My horse was on stall rest following an injury and now that the vet has fully cleared him to go back to work, we’ve been doing lots of walking on trails near our barn. Do you have any tips on conditioning work we could do in or outside of the dressage ring as I gradually bring him back to work?

     ~ Leigh S., Maryland

I’m glad to hear your horse has recovered and you’re able to start getting him back into work. Especially in the beginning, it’s crucial that you continue working closely with your veterinarian and any other members of your horse’s treatment team on what exercise is most appropriate for him at this stage of his rehab depending on the severity of his injury. You never want to push it too much and risk reinjury.

Being out of work for an extended period of time likely means your horse is out of shape in terms of both muscle tone and stamina, so you must rebuild his strength and endurance slowly and methodically.

Longe Line and Cavalletti Work

Working on a longe line is a good option to start getting him back into shape without any additional weight on his back; longe-line work can build his topline muscles and help with his flexibility and balance. In the beginning, you might find it beneficial to alternate between longeing sessions and under-saddle work every other day or so.

When your horse is out of work for any period of time, it’s also important to consider his mental well-being in addition to his physical health when re-introducing him to his job. Once you’re fully back under saddle, cavalletti work is an excellent tool to help both his body and mind.

Once you’re fully back under saddle, cavalletti work is an excellent tool to help both your horse’s body and mind. ©Amy K. Dragoo

Working over cavalletti will encourage your horse to use his full range of motion without increasing strain on his legs. It also requires him to use his joints correctly which helps ensure that his entire body is being exercised and strengthened evenly.

There are so many different exercises you can do with cavalletti—even at the walk—to make the work both fun and beneficial for you and your horse. In addition to being a great conditioning exercise for strength, simple cavalletti patterns and variations will also improve you horse’s overall rhythm, tempo and self-carriage for better gait quality and balance. (Editors’ note: For inspiration, check out these creative cavalletti exercises from Michele Wellman here.)

There are scores of different exercises you can do with cavalletti—even at the walk—to make the work fun and beneficial. ©Amy K. Dragoo
Working over cavalletti requires your horse to use his joints correctly which ensures that his entire body is being exercised and strengthened evenly. ©Amy K. Dragoo

Incorporate Variety and Ease Into More Advanced Work

Variety in your training is also crucial. Just like people, horses need different ways to use their minds and condition their bodies. I like to walk my horses on hills and in fields to provide them with diverse environments and terrain. Hill work is great for increasing a horse’s cardiovascular effort without putting extra stress on the front legs, and it’s excellent for building up hindquarter strength and improving stamina and balance. (Learn more about incorporating hill work into your dressage horse’s conditioning program here.)

Downhill work can help build up the muscles your horse needs for collection, but it’s important to go slowly. Walking downhill too quickly can put additional concussion on his legs. ©Amy K. Dragoo
Going uphill will increase your horse’s cardiovascular load and develop hindquarter strength without putting stress on his front legs. ©Amy K. Dragoo

It’s also important to take your time when warming up and cooling down your horse and to ensure you’re working on quality arena footing before doing more challenging movements. Additionally, as you do progress to more advanced work, be aware of certain movements that ask for higher degrees of collection such as extended trots, piaffe/passage and pirouettes and don’t drill him too much in those.

I hope these tips help you and your horse as you get back into regular work, so you can continue on your journey together!

For More:

  • Do you have a training question? Team Prac—our group of top trainers representing dressage, hunters, jumpers and eventing—is here to provide useful and impactful advice to help you improve in your particular discipline and develop a harmonious partnership with your horse. Learn how to submit your questions to our Team Prac members here.
  • For more information on rehabilitation for dressage horses following an injury, click here.
  • To learn more about incorporating hill work into your horse’s conditioning program, click here.
  • Sign up for Dressage Today+ to watch Michele Wellman’s videos on cavalletti work and for access to thousands of other hands-on training videos with top dressage riders, trainers and clinicians. What is Dressage Today+? Click here to learn more about all the benefits you’ll enjoy as a member of Dressage Today+!

About Team Prac Member Christian Simonson

Christian Simonson is a rising star on the dressage scene. After numerous top results as a young rider, he moved up to the senior level and has continued his success. Christian rode Son of a Lady at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, helping the U.S. Dressage Team win gold. He and one of his current mounts, the experienced Indian Rock, have a promising partnership, already collecting several wins such as the Grand Prix Champion title at the 2025 U.S. Dressage Festival Champions.

Click here to read Christian’s full Team Prac bio that includes his career highlights, favorite horses and fun facts about the Grand Prix dressage rider.