Can I have a quick opinion please?

[Michen]

Before I enter. Would you travel a horse (both horses of mine) four hours north on the Monday for a holiday. Then stay the week hacking and on the Friday do a farm ride (7 ish miles), travel home (4 hours total travelling) Then go eventing (1.5 hours each way).. BE80 the next day? So horse would get back early eve Friday then probably be on the road early morn sat again.

Horse is very fit and a very good seasoned traveller and isn’t a stress head. Buzzy and up for anything so he won’t be remotely tired. But just want a sense check as to whether I’m asking too much. I know real eventers trek across country all the time but it’s two days in a row travelling I feel a bit bad about, plus having been away mon- fri from normal home.

I’m not concerned about him being tired for the actual event, anything to calm him down ?‍ Just weather it’s fair.

I wouldn’t usually try and cram stuff in like this but I feel like I need to use the ground when it’s good because it likely won’t be again in a few weeks. So a bit of a one off.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It would be a no from me, I'm afraid.

But you may have more idea after you have done the outward journey on Monday avoiding motorways - I'd be a bit knackered after that while towing, never mind the horse!

ETA I get your point about the ground, and after all the stuff that we've had to miss through Covid, etc I can certainly see the attraction .

 

[milliepops]

Personally I wouldn't, but then I've always been a soft touch See your point re the ground.... You know your horses better than anyone.

 

[Michen]

Thanks guys I appreciate your opinions! Would you not because of the travelling side?

I have zero concerns about his energy levels but don’t want to take advantage of that and be coloured by my craving for good ground, I feel like he may be shelved the rest of the summer ?

What I could do is do the farm ride on the thurs, so he just has a hack from the holiday cottage on the Friday morning and travels straight home. But it’s still travelling twice in a row?

 

[Michen]

It would be a no from me, I'm afraid.

But you may have more idea after you have done the outward journey on Monday avoiding motorways - I'd be a bit knackered after that while towing, never mind the horse!

ETA I get your point about the ground, and after all the stuff that we've had to miss through Covid, etc I can certainly see the attraction .

So he won’t be knackered, I’ve done long journeys with him before where I’ve got stuck etc (I might be but take me out of the equation as my concern is for my nag not me!). He will walk off fresh as a daisy and be the same the next day.

But I don’t want to take advantage of his joy for life and over do it.

 

[nikicb]

I wouldn't - I think some people underestimate how tiring travelling is for horses, as well as stays away from home. Four hours is a long time to be having to adjust their weight to balance, also Fridays are notoriously busy with traffic so you may well take longer than that. To then expect him to take you safely round a XC course the next day would be too much of a risk I think, as well as not really fair on him.

 

[Tiddlypom]

What I could do is do the farm ride on the thurs, so he just has a hack from the holiday cottage on the Friday morning and travels straight home. But it’s still travelling twice in a row?

That sounds easier on both of you - back home in the mid to late afternoon and time to properly chill before the next day.

 

[meleeka]

No. i think i’d also give at least a day off after that (although i’ve never owned a super fit horse). i think travelling is tiring, however fit they are.

 

[milliepops]

it would be the travelling that would put me off, i am one of those people that gives a holiday after a long journey and for my gang, 4 hours is a long journey

 

[HelenBack]

I also wouldn't because I'd be too knackered to do it myself! I think you're a bit younger than me though so probably able to manage this sort of thing more easily.

From the horse's point of view I'd be a bit worried that although he's fit and well up for it, his muscles might be tired and then he'd be more at risk of injury. He doesn't sound like the type who would let you know if he was a bit tired and would just press on anyway but he might not be doing himself any favours.

 

[Michen]

I see what you mean N. I guess I’ve read too many reports of people travelling far far away for events so maybe I’m downplaying the travelling side in my head too much.

There will be other events, I just wanted to grab the ground whilst we had it, HHO is always good for a sense check

 

[Michen]

Another option is I go to the event with both horses and stay over at the event on the Friday night (it’s on the way home sort of- would be two hours from the holiday rather than the four hours to home. So would cut out the travelling the next day plus reduce the travelling on the Friday. Meaning he’s got two hours travel on the Friday, event Saturday, 1.5 hours home after event.

Not sure whether Bear would sensible stay in a stable unless he had other horses around. Anyone got stabling near Broadway? ?

This seems like it might have legs!!

 

[nikicb]

I see what you mean N. I guess I’ve read too many reports of people travelling far far away for events so maybe I’m downplaying the travelling side in my head too much.

There will be other events, I just wanted to grab the ground whilst we had it, HHO is always good for a sense check

It's not quite the same as Bog is far fitter than Maddie due to the type of work they are both doing, but since the restrictions have been lifted, she has been out on the lorry for 30-45 mins trips each way several times a week, and I know she's feeling tired (in a good way!) - ok we have been doing a lot of new stuff and new venues so that has an effect as well, but I know the travelling will have tired her out just as much. She will get used to it and become fitter, but I still think that's a lot to ask of Bog. x

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm not convinced about the four hours journey time either, I fear that might be optimistic when towing and avoiding the motorway.

