With the start of the eventing season looming, the fitness regime needs to be underway.

When getting your horse fit, many things need to be taken into consideration, such as how much of a lay-off they have had, age, breed, personality, and where you live and the facilities you have. Many don’t have horse walkers, gallops or schools, so you have to adjust according to what you can do, and each horse is different and needs to be treated as such.

But as a general rule, these pointers can get you heading in the right direction...