10/23/2026
🔥HOW TO CONDITION AT HOME: THE BLEEDER EDITION! 🫁🐎
Your horse is a bleeder. Now what?
Do you stop conditioning? Do you ride less? Do you avoid loping altogether? Or do you just keep running and hope for the best?
How about we start working SMARTER instead of HARDER?
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that conditioning a bleeder means you need to ride them into the ground to build their lungs. Or you do very minimal.
That’s not how I approach it.
Today, I want to give you some exercises you can actually do AT HOME to help build your horse’s fitness without making every ride a full-blown workout.
First things first: EIPH needs to be evaluated and managed with your veterinarian. Conditioning improves fitness, but it does not eliminate bleeding, and horses with significant EIPH may need restrictions or treatment before strenuous work.
🐎 1. START WITH WALKING. YES, WALKING!
I think walking is one of the most underrated tools in conditioning. You can either do this under saddle or on the ground and you’ll see why later 😉
And I’m not talking about wandering around the arena or field on a loose rein for five minutes.
I’m talking about PURPOSEFUL walking.
Try incorporating:
* Straight lines with an active, relaxed walk.
* Large sweeping turns and serpentines.
* Gentle inclines if your horse is comfortable and sound.
* Transitions between a relaxed walk and a more forward walk.
Your goal is to develop controlled movement, balance, and muscular endurance before increasing the cardiovascular demand.
🐎 2. ADD CAVALETTIS!
If you know me, you know I LOVE cavalettis!
Start on the ground to get your horses comfortable with them!
Don’t have cavalettis? Use old fence posts or even the poles you weave through laid on their side!
Here’s a simple exercise:
Set up 3 ground poles at comfortable walking distances for your horse.
Walk through them slowly and intentionally.
If you need help check out my reels and there’s all kinds of videos on cavalettis & exercises! Or you can message me & let’s make a plan!
Focus on:
* Maintaining a consistent rhythm.
* Keeping your horse straight.
* Allowing your horse to lift and place their feet without rushing.
* Taking breaks between repetitions.
Start with just a few passes and increase gradually as your horse becomes stronger.
Remember, cavalettis are a muscular coordination exercise. They’re not a treatment for pulmonary bleeding.
🐎 3. INTRODUCE CONTROLLED INTERVALS.
This is something I incorporate into my bleeders conditioning program.
Once a horse is cleared for the work, I like alternating periods of exercise with easier movement.
For example, a veterinarian approved introductory session for a horse already comfortable trotting might include:
➡️ 5–10 minutes of relaxed walking to warm up.
➡️ 1 minute of controlled trotting. Not long trotting. Controlled slow trot. Only if your horse can handle it.
➡️ 2–3 minutes of walking recovery.
➡️ Repeat the trot and walk sequence 2–3 times if the horse remains comfortable.
➡️ Finish with 5–10 minutes of walking to cool down.
These are examples, NOT a prescription for every bleeder. Some horses will need walking only work, and others may be ready for more depending on their fitness, EIPH severity, and veterinary plan.
I’m not looking for speed. I’m looking for rhythm, relaxation, and an appropriate recovery.
🐎 4. DON’T FORGET ABOUT STRAIGHT LINES!
Especially for my barrel racing people!
Your horse does NOT need to see the barrel pattern every day to become a better athlete.
I love incorporating straight-line work because it gives me an opportunity to focus on forward movement, balance, and consistency without constantly asking for tight turns.
Walk and trot work can be incredibly valuable, and I introduce loping only when the horse is ready and cleared for that level of exercise.
🐎 5. LEARN TO READ YOUR HORSE’S RECOVERY.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Pay attention to how your horse responds during and after each session.
Ask yourself:
❓ Is their breathing settling appropriately during recovery?
❓ Are they maintaining a comfortable rhythm?
❓ Are they recovering similarly to previous sessions?
❓ Are they showing any coughing, unusual fatigue, or reluctance to work?
A horse that is struggling to breathe, becomes distressed, collapses, or shows significant respiratory difficulty needs exercise stopped and urgent veterinary attention.
And remember: a horse can experience EIPH without showing blood at the nostrils. You cannot determine whether bleeding occurred simply by watching how quickly the horse catches their breath.
🐎 6. KEEP A CONDITIONING JOURNAL!
This is one of the easiest things you can do for your horse.
Write down:
* What exercises you completed.
* How long you worked.
* How your horse felt.
* Their breathing and recovery.
* Any coughing or unusual symptoms.
* How they responded the following day.
Patterns matter!
A conditioning journal can help you and your veterinarian make better decisions about workload and management.
❤️ HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY.
You do not have to run your horse harder to make them fitter.
You don’t have to drill the pattern every day.
And you certainly don’t need to confuse exhaustion with a successful workout.
What you DO need is a horse specific plan, consistency, and a willingness to pay attention to what your horse is telling you.
Bunny has taught me a lot about the importance of being intentional with conditioning, and it’s something I want more owners to understand.
The goal isn’t to see how much work your horse can tolerate today. It’s to build an athlete who can handle appropriate work tomorrow.
If you need help, message me and let’s build a program! Or want to send your horse message me!