Identify Physical Limitations

Before creating your horse exercise schedule, get a veterinary check to rule out any underlying issues that could limit safe training, including:

• Orthopedic concerns (joints, tendons, back)
• Hoof balance and health
• Respiratory or cardiac performance
• Signs of laminitis, especially in overweight horses

Early detection ensures you don’t unknowingly worsen a condition during training.

Step 3: Assess Your Facilities and Tools

The environment also influences your horse’s movement options:

• Do you have access to a riding arena, field, trails, or hills?
• Can you use tools like a horse walker, treadmill, or horse exerciser?
• Are safe groundwork and in-hand pole exercises possible?

Knowing what’s available helps you design a realistic and varied training schedule.

Step 4: Define Your Rider Routine and Goals

• How often can you train or supervise exercise?
• What are your short- and long-term goals: rehabilitation, fitness maintenance, competition preparation, or weight loss?
• Is your horse worked by one or several people?

Your horse’s plan needs to align with your lifestyle and capabilities too.

Core Principles of a Good Fitness Plan

A successful horse fitness plan is more than just riding a few times a week. It relies on training principles that ensure physical development, avoid injury, and create lasting results. Whether you're bringing a horse back into work, supporting an overweight horse, or aiming to improve performance, these foundational principles apply.

Specificity: Train What Your Horse Needs

Every horse has different requirements depending on age, breed, discipline, and current fitness level. A generic training approach rarely delivers good results.

For example:

• A showjumper needs explosive strength and coordination.
• A leisure horse needs endurance and a balanced gait.
• A horse after injury requires careful reconditioning and stability training.

That’s why your fitness plan for horses must be purpose-driven, targeting the specific physical demands your horse faces in its daily or sporting routine.

Progressive Loading: Build Up Slowly

Training only works when the body is gradually challenged. A good horse training schedule increases demands step by step—never all at once. Too much too soon leads to fatigue, injury, or resistance.

Typical progression looks like this:

• Start with 20–30 minutes of walk sessions.
• Introduce trot after 1–2 weeks of consistent walking.
• Add pole work or hillwork once base strength is established.

Always monitor how your horse reacts to each new element and allow adaptation time before adding further intensity.

Balance Between Load and Recovery

Just like humans, horses need rest to recover and improve. Muscles and connective tissues strengthen during rest—not during exertion. Without recovery days, your horse may become sore, irritable, or even injured.

In practice, this means alternating between:

• High-load days (e.g. flatwork + poles or trail rides with elevation)
• Active recovery days (e.g. hand-walking or turnout)
• Complete rest days (no structured activity)

Include at least one full rest day per week, especially when your horse is starting a new plan or increasing effort.

Variety: Prevent Boredom and Boost Results

Horses are intelligent and benefit mentally and physically from diverse movement. Repeating the same pattern every day can cause physical imbalance and behavioral resistance.

To keep both horse and rider motivated, include:

• Flatwork and transitions for balance and control
• Pole exercises and in-hand work to improve core stability
• Trail riding for cardiovascular fitness and mental stimulation
• Use of a horse walker or treadmill for passive conditioning
• Gymnastic exercises and light jumping for agility (where suitable)

By varying terrain, intensity, and type of work, you stimulate different muscle groups, improve coordination, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

Monitoring: Adjust Based on Feedback

No plan is perfect from the start. Regular observation and tracking help you identify what’s working—and what isn’t.

Useful monitoring strategies include:

• Tracking performance, pulse, and recovery time with a heart rate monitor
• Recording sessions in a training log or horse exercise sheet
• Weekly body condition checks and progress photos
• Watching for behavioral signs like reluctance, stiffness, or irritability

Adjust intensity, rest, or focus areas based on what your horse communicates during and after training.

Types of Exercises to Use in a Horse Fitness Plan

Creating an effective horse fitness plan goes beyond just riding a few times a week. A well-rounded program should include diverse types of exercises—each designed to target specific physical systems and mental engagement. By combining different activities, you improve not only strength, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness, but also your horse’s overall motivation, behavior, and long-term soundness.

Below is an overview of key exercise types that can form the foundation of a complete and balanced horse training schedule:

Bringing a Horse Back into Work After a Winter Break - Example Plan

After a long winter break with reduced movement or light turnout, even healthy horses can lose muscle tone, stamina, and coordination. While these horses may not be starting from scratch, they require a structured and gradual return to work to prevent injury and rebuild performance capacity.

