Q: How do I know if my horse is truly fit, or just fresh?

A: There’s a big difference between fitness and freshness.

A fresh horse may feel energetic or excitable due to rest, cool weather, or excess feed—but this doesn’t mean they’re conditioned for sustained work.

True fitness refers to the horse’s cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal capacity to handle exercise without strain or fatigue.

Key signs of fitness include a lower resting heart rate, faster recovery post-work, improved stamina, and consistent performance without muscle soreness.

If fitness is an issue, conditioning work is key – gradually build up trot and canter sets in duration, add hill work and work over varied terrain. Interspersing interval training is also very beneficial.

Of course, it goes without saying that your plan must always be tailored to your horse’s age, health, current fitness level and the discipline in which you compete.