Couch to 5k out hacking?

[NLPM]

The fitness program I had in mind for my horse just isn't happening this year - we don't have the facilities, can't hire the facilities and the goalposts for which I planned the first regime have moved anyway.

I've realised we probably just need a change of direction this year, so was looking to create a new plan around stamina out hacking when an idea occurred to me. I just can't tell whether it's a genius idea, a terrible one or the middle ground of 'well, worth a punt'.

We've got woods about 30 mins away with a number of grassy or dirt tracks. I walk the dog round them daily and the coverage is decent - not rock hard. I'm wondering about using the walk there and back as warm up/cool down and then once in the wood, plugging in one ear phone and following the Couch to 5k app, so that within a few months we'd be trotting 5k near enough non-stop and hopefully main mare would be a trim, sleek, fit version of herself! Obviously there are caveats; if the ground is too hard or too soggy we wouldn't be trotting, and we'd stop for walkers etc., (although the tracks have great visibility and the 'side tracks' tend to be very quiet - very often I won't see a single person in 2-3 hours).

Is that a good idea or am I being ridiculous? Anyone done it?

 

[frostie652]

Sounds like a great idea to me...

 

[fidleyspromise]

I started to do this with my mare last year in hand to get us both fit. We went around the woods and I really enjoyed it. I stopped doing it as my life got busy but I am planning to start it up again as her weight has creeped up.

 

[charterline]

If she leads out in hand go for it (I’ve had horses before that wouldn’t take to it.)

make sure you have a bridle on and use a lunge line.

 

[wren123]

I thought you meant you'd ride! Sounds a great idea especially with the walk there and back.

 

[phizz4]

I think it is a great idea. When we only had one horse I was the one who jogged alongside on hacks and it kept me fit. A couple of safety suggestions. Try to wear footwear that is a little more robust than lightweight running trainers in case you get trodden on, I used ápproach shoes'. I would also use a pressure halter or a side pull with a 3 metre lead rope attached, rather than a bridle. If the horse shies or bolts backwards a bridle is less effective and could damage the horses mouth. A lunge line is too long and is liable to get tangled or too easily wrapped round your hand.

 

[NLPM]

Thanks everyone. Might just give it a go!

And yes, I'll be riding not running - sorry if I didn't make that clear. The inhand tips are useful for walking out the youngsters though, so I still appreciate those

 

[SOS]

Good idea but 5k isn’t very far for a horse at all and she moves much faster than you do, so your actual hacking route will have to be longer if that makes sense? I.e her ‘run’ for 1 minute will cover a lot more distance than a person would. Presuming the app works on timing not distance that is.

Also horses fitten up quicker than humans do but need initial slow work. I’m not sure how long she’s had off but with hunters we get them fully fit within 4 months. After being off around 4 months. Very rough guidelines for me are 3 weeks walking, 6 weeks building up trot To long intervals (perhaps here’s your couch to 5k) then introducing canter, jumping etc. Walk work is very important when getting horses fit so make sure your initial fittening involves that.

have fun!

 

[NLPM]

Good idea but 5k isn’t very far for a horse at all and she moves much faster than you do, so your actual hacking route will have to be longer if that makes sense? I.e her ‘run’ for 1 minute will cover a lot more distance than a person would. Presuming the app works on timing not distance that is.

Also horses fitten up quicker than humans do but need initial slow work. I’m not sure how long she’s had off but with hunters we get them fully fit within 4 months. After being off around 4 months. Very rough guidelines for me are 3 weeks walking, 6 weeks building up trot To long intervals (perhaps here’s your couch to 5k) then introducing canter, jumping etc. Walk work is very important when getting horses fit so make sure your initial fittening involves that.

have fun!

Thank you

We currently do between 1.5 to 3 hours of hacking 4 or 5 times a week (when the ground is softer, two of those will go back to being schooling sessions in our field) but it's pretty much all walk. We trot about 1.5 miles each hack, not continuously, and canter only a few hundred metres overall. So we probably are at the stage you suggested doing the c25k!

I read a post on here from someone once where they mentioned how their horse trotted 5 miles regularly (I think they drive?) and it stuck in my head because even though my horse is pretty strong, I don't think she's got the stamina for anything like that sort of distance! I've never asked her to trot continuously without interspersing circles, lateral movements etc. in the middle of it and I think she'd run right out of steam. I remembered the 5 mile comment again recently and it inspired me, hence thinking of c25k. I thought the app might just be a more interesting and consistent way of building up some stamina. It is done from time, yes, so with the walk to and from the woods we should end up with something like 30 mins is continuous trotting out of a 90 minute ride... Although I may change some of that for more canter as we go and we'll play around with transitions within the pace as well. You're right - it'll end up being more than 5k - don't know why that hadn't occurred to me! D'oh! There are lots of paths though, so very easy to make the routes longer by adding loops or going further afield.

I've always kept hacking as 'downtime', with the odd bit of playing with new movements for interest/to reinforce them, but maybe I need to set the bar a bit higher from now on, given it's all we're doing for the foreseeable. I wonder if I am a bit soft on her and she could be working much harder than she is...

 

[Leo Walker]

I read a post on here from someone once where they mentioned how their horse trotted 5 miles regularly (I think they drive?)

That was almost certainly me. When shes fit she will do 15k almost all trotting. It takes me about 8 weeks to get to that sort of distance so long as she's been kept ticking over. A normal week would be 3 drives of about that sort of distance and 2 schooling sessions. I'm trying to find somewhere or some way to drop one of those and do galloping interval work instead as she finds the trotting ridiculously easy once shes fit

 

[NLPM]

That was almost certainly me. When shes fit she will do 15k almost all trotting. It takes me about 8 weeks to get to that sort of distance so long as she's been kept ticking over. A normal week would be 3 drives of about that sort of distance and 2 schooling sessions. I'm trying to find somewhere or some way to drop one of those and do galloping interval work instead as she finds the trotting ridiculously easy once shes fit

Wow, so more like 10 miles trotting? Poor Lady would weep at the thought, I think... Still, I find it inspiring. Reinforces my thought that perhaps my current routes/expectations are too low - 5k shouldn't be too unachievable with a sensible plan to get there. Thanks

 

[DottlebangBandersnatch]

My mare is a bit fat as is one of her field friends (the other is a sporty cob who's absolutely fine) and we were hacking for about 2.5hrs every week before lockdown. Before this she was doing nothing. However with lockdown easing we have hacked out a couple of times (after 3 months off) and today we went on a 10k+ hack! It's definitely feasible. Go for it

 

[Ruftysdad]

I used to exercise endurance horses and regularly did 20 miles at trot and canter. Once they were fit it was no problem to them One was still doing 20 mile rides in her middle 20's

 

[ihatework]

Sorry to be boring, but it is also possible to over-do the trotting. It’s quite a concussive pace.

Your endurance horses are bred for the job. I don’t know what sort of horse the OP has, but do take into account that the heavier types you might want to modify what you do.

If the ground is good enough, canter would be a better way to increase fitness whilst taking into consideration concussion.

It’s never one rule fits all, just cautioning not to overdo it. I watch the fitness programs of 4*/5*/team horses and I can promise you they aren’t asked to trot for many miles n one hit