As we move into autumn, it’s quite common for owners to tell me that their horse suddenly feels a little different.
They may feel stiffer at the beginning of a ride, less willing to go forwards, more restricted on one rein, slower to warm up, or simply not quite as comfortable and free as they were a few weeks ago.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong. Autumn brings a surprisingly large number of changes to a horse’s environment, management and workload — often all at once.
Understanding how these changes can influence the body can help us recognise when a horse simply needs time to adapt and when those small changes may be worth investigating further.
Less turnout and less everyday movement
For many horses, autumn means a gradual reduction in turnout. Fields become wetter, daylight hours shorten and some yards begin bringing horses in for longer periods.
Even when a horse is not being exercised, turnout provides regular low-level movement throughout the day. Horses walk to graze, change direction, interact with other horses and continually alter their posture.
When turnout reduces, so does some of this natural movement.
This is particularly relevant when we then ask the horse to go from several hours standing in a stable to carrying a rider and performing more demanding movements.
Research into turnout has also highlighted that changes in turnout routine can influence horses' activity patterns. For example, horses may show increased high-intensity or "rebound" activity following periods of confinement. Research in young Thoroughbreds has also found associations between alterations in turnout routines and musculoskeletal injury, although these findings shouldn't automatically be generalised to every adult leisure or competition horse.
From an osteopathic point of view, this is one reason I’m interested in the horse’s whole routine, rather than looking solely at how many times they are ridden each week.
Changing ground conditions
Autumn ground can be incredibly variable.
Within a relatively short period, horses can go from working on dry, firm summer ground to softer, wetter or uneven surfaces. Arena surfaces can change with increased rainfall and temperature too.
The surface underneath the horse affects the interaction between the hoof and the ground, including factors such as grip, impact, loading and vibration. Research into equine surfaces has shown that surface properties can alter the mechanical demands placed on the limb.
The horse therefore has to continually adapt the way it moves and stabilises its body according to what is underneath its feet.
This doesn't mean that soft or firm ground is automatically harmful. But frequent changes in surface, combined with changes in workload and turnout, can alter the physical demands being placed on the body.
Colder mornings and warming up
Another obvious autumn change is temperature.
A horse that has been standing in overnight on a cold morning may not necessarily feel exactly the same at the beginning of exercise as they did coming in from the field on a warm summer evening.
Rather than assuming that a horse is simply "stiff because it's cold", I prefer to look at the bigger picture.
Has their turnout reduced? Have they been standing for longer? Has their workload changed? Are they clipped? Has their warm-up remained the same despite their routine changing?
For some horses, particularly older horses or those with known musculoskeletal issues, allowing plenty of time for a gradual warm-up can become increasingly important as routines change.
Clipping and rugging
Clipping is another major part of autumn management for many working horses.
Clipping itself doesn't mean that a horse will develop musculoskeletal problems, but it does change how we manage the horse's temperature and protection from the environment.
Rugging then becomes another consideration.
Interestingly, research looking at horses wearing turnout rugs during mild UK autumn conditions found measurable differences in behaviours including walking and grooming when horses were rugged compared with when they weren't. This doesn't mean rugs are bad — but it does demonstrate that seemingly simple management choices can influence behaviour and activity.
The important thing is to manage each horse as an individual rather than automatically following the same routine every year.
Changes in workload
Autumn often changes our riding routines too.
Dark evenings, poorer weather and changes in ground conditions can mean horses are exercised less frequently or differently.
A horse that was hacking, schooling and competing regularly through summer might suddenly have several quieter days followed by a more demanding schooling or jumping session at the weekend.
The body adapts to the demands regularly placed upon it. When those demands change, it is sensible to adjust training accordingly rather than expecting the horse to maintain exactly the same capacity regardless of how much work they have been doing.
Consistency and gradual progression are particularly useful when circumstances mean your horse's workload has reduced.
Lots of small changes can add up
This is probably the most important point.
It may not be one autumn change that makes your horse feel different.
Instead, imagine a horse who has recently gone from living out for long periods to being stabled overnight. Their hacking has reduced because of the darker evenings. The fields are wetter, their arena surface feels different after heavy rain, they've recently been clipped and they're now ridden four times a week instead of six.
None of those changes automatically indicates a problem.
But collectively, the physical demands and daily movement experienced by that horse have changed considerably.
As an equine osteopath, this wider picture is something I take into consideration when assessing a horse. How a horse's body is functioning cannot be completely separated from their workload, environment, management and recent changes in routine.
What should owners look out for?
Over the next few weeks, pay attention to what is normal for your horse.
You might notice:
Taking longer than usual to loosen up
Increased reluctance to go forwards
Becoming noticeably more restricted on one rein
Changes in canter quality or transitions
Increased sensitivity when grooming or tacking up
Feeling less balanced or coordinated
Difficulty with movements they previously found comfortable
Changes in behaviour during ridden work
A general feeling that they're just "not quite right"
One small change on its own doesn't necessarily mean there is a physical problem. What is often more useful is recognising patterns or changes from that horse's normal.
If something persists, becomes more noticeable or is accompanied by pain, lameness or a significant behavioural change, veterinary assessment may be appropriate rather than simply assuming it is seasonal stiffness.
The value of noticing changes early
You know how your horse normally feels better than anyone.
Recognising that something has changed doesn't mean searching for a problem that isn't there. It simply gives you an opportunity to consider what might have changed around them.
Sometimes the answer may be as straightforward as adjusting their warm-up, reconsidering workload after several quieter weeks, increasing appropriate movement or reviewing their management.
In other cases, a change in performance can be the first indication that something deserves further investigation.
Autumn is therefore a useful time to reassess the whole horse — their movement, workload, turnout, surfaces, management and physical comfort — and make sure what we're asking of their body still matches what they're currently prepared for.
Research & Further Reading
Parkes, R.S.V. & Witte, T.H. (2015). The foot–surface interaction and its impact on musculoskeletal adaptation and injury risk in the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal, 47(5), 519–525.
Explores how surface properties influence loading, impact and the horse's musculoskeletal system.
Mouncey, R. et al. (2024). Associations between turn out practices and rates of musculoskeletal disease and injury in Thoroughbred foals and yearlings on stud farms in the United Kingdom. Equine Veterinary Journal.
Examines turnout duration, changes in turnout routine and associations with musculoskeletal health in young Thoroughbreds.
Daw, F., Burn, C., Chang, Y-M. & Nicol, C. (2025). Effect of turnout rugs on the behaviour of horses under mild autumn conditions in the United Kingdom. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 288, 106661.
Investigated behavioural differences in horses with and without turnout rugs during mild UK autumn conditions.
Equine Surfaces White Paper.
A wider review of research surrounding equestrian surfaces, biomechanics, performance and orthopaedic health.