 

[nikicb]

Another option is I go to the event with both horses and stay over at the event on the Friday night (it’s on the way home sort of- would be two hours from the holiday rather than the four hours to home. So would cut out the travelling the next day plus reduce the travelling on the Friday. Meaning he’s got two hours travel on the Friday, event Saturday, 1.5 hours home after event.

Not sure whether Bear would sensible stay in a stable unless he had other horses around. Anyone got stabling near Broadway? ?

This seems like it might have legs!!

That sounds more workable, and if they are offering o/night stabling, there may be others staying over to keep Bear company.

 

[Michen]

It's not quite the same as Bog is far fitter than Maddie due to the type of work they are both doing, but since the restrictions have been lifted, she has been out on the lorry for 30-45 mins trips each way several times a week, and I know she's really feeling tired - ok we have been doing a lot of new stuff and new venues so that has an effect as well, but I know the travelling will have tired her out just as much. She will get used to it and become fitter, but I still think that's a lot to ask of Bog. x

Thank you! I appreciate the honest thoughts. I just posted above but think I may see if I could stay somewhere Friday eve near the event with both horses. Broadway is 2 hours from the holiday cottage so it would literally halve the Friday trip and half the Saturday trip.

Hmmm!

I probably sound a bit desperate, I’m just super bloody fussy about ground.

 

[Michen]

I'm not convinced about the four hours journey time either, I fear that might be optimistic when towing and avoiding the motorway.

Yeah really good point. I think if I do it I’ll look into plan B which I’ve just posted about, a stop over..

 

[nikicb]

Thank you! I appreciate the honest thoughts. I just posted above but think I may see if I could stay somewhere Friday eve near the event with both horses. Broadway is 2 hours from the holiday cottage so it would literally halve the Friday trip and half the Saturday trip.

Hmmm!

I probably sound a bit desperate, I’m just super bloody fussy about ground.

I completely understand!! The newly found freedom has partly been why we have been doing so much stuff, and if there is going to be some "good going" available, you will want to make the most of it.

 

[ycbm]

On the way home, breaking the journey, sounds OK. I get the desperation to get a run in, at your age I would have done the same. If your 7 mile farm ride is SPF and you want some more company on the Friday, let me know
.

 

[GG13]

Personally I wouldn’t. 4hrs is a long journey and I would give mine at least a day off after travelling that far in a day. And
I think your plan of stabling near the event would be ideal if you can find somewhere

 

[milliepops]

again you know your horses, but another night somewhere strange would sap mine a bit more! the trouble with asking for opinions

 

[EllenJay]

You know your horses - personally if they are fit I can't see a problem

 

[nikicb]

My last comment..... when I had Cassie, who had more energy than the duracell bunny, I did a weekend of dressage with two different venues. Drove to Solihull from home Friday night, did 2 Associated BD champ tests on the Saturday. Then drove to Wellington that night which was a familiar venue for her. Then did 2 Quest champ tests on the Sunday. She was tired on the Sunday and didn't perform to her normal level - she was fit for the work she was doing, so it was the travelling that took it out of her. But you know your horses, so you know whether they would be up to it. x

 

[Michen]

I wouldn’t give my horses a day off after a four hour journey. Plenty of people I know travel four hours, event and travel home again! So that doesn’t worry me. More the consecutive days of upheaval.

I will have a look into stabling

 

[Northern]

There are plenty of horses in Aus who travel much longer than that regularly. Not unusual to drive 6-8 hours to a venue and back over a weekend.
If he's a good traveller I wouldn't worry too much about the upheaval, especially if he is fit and well at the moment.

 

[Britestar]

If the horse is fit and healthy, I can't see a problem.
I used to travel 4 hrs, event and then go home again all on the same day. Just depends where you live, and what is normal for you and the horse.

 

[Red-1]

I would, as long as the horse is a good traveller.

I used to do 4 hours travelling, event and then travel home again.

They were fine.

I would reconsider if it got really hot, or if the horse was tired (could just do dressage) so it is a yes for me, with constant monitoring.

Thinking about it, when I did Burgie, we travelled 8 hours on the Tuesday, competed and travelled 8 hours home again after. It was 8 hours on the road too, so 10 hours once two stops were taken into consideration. I actually hired the school at Gleneagles so she had a leg stretch!

ETA - the event was a 3 day, so Thurs to Sunday - not 8 hours, compete and come home in one!

 

[Upthecreek]

If horses are fit, good travellers and used to travelling reasonable distances I wouldn’t think twice about it. I would probably ditch the farm ride though and head home on the Friday morning so they have the afternoon and night to rest.

 

[LEC]

It’s 80cm not badminton. Just wouldn’t even enter my head if horse is a buzzy one anyway and a good traveller.

Run the horse while it’s fit and the ground is good. They spend a lot of time not being right so I make the most of it when they are.

 

[Flyermc]

Id give it a go and do your best, arrive in plenty of time and if he's not 'feeling it' (you know your horses better than anyone) just pull-out?