How I Keep My Event Horse Sound Between Competitions

Keeping an event horse sound between competitions is less about finding one perfect exercise and more about making hundreds of sensible decisions. I have learnt that the weeks away from a horse trial matter just as much as the days spent in the dressage arena, show jumping ring and cross-country start box. Soundness is built through routine, observation and knowing when to do less.

My horse does not need to gallop every week to stay fit, and he certainly does not benefit from being kept in constant work because I am worried about losing his edge. Eventing asks for strength, coordination, bravery and recovery. Those qualities develop best when training is balanced with rest and when the horse is given time to absorb what he has learnt.

Australian conditions add another layer to the picture. A hot spell in Western Sydney, hard ground around Melbourne, wet paddocks in parts of Queensland or a long float trip to a competition can all affect how a horse feels. I plan around the weather, the venue and the individual horse rather than following a rigid calendar.

I also try to remember that a sound horse is not simply one that passes a pre-competition check. He should move freely at home, recover comfortably after work and remain mentally willing. The small changes—a shorter stride, a reluctance to pick up a canter lead, a tail swish under saddle—deserve attention before they become a larger problem.

Soundness Starts With A Daily Baseline

I like to know what normal looks like for my horse. That means noticing how he walks out of the paddock, whether he is standing evenly while eating, how he turns in the stable and how he feels during the first few minutes under saddle. These observations are ordinary, but they give me useful comparisons when something changes.

After a harder session, I check his legs for heat, filling or tenderness. I run my hands down each limb without rushing, compare one side with the other and watch him walk on a firm, level surface. A little stable filling that disappears after movement may be harmless for one horse, while a new, persistent change in another can be worth investigating.

I keep a simple record of the work we do, including schooling, hacking, jumping, galloping and rest days. I note the footing, the weather and any concerns. This is especially helpful when life gets busy or when a competition is several weeks away. It stops me from relying on memory, which tends to remember the exciting parts and forget the quiet warning signs.

Building Fitness Without Chasing Fatigue

Our weekly routine usually includes a mixture of low-impact conditioning, purposeful schooling and genuine downtime. A steady hack helps maintain cardiovascular fitness and gives my horse the chance to stretch over varied terrain. Hill work can build strength, but I introduce it gradually and keep the sessions controlled rather than turning every incline into a test.

Dressage work supports soundness because it improves balance and coordination. I focus on transitions, straightness, rhythm and a soft connection instead of drilling movements until my horse becomes tired or defensive. A few correct transitions can be more valuable than a long schooling session where both of us lose concentration.

Jumping is used thoughtfully between events. I may pop a small course, school related distances or work over poles to maintain confidence and technique. I do not need to reproduce a full show jumping round every week. The same applies to cross-country. A short schooling session over familiar obstacles can keep the partnership confident without placing unnecessary strain on the body.

The cross-country saddle has also changed how I think about rider balance and the horse’s back. I wrote about finding a more correct position in the cross-country saddle, and that lesson still influences how I ride between competitions. Good balance is part of injury prevention; it is not just a matter of looking secure over a fence.

Treating Feet And Footing As Training Tools

Regular farrier care is one of the foundations of keeping an event horse comfortable. I work with my farrier to maintain a consistent schedule and discuss the surfaces we are using, the horse’s workload and any changes in his way of going. Hoof balance can affect how a horse lands, turns and copes with concussion, so it deserves the same attention as the rest of the body.

I am cautious when moving between surfaces. A horse working mostly on soft arena footing may need time before spending a long session on firm grass or a stony track. Australian properties can vary dramatically, especially after rain followed by dry weather. What looks like a pleasant paddock can become deep, slippery or unexpectedly rutted, while a hard track can be unforgiving after weeks without moisture.

I try to give my horse regular access to safe, sensible movement rather than keeping him still for long periods. Walking in a paddock, hand-walking after a demanding session and allowing him to stretch his neck all help reduce stiffness. The aim is not to eliminate every uneven surface, which is impossible, but to introduce workload and footing changes progressively.

Managing Heat, Recovery And Rest

Heat management is essential for Australian eventing. I prefer to work early in the morning during summer, before the worst of the humidity and sun, and I pay attention to the forecast rather than assuming a familiar routine will suit every day. At events near Sydney or further west, the difference between a comfortable early session and a draining afternoon can be considerable.

