Fitness - interval training in an arena?

[dafthoss]

As title really can I do some basic interval training in an arena? The boy is getting fatter and needs to go for a bit of a blast but the ground is like concrete still where I am
I was thinking of doing a minute of canter at a time to start with, is that a good starting point? He used to go for a canter round the fields twice a week but we havnt been for ages now and we have no hills so fitness work has been limited and the hairy pony in him is making him fatter by the day.
Thanks guys

 

[ArcticFox]

what size is your arena? you have to be careful that you don't end up motorbiking round the corners, but I don't see why you can't collected canter 1 min, trot 1 min,

you could use it to practice lengthening and shortening up the long side and shorten round the short side, then lengthen again etc
you could also use the canter to trot (and visa versa) to work on transitions, alternating between sitting trot and rising trot etc etc. Maybe even some no stirrups work.

Or create your own canter dressage test with circles, extension and change of rein, maybe a bit of counter canter etc - these are all things that you can work towards while doing lots of canter work to build fitness.

 

[Bethie]

I do it for the same reasons as you're thinking about it. I use a 20x60 school and do 4 sets of 2.5 mins canter to 4 mins walk. This is for a cob who was bred for his trot and finds canter quite hard going - I keep trying to increase the canter time but he tells me 2.5 mins is his limit so went from doing 3 sets initially to 4 sets.

 

[only_me]

I do interval training in our arena - its about 25x42
It depends on what I'm doing the fittening for - can vary from 3 sets of 4 mins to 5 sets of 7 mins

 

[Jenni_]

I'm just home from doing this in our little riding field! I keep mine on the biggest circle poss. We after a trot up the road and back, we did 2 minutes trot, 45 seconds canter. Change rain and repeat-
Then 2 minutes trot, 1 minute canter. Build it up till your doing 3 minutes canter then using trot as a break for a minute or two. Then play it by ear and increase as you feel your horse get fitter. Get your stirrups up and bum out that saddle and give yourself a workout! ; ) good luck!

 

[dafthoss]

Thanks guys sounds like a plan for tomorrow
Will see how he goes with a 1min and take it from there. he arena is 20x40 but he is 14.2 so hopefully he wont struggle and the going is good in there. We will try for medium to collected for long and short sides, should be good for his novice dressage debut at the end of the month.
I just wanted to check I wasnt crazy for considering it as no one at the yard does any thing like that