How to Exercise a Horse in a Stable

You should always exercise your horse outdoors if possible. Running paddocks and grazing fields provide excellent stimulation and allow them to spend as much time as possible in an open area. Sometimes, however, inclement weather may force you to keep your horse indoors in a stable. Even then, however, you should not neglect to exercise him, in order to keep him in good health and prevent him from getting squirrelly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look for an indoor arena. Numerous ranches feature indoor exercise pens where you can exercise your horse in a clean, controlled environment. You can rent one out for a period each day while the weather remains bad.
2. Use a horse treadmill. Many companies produce treadmills and walking machines for racing horses, which have the added benefit of functioning indoors in a stable. If you do not have one of your own, see about scheduling time on one at a nearby training facility or ranch. The machines can give the horse an approximation of an outdoor workout without actually having to go outdoors.
3. Stick to the routine as much as possible. A horse used to exercising at a certain time in certain amounts may become irritable if a sudden change in his routine takes place. It also may affect the progress of any formal training he may be undergoing. Consult your veterinarian on specific tips to keep your exercise program on schedule, but always try to maintain as much of your normal routine as possible.
4. Walk the horse as much as you can. If your stable is big enough, it may be sufficient simply to get him out of his stall and walk him up and down for about half an hour. Such exercise is rarely perfect, but in the short term, it will help fend off boredom and keep the horse in reasonable shape.
5. Rub down the horse following any exercise. Even if it's just a brisk walking, you should take care to remove any sweat built up over the exercise. It will help keep his stall clean and retain a sense of normalcy to his day.

Tips & Warnings

• Even in bad weather, it helps to get your horse out of the stable for exercise. Look for thermal horse blankets to use in the winter to keep him from getting cold and take advantage of any break in the weather to get your horse out of the stable, if only for a brief exercise run.