Winter is tough on a senior horse.

Cold weather. Stiff joints. Less turnout. More standing around.

And often, less work.

But here’s what I’ve seen over and over:

Senior horses can come out of winter with their core strength, topline, posture and symmetry intact.

Not by doing more.

By doing the right things, consistently, in walk.

Tip 1: Lengthen the warm-up

In the colder months, a horse that has been stood in a stable or got cold needs longer to get moving. That’s even more true for a senior.

My rule is simple:

10 minutes in walk on a loose rein (if you’re riding) before you ask for anything else.

You could even do a 10 minute hand walk before you get on, to give your horse even more opportunity to loosen up.

That gives the joints time to start moving and the body time to warm up properly.

No rushing. This is the foundation of the whole session.

Tip 2: Start with in-hand work

You don’t have to be in the saddle to get a senior horse moving well.

In-hand work is one of the most effective things you can do in winter, because you can work the body slowly and precisely, with no rider weight and no pressure.

It’s where I work on:

• Flexibility: gently encouraging the horse to soften and stretch through the body

• Symmetry: making sure both sides are working equally, not just their easy side

• Posture: helping them find a better way to stand and carry themselves

• Body awareness: so they move better under saddle too

And it’s brilliant on the days when it’s too cold, wet or dark for a full ride.

A few minutes in-hand after your walk warm-up can make the whole rest of the session work better.

Tip 3: Add a couple of simple walk poles

Once they’re warm, add two or three poles on the ground, in walk.

Poles in walk give you:

• More joint flexion

• Core engagement

• Help with crookedness

And there’s research showing that walking over poles engages the core more than trotting over them.

Here’s why walk works so well:

In walk, each limb is on the ground individually. That helps with symmetry of limb use, because every leg has to take its own share of the work.

In trot, the horse has the momentum of the speed AND the diagonal limb to support them. That means they can actually avoid working symmetrically without you noticing.

Slower isn’t easier. It’s often more effective.

Tip 4: Little and often beats big and rare

Seniors thrive on consistency.

10-20 minutes of walk work every day is far better for them than one big hour’s hack at the weekend.

Think of it like doing pilates 4-5 days a week, as opposed to going running at the weekend only. Big difference.

Daily work keeps the joints moving. It keeps the muscles switched on. And it avoids that stiff, sore Monday after a long weekend hack.

Hand walking, in-hand work, walk hacking, poles: they all count.

Don’t skip the stable-based core work

If you haven’t started the stable-based core exercises yet, winter is the time.

They’re quick, they need no arena and no good weather, and they’re what make everything above work better.

They get the core muscles switched on, so that the walk, the in-hand work and the poles all build strength where it counts.

If you don’t have them yet, start here: Core Exercises course

What this looks like by spring

I’ve seen senior horses spend the whole winter focusing on walk, in-hand work and walk poles, and come out the other side maintaining core strength, topline, good posture and symmetry.

No big gadgets. No complicated plan.

Just walk, done well.

Don’t underestimate the power of walking.

Ready to make this winter count?

New here? Start with Step 1. The 11 stable based core exercises I use with every horse, £9 / $12, lifetime access.

👉 Click for Core Exercises

Keep your horse flexible, symmetrical and strong with the in-hand work:
In-hand Exercises course, £49.50 / $68, lifetime access.
👉 Click for In Hand Exercises

Add simple walk poles to the routine:
Polework course, £35 / $45, lifetime access.
👉 Click for Polework Exercises

And as always, if you have any questions, need help deciding which course is right for you and your horse, or want to chat about 1-2-1 support — you can get in touch via the Contact page. I’d love to hear from you. 💛