Event fitness and condition

Cullohill

Cullohill

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I have decided to go striaght into Novice this season and have entered Oasby as my first run then hope to do Belton a month later......(not planned anymore as don't want to tempt fate!!)
I am just wondering about Bud's feed fitness and condition.

He is worked 5 to mostly 6 times a week on average 45 mins, including competing every other weekend. Work includes flatwork twice, jump session once, lunge session, hack out, and then comp or good session at home. (on average)

I have done one session of reps/canter work but this was on the arena. I work full time so in week all work is on arena under lights.

He is out every day weather permitting, fed good amounts of good quality haylage, 2 feeds a day of Calm and Conditioner/Staypower Musili/Happy Hoof/Glucosamine/Biotin/Carrots. which equals 6.5ish kg per day.

I hope to increase my canter work and include some more hill work from next week.

He doesn't seem to get out of puff even after solid 45 mins good flatwork session.

So now some bad photos, sorry taken last night on phone...
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So does this all sound ok? How does he look? Any one else do similar/more/less? Any advice
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Many thanks
 
Am certainly no expert, but my horse needs more hacking than that to be PN fit..... Mine is quite difficult to get fit though.

I'm schooling twice (poss including jumping), and hacking 5 times a week (4 if I have a lesson), 1 or 2 of those times I make sure he has a good canter. Am starting more cantering this week. We have loads of hills round us so plenty of hillwork.

I'm the other way to you though, I have no school at home so have to box to one/hire one. Once my field dries out he'll be schooled 3/4 times a week.....

Like I said though, mine is quite difficult to get really fit.
 
my horse is a TB and to keep him fit to PN event i do what you are currently doing with your horse..
per week; 1 jump, 1 hack (walk/trot/canter), 1 lunge (although not every week), 2/3 school all for about 45/50 mins (apart from the lunge session).. this is plenty for him and he can get the time PN easily and recovers very well after XC..
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i guess if you are to go Novice and want to start to go Novice speed then adding some canter/hill work once a week should suffice. i could be wrong though. i guess it can all depend on type/breed/past fitness.
do you have an instructor who events that you could ask advice from.?
 
Yeah, just add a bit more stamina/hill/canter work in the next week or so. Give him a decent blow out at some point to!!!
 
Thanks thats good to hear, i just wanted to see how it compares to others really, i do have trainer that events i could chat to...... just been unlucky with Bud really had chipped stifle 2006 at his 2nd Nov beginning season then went lame beginning last season after 1st Nov of season after PN run, so i just want to make sure i have all good ground work fitness and fedding right then cross fingers stays sound and we can do full season!!!
When i was doing Intermediate with my mare i did alot of canter work on local gallops so might give them a call and go for a trip there!
Thanks
 
Thanks, will take him to local racing yards gallops for a blow out and increase stamina work over next few weeks. Just praying for lighter nights now so can get off arena at night!!
 
I used to do pretty much that with my novice horse, maybe a bit more hacking and cantering. I'd do 3 hacks of 11/2 to 2hrs including a fair bit of trotting and cantering where possible, and 3 sessions in the school of 45-60 mins, or a lesson or competiton. I'd also try to find some hills to work up.

I didn't do proper fast work in the form of interval training with him until he was intermediate.

I used to keep a horse at a professional eventing yard some time ago, and she used to do a similar thing with her novices, probably shorter hacks and schooling sessions actually. She didn't do interval training with them until they were Intermediate either. She got a fair few horses up to 4* in her time, so she must have known what she was doing.

Plus, you don't have to go flat out for the first few competitions either!

I'm sure you'll be fine, he looks fit and well. He is a middle-weight type though, and they always seem to take a bit more effort to get fit.
 
I suspect a buit more canter work would make him loose that slightly chunky edge he has, try and hire out some gallops to get him some good canter work?
 
are we looking at the same horse.? i wouldn't want him any leaner than that for Novice level really, i guess thats just my opinion tho.! looks just right to me at the moment..
 
i thought that ?!?
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never would describe him as chunky i don't think..... he is ISHxSelle Fran and 8 this time..... the angle of my photo taking isn't the best though might add a few pounds!!!
 
Thanks - i can't hack apart from weekends so all arena work for poor Bud in the dark at the moment, well with lights!!
will increase his canter work/hills at weekends and pray for lighter nights!!!
 
hmm...it's maybe just his belly, and I'm just thinking of my boy, a skinny tb who a well known ER said yes I could take him novice, now that he had lost all that weight!
Depends on the novice's of course, but any serious course I would want a lean horse, possibly just over the belly, which I think the canter work would achieve.
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two different breeds there though, a fit TB is going to look a lot leaner than a fit ISHxSelle Fran IMO..

Cullohill - also don't forget once you have got a couple of events under your belt that will improve his fittness.!
i long for the lighter nights, nothing beats going for a good canter/gallop on a Friday after work, blow those cobwebs away.!!
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He looks like he has wintered well, which is great. Nothing worse than trying to put weight on a horse before you have even started!

I would echo the sentiments regarding hacking. Can't remember off top of head when Oasby is, but I would want to be hacking twice a week. Mind you, if you are doing a decent jumping session that could be an adequate replacement, but not every week! I personally like to ensure mine are competition fit a week or two before their first event, and then give them a quick pipeopener a few days before. I have found this means you arrive with a refreshed horse eager to go (instead of a knackered one.)
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