My old dark cheq called sixteen. i lost him as a youngbird on the last race of the season in september upto that point he raced every race, he came back in march the following year in a right old state, i gave him a year off to moult, he repayed me ten fold winning 10th open combine 400mls 7,400 birds, also 3 open combine postions from 500 miles with over 4,500 birds on the day he also won the london combine hall of fame to boot. so i would say a rest does them no harm at all