Just like athletes after an off-season, these horses need time to adapt physically and mentally. The focus should initially be on restoring cardiovascular fitness and suppleness, then progressively rebuilding strength and coordination.

General Guidelines:

• Start with low-impact exercises like long walks, in-hand work, and light lunging.
• Incorporate a consistent warm-up and cool-down in every session.
• Prioritize relaxation, rhythm, and correct posture before increasing intensity.
• Use a mix of flatwork, hacking, and groundwork to maintain motivation.

Sample 6-Week Training Progression

Weeks 1–2: Reawakening the Body

• 20–30 minutes of walk work (ridden or in-hand) on flat terrain
• Focus: rhythm, straightness, responsiveness to aids
• Add in gentle transitions and wide circles for suppleness
• Use a horse walker or turnout on non-ridden days

Weeks 3–4: Building Coordination and Cardio

• Add 5–10 minutes of trot in intervals (e.g., 2 minutes trot, 2 minutes walk)
• Introduce ground poles and basic cavaletti
• Begin hacking on flat trails to promote forwardness and mental stimulation
• Continue incorporating groundwork and light lateral work (e.g., leg yields)

Weeks 5–6: Strength and Endurance Phase

• Trot work increases to 15–20 minutes, with more complex figures
• Add short canter sets (e.g., 1–2 minutes at a time)
• Begin hillwork and gymnastic transitions (walk–canter, trot–halt)
• Include short trail rides with inclines to build hindquarter power

With proper pacing and variety, your horse will steadily return to fitness without unnecessary stress. Continue monitoring pulse, respiration, and sweat response, and be ready to adapt based on your horse’s feedback.

Weightloss exercises for overweight horses – Example Plan

Overweight horses face an increased risk of metabolic issues like EMS and laminitis. A structured exercise plan must focus on gradual fat loss, safe conditioning, and metabolic stimulation—without overwhelming joints or soft tissues.

General Guidelines:

• Begin with low-impact work like walking, lunging, or horse walker sessions.
• Gradually introduce intervals and hillwork to boost calorie burn and build fitness.
• Ensure proper warm-up and cool-down in every session.
• Combine the exercise plan with a low-sugar, high-fiber diet—no crash diets.
• Monitor the horse’s pulse, breathing, sweat response, and soundness.

6-Week Weight Loss Training Progression

Weeks 1–2: Foundation and Mobilization

• 20–30 minutes walking sessions (in-hand, under saddle, or horse walker)
• Include basic in-hand pole exercises for coordination
• Rest days include turnout or hand-walking

Weeks 3–4: Begin Interval Training

• Introduce 3-minute trot intervals between 5-minute walk segments
• Use gentle slopes or inclines to engage hindquarters
• Include transitions and ground poles to support muscular effort

Weeks 5–6: Building Intensity

• Increase trot intervals to 5–7 minutes, alternate with 3-minute walk breaks
• Add short uphill canter bursts (30–60 seconds)
• Include gymnastic groundwork or cavaletti to build topline and coordination

Keeping old horses fit– Example Plan

Senior horses require thoughtful programming that preserves muscle, protects joints, and keeps the mind engaged. The aim is to maintain mobility, strength, and mental well-being while avoiding overstrain.

➡️ Must-Watch: How do you transition an older horse into a new phase of life? Beezie Madden shares her approach to retirement and continued training, ensuring horses stay healthy, engaged, and happy after competition. Learn how proper care, turnout, and even new riding opportunities keep retired horses thriving!

General Guidelines:

• Focus on low-impact, consistent activity—no long layoffs.
• Prioritize long walk warm-ups (20–30 minutes), especially in cold weather.
• Include balance and coordination exercises like in-hand work and trail obstacles.
• Avoid tight circles, sudden transitions, or prolonged hard footing.
• Monitor comfort, especially if the horse has arthritis or past injuries.

6-Week Fitness Maintenance Plan

Weeks 1–2: Activation and Flexibility

• 20-minute walking sessions: mix of straight lines, large circles
• Add light trot work (3–5 minutes total) on soft ground
• Ground poles and small turns to stimulate core muscles

Weeks 3–4: Stability and Strength

• Increase trotting to 7–10 minutes per session
• Add in-hand lateral work (leg yield, turns on forehand)
• Introduce gentle hills or slopes for glute engagement

Weeks 5–6: Variety and Mental Focus

• Continue low-impact riding 3–4x/week
• Add trail walks, light ground driving, or double-lunging
• Use enrichment exercises (e.g. walk over poles, slow obstacle courses)

Developing Strength and Confidence in Young Horses - Example Plan

Young horses need structured, light, and varied work that gradually builds mental and physical capacity without stress or overload.

