Fit enough to hunt?!

E

EquestrianFairy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2006
Messages
6,502
Visit site
Just looking for help on fitness really.

My gelding is schooled 3 X a week for an hour (intensive work)
His other work varies but it tends to stay around one SJ competition or a SJ lesson a week and then a day of hacking/forestry wandering then two days off.

I'm guessing I need to change this for him to be fit enough to hunt this season but how do I go about it and what do I need to change?

Thanks
 
He will certainly be fit enough for Autumn Hunting, and tbh the best way to get them fit enough for hunting is to go hunting!

Maybe I would swap one of the schooling days to a fitness day :)
 
Oh this is good news!

There's a hunt next weekend but I was worried I needed to get him fitter first.
I think I underestimate it because we don't do masses of hacking, just one day a week, two if there's no comps on or we can't get a lesson in.
 
Autumn hunting isn't fast and furious so as long as you are sensible on listening to him if he feels a bit overtired then I am sure you will be fine - unless you hunt with a drag pack.

Definitely try and get him out hacking for an extra day a week, being old school I still believe in conditioning their legs to as many surfaces as possible is the best.
 
You don't need to stay out all morning autumn trailing, we often just go out for a couple of hours, there is usually someone heading back to boxes at this time so if we don't know the way we follow them! Autumn trailking definately gets them fit for hunting!
 
Just stop when he is tired. If he also has plewnty of turnout he is probably good enough for the basics.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top