After exercise, I walk until my horse’s breathing begins to settle, offer water regularly and use cooling practices appropriate to the conditions. I watch for delayed recovery, unusual tiredness, a lack of interest in drinking or a change in attitude. A horse can appear fine immediately after work and still need more time before he is ready for another demanding session.

Rest days are planned rather than treated as a failure to train. Sometimes rest means a quiet paddock day; sometimes it means a short hand-walk or an easy hack. Following a competition, I usually allow extra recovery before asking for structured work again. The body needs time to recover from the travel, adrenaline, jumping efforts and long periods of standing around.

I also consider insect pressure and stable comfort. Fly veils, appropriate rugging and shade can make a meaningful difference when horses are unsettled in hot weather. A restless horse uses energy even when he is not exercising, and poor sleep or constant irritation can affect recovery.

Feeding For A Healthy, Manageable Athlete

I aim to keep my event horse at a healthy, stable weight rather than chasing a very lean competition look. Too much weight increases the demands on joints and soft tissue, while too little can affect energy, topline and resilience. I check his condition regularly and adjust feed gradually when his workload changes.

Forage remains the centre of the diet. Good-quality hay or pasture supports digestive health and gives the horse something to do between sessions. Concentrates and supplements are considered according to actual need, not because a glossy feed-room label promises a faster result. I prefer to make changes one at a time so I can tell what is helping and what is unnecessary.

Hydration is part of the plan before and after travelling. I make sure my horse is comfortable drinking away from home and carry familiar water where practical. Some horses are fussy about different tastes, troughs or buckets, and a long trip from Melbourne to an event venue is not the time to discover that a horse refuses unfamiliar water.

The Australian feed market also requires a little flexibility. Prices and availability can shift, particularly when drought, transport costs or seasonal conditions affect local supplies. I keep a reliable forage plan, avoid sudden substitutions and work with my veterinarian or equine nutritionist if a change is unavoidable.

Making Travel And Loading Part Of Soundness

Travel can influence how a horse feels before he ever reaches the warm-up arena. I want loading, standing on the float and unloading to be familiar routines rather than dramatic events reserved for competition morning. Short practice trips, calm loading and sensible breaks help reduce physical and mental tension.

My experience with a horse who strongly disliked loading taught me that rushing the process only made the problem larger. These loading lessons remain relevant to soundness because a tense, scrambling horse can arrive tired, tight and already stressed. Preparation protects the horse before the first trot-up.

I check the float carefully, use safe flooring and make sure the horse has enough ventilation without being exposed to unnecessary draughts. On longer Australian journeys, I allow extra time for traffic, roadworks and stops. A trip to a horse trial near Wagga Wagga or the outskirts of Canberra can take longer than expected, and a schedule that leaves no margin encourages poor decisions.

After arrival, I let my horse walk, drink and settle before asking for work. Depending on the travel time, he may only need a quiet hand-walk and a relaxed stretch. I do not mistake being at the venue for needing to train immediately. The competition starts when the horse is ready, not when we unload.

Listening To The Partnership

Soundness is physical, but the rider’s relationship with the horse supplies much of the information. My horse’s expression, tempo and willingness tell me things that a training plan cannot. If he feels unusually guarded, distracted or resistant, I consider whether he is tired, sore, confused or simply having an off day before pushing ahead.

Rider nerves can make this difficult. When a competition is approaching, I sometimes want to prove that everything is on track by adding another session or jumping one more line. That impulse is usually about my anxiety rather than the horse’s needs. A confident, comfortable horse benefits more from a clear, uncomplicated ride than from a last-minute attempt to manufacture fitness.

I also value professional eyes. A veterinarian, physiotherapist, farrier, saddle fitter or knowledgeable coach may notice a pattern I have missed. Regular checks are especially useful when the horse’s workload increases or when a small issue keeps returning. Professional support does not replace daily observation; it gives those observations context.

The best routine is one I can maintain. It includes enough structure to build fitness, enough variety to keep the horse interested and enough flexibility to respond to the day in front of us. If the ground is poor, we change the plan. If he feels tired, we finish early. If he is moving freely and confidently, we can progress without forcing the timetable.

A sound event horse is the result of many quiet choices: a careful warm-up, a well-timed rest day, a correctly fitted saddle, regular hoof care, sensible travel and the discipline to listen. Those choices may not look dramatic from the outside, but they are what allow us to arrive at the next horse trial prepared to work together.

Follow along with the training days, competition recaps and practical horse-care decisions at Mania in the Middle, and share the routines that help keep your own eventing partnership strong and comfortable.