33 Strength and Fitness Workouts for Horses: Practical Conditioning Plans Using Groundwork, Ridden Work, Poles, Hills, and Terrain - Hardcover

by Jec Aristotle Ballou (Author)

Unlock your horse's peak performance with 33 proven workouts that build strength, balance, and longevity--without sacrificing well-being.

Whether you're training for top-level competition or enjoying weekend trail rides, a fit and happy horse is the foundation of success. In this trusted guide, equine conditioning expert Jec Aristotle Ballou delivers a clear, practical system for improving your horse's physical capacity through workouts that are strategic, progressive, and engaging--for both horse and rider.

This isn't just another training manual. Ballou takes the guesswork out of fitness by showing you exactly how long, how often, and in what sequence to apply each exercise. These 33 carefully crafted workouts promote healthy athletic development while preventing the boredom, tension, and fatigue that often derail conditioning efforts. Backed by science and years of hands-on experience, these plans are designed to create measurable gains--stronger muscles, better agility, and improved stamina.

Inside you'll find:
- Step-by-step workouts for building equine strength and balance
- Expert tips on frequency, duration, and recovery periods
- Warm-up and mobility routines to enhance flexibility
- Creative groundwork and hill training to keep horses engaged
- Fitness strategies tailored for young, aging, or trail horses
- Illustrated guidance for seamless at-home implementation

Perfect for riders, trainers, and equine caretakers who want to condition thoughtfully and effectively, this book is a go-to fitness reference that keeps horses thriving--mentally and physically--for years to come.

Author Biography

Jec Aristotle Ballou has spent her life studying classical dressage, including 10 intensive training residencies in Portugal, two in Holland, and one in Germany with the late Egon von Neindorff. Most recently, she spent time in Melbourne, Australia, with Manolo Mendez, original head rider of the Royal School of Equestrian Arts in Spain. She has trained and competed through the FEI levels in dressage but has also competed in long distance trail riding, Ride & Tie, breed shows, and almost everything in between. Ballou won three consecutive East Coast championships in distance riding, becoming the youngest rider in history to win the prestigious Vermont 100'ÄìMile Competition. A proponent of interdisciplinary study, she serves as an advisor to the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA). Ballou is a tireless advocate for the horse, committed to promoting understanding that proper biomechanical movement and athleticism can never happen as a result of shortcuts, force, or hurried training methods. Through her clinics, articles, and bestselling books'Äîincluding 101 Dressage Exercises for the Horse and Rider and Equine Fitness'ÄîBallou aims to meet what she sees as an enormous need within the equine industry for simple, clear, and practical information. She lives in Soquel, California (www.jecballou.com).