General Guidelines:

• Keep sessions short and positive (10–30 minutes max depending on age).
• Focus on basic communication, balance, and straightness.
• Use a mix of in-hand work, lunging, and groundwork before starting regular ridden work.
• Always end sessions on a calm, successful note to maintain confidence.

Year-by-Year Progression Example

Up to 3 Years

• Groundwork basics: leading, stopping, backing, standing still
• Light trail walks in-hand for exposure
• Pole work to build proprioception and body awareness

3 to 4 Years

• Begin lunging, short long-lining, and light saddle work
• 10–15 minutes max per session, 2–3x/week
• Practice calm transitions, obedience to aids, and balance

4 to 5 Years

• Gradual introduction of rider weight, walk/trot under saddle
• Add lateral movements, shallow loops, transitions
• Begin short canter sets only if balance is developed

5 to 6 Years

• Consistent training 3–5x/week
• Begin structured flatwork with transitions, poles, short hillwork
• Prepare for first full-length rides and eventual competitions

Want to dive in deeper? Learn how to train young horses efficiently with Gareth Hughes. In the following video he dives into the principles of training young horses.

Conclusion

A successful horse training plan is more than a schedule—it's a long-term strategy rooted in awareness, consistency, and care. Whether you're bringing a horse back into work, supporting a senior’s mobility, or preparing a young horse for their future under saddle, a well-structured fitness routine improves physical condition, enhances mental well-being, and strengthens your partnership. By tailoring your program to the individual horse and adjusting it over time, you create a path to better health, performance, and longevity. Remember: every training session is an investment in your horse’s future. Keep it varied, patient, and purposeful—and the results will follow.

FAQs - Fitness plan for horses

How often should you train a horse?

Is it good to ride your horse every day? To answer the question, one must distinguish between exercise and training. Exercise is right and important for every horse every day to maintain its muscles and counteract tension and joint wear. The horse's exercise schedule alternates between intensive training and loose exercise. One should ride the horse a maximum of 3 to 4 times a week - every third day is sufficient. This is because the pressure in the saddle position causes compression of the muscles - even with a fitting saddle. The fascia tissue is compressed and loses its buffering effect. If you do not give the tissue a rest, adhesions will occur in the long run. Rest days are therefore essential for regeneration.

When should you change your training plan?

To achieve training success, the body must be exposed to new stimuli again and again. That's why a well-developed horse training plan provides for an increase in intensity with plenty of variety to push the body to its limits. If the horse's body is still clearly adapting to the training stimulus by building muscle, the training plan does not need to be changed. Only when the horse has reached a certain performance plateau and can no longer reach its load limit do you have to create new physical stimuli for the horse.

On the other hand, the training plan should be changed if you do not see any training success on your horse. If, despite training, neither the horse's condition nor its coordination or strength improves, one should rethink the way of training and even riding.

How long does it take for a horse to build up muscle?

If you expose the horse to a training stimulus on a regular basis thanks to a structured training plan, it will build up muscles in the subsequent recovery phase. The body adapts to the load within 72 hours. If the horse starts from zero in terms of muscle, a healthy muscle build-up will take 8 to 12 weeks. However, husbandry and feeding also play a decisive role here: the horse should be able to move freely and a lot outside of training and receive high-quality proteins in order to be able to supply its muscles sufficiently.

How can I tell if my horse needs a break?

Providing training incentives does not mean pushing the horse to exhaustion. If your horse is exhausted, you can recognize it by the following points:

• Shallow, hectic breathing
• The horse reacts slowly or no longer at all to your signals
• The horse stumbles a lot
• The horse is quickly distracted by its environment and can not concentrate
• The repetitions of an exercise become worse each time

A break does not only mean to put the horse in the paddock after a tournament, an intensive training or a course weekend. A break can also be incorporated during training as a reward. Create the break with a few rounds of walking, your horse's favorite task that he is particularly good at, crawling or a massage. A walk in the field is also a good way to end a successful training session on a positive note.