Cantering on roads

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claribella

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What do people think of this? Do you do it? I just don't feel that it could be any good for joints and things but am I being silly?
 
I would never do it on roads or even hard tracks. Simply because of the possible damage to their joints.
 
I would never do it intentionally as have been brought up to believe if I do my horse will die :o Little OTT me thinks! My horse has cantered off a few times up the road with me and seems to have suffered no ill effects apart from a stern telling off!
Its all to do with how their joints and bone cope, if you have never been on a road before and do loads of trotting it can be just as bad, but if you build them up slowly then their bones strengthen (something to do with cells lining up in a certain direction). In the summer fields can be almost as hard as concrete but the horses will insist on going for a gallop when they're turned out! :rolleyes:
 
I do out hunting yes. Sometimes after ten mins of a spanking trot up the road I think a nice steady canter is better. I always have road nails all round too.
 
HayleyDL said:
I would never do it on roads or even hard tracks. Simply because of the possible damage to their joints.
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Ditto this - not worth the risk!

The forest next to our yard recently had the grass paths upgraded to hardcore :( - I would never canter on them - most I'll do is a slow steady trot in short bursts for fittening/conditioning work.
 
horsemadelsie said:
I would never do it intentionally as have been brought up to believe if I do my horse will die :o Little OTT me thinks! My horse has cantered off a few times up the road with me and seems to have suffered no ill effects apart from a stern telling off!
Its all to do with how their joints and bone cope, if you have never been on a road before and do loads of trotting it can be just as bad, but if you build them up slowly then their bones strengthen (something to do with cells lining up in a certain direction). In the summer fields can be almost as hard as concrete but the horses will insist on going for a gallop when they're turned out! :rolleyes:
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This!! The unintended canter!

Not the end of the world if the horse is used to stony tracks etc, could be harmful if they are used to endless grass and surfaced arenas and maneges.

I trot a short stretch of road as a means of getting off it quicker as it is used by massive forestry log lorries and you really dont want to meet them on the tiny clicky clacky bridge (there are trolls underneath you know). And sometimes at other times too. But not sure I would with a shod horse, too much concussion with metal shoes.
 
I wouldn't do it purely because of safety. As a driver I'd be worried going past/toward a cantering horse.

I've not seen any evidence of the odd road-canter doing any damage, but I'm staying on the safe side :D
 
I've cantered on roads when hunting (and this on a TB with navicular - albeit mild) and there have been no ill effects at all. But I take the time to make sure she is properly fit before hunting starts, which means lots of road work etc.
 
Round our way we have roads where there's grass growing on top of mud/soil in the middle! So I have had a little blast occasionally ........ and very nice it is too. But am still aware that there's hard surface underneath, so only do it in damper weather than we've got at the moment.

TBH there's not anywhere much for cantering off-road at the moment; everything is so dry and hard, its like rock.
 
horsemadelsie said:
I would never do it intentionally as have been brought up to believe if I do my horse will die :o
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Hehe same! I never do it, purely because I have never seen the need, there's plenty of grass to canter around here. I have, however, had a fantastic canter up the road by accident :P Trotting very slowly around a gradual bend, mare decides it's a great time to canter and there wasn't a single thing I could do. Thankfully she didn't go far and there was no ill effect. Silly girl.
 
I kind of think it's probably better to canter than a fast pounding trot. That said I don't personally canter on the roads, not a habit I want my horse to be used to
 
I thought it was a terrible sin too! I think it would be a bit scary for car drivers (we had a big spook earlier the car driver on the other side of road looked mortified) All the bridleway tracks are really hard at the moment but I can usually find a bit at the edge of the crop fields that has been ploughed but nothing growing on it so a bit softer. I have to admit I did 'accidentally' urge for a canter on an irresistible bit of lush bouncy grass down a quiet lane down to the church today! I just have to think of a canter and she's off!
 
I do most of my short canters on the road. My horse is barefoot, so concussion does not worry me and the tarmac is smooth and even,so IMO easier and safer for a canter.
 
I have always been told the most you should do on the roads is a trot, I would also be concerned about being able to stop in time should I suddenly meet a car as where I am they are quite fast but windy roads.

I am another who has also had the odd unintentional canter on the road, and once been bolted with down the road as a woman was herding some cows, wanted them to go down the right hand fork in the road, they didnt and came down left fork where we were. Fortunately was able to pull into a layby and pull up but was rather scary!
 
Sometimes horses in the faster speed endurance classes (advanced level) canter on roads as it is kinder to joints than pounding trots. These horses have had years of conditioning training, to get to that level of competition & fitness. There are very few tendon, joint or bone issues in endurance with the vast majority of horses having long careers. As an example, my mares sire was the winner of the Southern championship 100mile race on several occasions & still managed a 4th place aged 19. He's still alive & well in his late 20's. He cantred everywhere as it was easier to sit to than his huge trot.
 
Copperpot said:
I do out hunting yes. Sometimes after ten mins of a spanking trot up the road I think a nice steady canter is better. I always have road nails all round too.
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Yes. My mare will do a lovely steady canter (but not in the arena for dressage, typical) which I feel is better than trotting like a beast on speed.
Not for prolonged periods but then I don't know anyone that does it for prolonged periods.
 
I cantered once as a kid on the road many years ago.

I did it to safely get through some temp traffic lights on the way home from a show and some pony club kids travelling in the back of a van were so horrified, that they reported me to the pony owner and I got a right telling off!

I think they were envious as I had a pony and they were in a van;)
 
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abitodd said:
I do most of my short canters on the road. My horse is barefoot, so concussion does not worry me and the tarmac is smooth and even,so IMO easier and safer for a canter.
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^^^^^^This is one of the advantages of being barefoot, also, the horse is much safer, I would never have cantered with steel shoes on as they are so slippy. I only do it for a short time, maybe uphill and when reasonably fit.
Also if it is eg getting dark, I can really push on at the trot without fear of slipping.
 
I have had a couple short canters on the roads. We do a lot of trotting on roads to fitten plus did the full six weeks road walking. I wouldn't even trot on roads with shoes on personally because of the concussion thankfully I don't have that problem.
 
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