Do u trot on roads??

[Puppy]

No, I don't anymore.

It's a myth that it strengethens/conditions the legs.

 

[charleysummer]

Not anymore, only if I have to - i.e cars waiting and a few seconds/minute isn't going to hurt.

I used to trot on the roads a lot and low and behold my horse got tendon damage- it does put a lot of stress on the tendons and my vet told me to never ride faster than a walk on hard ground (or very soft ground for that matter) again- which I don't! and my mare is sound now. My friend trotted her horse on the roads to 'condition' him- he is now completely knackered and can't go out in the field without going lame as his DDFT is messed up and has various hoof problems. The hoof acts as a shock absorber and shoes send the shock right up the legs on the tendons as the shoe prevents the hoof from expanding and absorbing shock- so it is worse to trot shod horses on the road. Mine is now barefoot and although I know shoes are needed in some cases and for studs etc- I'm happy to know my mare can absorb shock in the hoof as she is designed to.

If the horse is sound and healthy with no problems then there is no arguement really- just to be careful as it is simple physics that somewhere has to take the impact and as the hard surface isn't going to absorb the shock of the impact of the horse's weight- and of course something has to! and that will be the the legs. repeated concussion will cause damage eventually. I wouldn't say it is GOOD for a horse's legs at all to trot on the roads, good for stamina maybe but that can be build up on better surfaces than hard tarmac.

 

[millitiger]

It's a myth that it strengethens/conditions the legs.

I thought there were studies to show that it does harden legs?

By placing stresses on the horses body you cause micro-tears which lead to microscopic scar tissue.

Trotting (sensibly and in good balance) on a hard surface like a road causes micro-tears in the tendons which is the process which hardens the legs off.

It takes about 48 hours for the micro-tears to heal up so obviously you need to increase work/intensity in increments otherwise you end up with a sore horse.

Obviously this is nothing to do with the concussive force as that would be another study altogether.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Can you come & tell my mare that she's meant to use her backside to trot uphill . It still feels like she's heaving herself along on her front at times! Lol.

"Welly in the belly", when I was in racing we had to work as hard as the yaks to get up those six furlongs, after three months of fittening, they could do it all by themselves!

 

[Miss L Toe]

There was also a good one about a cure for thin soles... it involved golden syrup and an old tea towel .

Its the porridge oats that makes all the difference, plus a teaspoon of Stockholm Tar, absolutely no one in Scotland would consider using Golden syrup, salt is the seasoning of choice.

 

[charleysummer]

I thought there were studies to show that it does harden legs?

By placing stresses on the horses body you cause micro-tears which lead to microscopic scar tissue.

Trotting (sensibly and in good balance) on a hard surface like a road causes micro-tears in the tendons which is the process which hardens the legs off.

It takes about 48 hours for the micro-tears to heal up so obviously you need to increase work/intensity in increments otherwise you end up with a sore horse.

Obviously this is nothing to do with the concussive force as that would be another study altogether.

Are 'micro-tears' a good thing? scar tissue heals up very inelastic due to criss-cross tendon fibres and would surely distribute the loading unevenly on the tendons leading to further damage- linear tendon fibres are much better for loading as they are linear and elastic. If the tears are occuring then surely they will continue to occur at the point(s) of strain (the same place repeatedly if continued?) tendon takes a very long time to heal up fully and will be weak- so repeated strain would lead to increase damage or 'microtears' over one area and eventually a larger scale tendon tear in that area, or other substituting areas

 

[Miss L Toe]

Are 'micro-tears' a good thing? scar tissue heals up very inelastic due to criss-cross tendon fibres and would surely distribute the loading unevenly on the tendons leading to further damage- linear tendon fibres are much better for loading as they are linear and elastic. If the tears are occuring then surely they will continue to occur at the point(s) of strain (the same place repeatedly if continued?) tendon takes a very long time to heal up fully and will be weak- so repeated strain would lead to increase damage or 'microtears' over one area and eventually a larger scale tendon tear in that area, or other substituting areas

In racing we have to push the levels of fitness beyond what would be "normal" for happy hackers, the legs are checked every day, any unusual heat will indicate a few days off full work, work is a steady progression over time from 20 minutes walking to 90 minutes per day including three six furlong canters, I mean good fittening canter, however they will only "work" ie gallop twice per week, otherwise they would break down due to excessive strains on limbs.
Studies confirm that the bone density and so on will strengthen up with gradual conditioning, and it is an essential part of the athletes programme.
From my own experience, [breaking in and bringing back in to work], I like to give the young/unconditioned horse a good long walk out on tracks [maybe 60 mins], and the next day they will have a bit of a rest, turnout in the school, or in a field, so that healing can take place.

 

[millitiger]

Obviously big tears are not wanted or desirable but micro-tears are from what I have read/ been told by vets and physios.

That is also how muscle mass is built.

There are lots of studies and articles on it for horses and human athletes.

I won't purport to be an expert on the subject, just relaying what I have researched/ been told by professionals

As I said before, it is about conditioning and building up and realising that the body needs stresses to be placed on it to be strengthened- the same way gentle work is proven to be good for a growing skeleton but that doesn't mean breaking tb yearlings for racing is the right thing to do.

I will try and find the studies I looked at as it was a while ago and a bit hazy now

 

[Toffee44]

Have done always will. I only hack about 2 times a week though. Back in Kent we had 50/50 road and bridleway we trotted. Infact we used to make habit of trotting up hills.

In driving terms my horses automatically trotted up a hill, I used to say "go on" and off they trotted at their own pace on loose reins and soon as it flattened out they walked again without being asked. I have seen a K****er in a car make a horse stop mid trot with cart up a hill and it did not end well horse struggled to keep going forwards with change of momenton (sp??) luckily experienced driver and some how pushed his horse on. I would never ask a driven horse to just walk up a hill they need to push and go. There was one hill near me that was normal to see driven horses full tilt or cantering up and those that think its cruel you should have seen the horses faces when they realised where they were sometimes you were holding them back before letting them go up. Yes slamming a horse in trot around every day will probably cause damage but short spurts and working properly I think is of benefit.

I think worse damage is done with summer hacking, I have seen people cantering/ galloping ground that I have debated even trotting on sometimes. And the worse are new schools that are far too deep....

 

[charleysummer]

I think worse damage is done with summer hacking, I have seen people cantering/ galloping ground that I have debated even trotting on sometimes. And the worse are new schools that are far too deep....

I agree with this, even though i dont agree with trotting for too long on roads i'd much rather trot on the road than on deep sand. ouch on the tendons ><.

I think horses are quite often tougher than people think, I am a very over cautious person with mine and try to strike a good balance of conditioning and wear and tear.

Not to start off a whole new topic but ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foI2D08ynq8
:O !!!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Yes, driving people will tell you that an experienced driving pony will dictate the pace on a well known route, they always set off at a trot up a hill, as stalling halfway up is a potential disaster, we know too that horses avoid doing too much work[!] so assume the trot is the most economical gait, and I have been on horses who really almost gallop up a steep bank, they need to build up a momentum.