Fitness Levels

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Sheeny88

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Hi all, I'm looking at doing my first ever ODE this summer, (will be starting with something low key) but I'm concerned about the fitness level.

She's a not very forward cob so I feel I will need to have her fitter than other, perhaps finer, breeds.

How much work are other peoples horses doing? I was looking at one that's 7 weeks away, I'm only going to enter the 60cm class for now as I don't want to scare myself so its not going to be quite the same as "proper" ODE but we have to start somewhere!

I've started to increase the work load today by taking her out before work (in hand) and will then ride tonight with the idea I will increase the morning exercise but didn't want to over do it for the first day as she's already going to have a heart attack when she see's the saddle come out later!!

Up to now she's ridden 5-6 days a week, 2/3 days school and the others hacking. I have been trying to increase the canter work whilst hacking as I'm mostly concerned about the XC phase but its finding places to have a decent canter that's the problem!

Any advice welcome, even if not regarding fitness as I'm a total newbie to this :-)
 
It's not just about the time spent in the saddle, it's about using that time productively. Interval training is quite useful. I used to walk between two telegraph poles then trot the distance between the next two. These days it's shrubs and bushes as markers as I live in a rural area. The point is to make sure that the walk is purposeful and marching. Then that the transition to trot is crisp and on the aid. Don't nag. Ask, tell (stronger leg aid) insist (slap with whip behind leg). Be consistant. Canter work can be done in the school if the ground is hard. Again transitions into and out of the pace as well as within the pace. So a working canter, up to a stronger canter, back to a balanced working canter (not dying on you and collapsing to trot). Poles placed around the arena can be useful too for developing your eye for stride length. Try counting strides and ride for pole and meet it on four strides, then push and meet it on three, collect and meet it on five. It all gives your training a focus so you don't find yourself aimlessly poddling around. Work backwards from your proposed event date and build the canter work up as you get nearer the date. If you have any hills going up them in trot and walking back down, repeating a few times is great for building stamina and the back end. Hope that helps.
 
As you already ride 5/6 days a week and are doing a 60cm ODE then I think your horse will be fit enough already. Relax and enjoy.
Having a horse too fit at a first ODE is often not helpful
 
Aspire said:
It's not just about the time spent in the saddle, it's about using that time productively. Interval training is quite useful. I used to walk between two telegraph poles then trot the distance between the next two. These days it's shrubs and bushes as markers as I live in a rural area. The point is to make sure that the walk is purposeful and marching. Then that the transition to trot is crisp and on the aid. Don't nag. Ask, tell (stronger leg aid) insist (slap with whip behind leg). Be consistant. Canter work can be done in the school if the ground is hard. Again transitions into and out of the pace as well as within the pace. So a working canter, up to a stronger canter, back to a balanced working canter (not dying on you and collapsing to trot). Poles placed around the arena can be useful too for developing your eye for stride length. Try counting strides and ride for pole and meet it on four strides, then push and meet it on three, collect and meet it on five. It all gives your training a focus so you don't find yourself aimlessly poddling around. Work backwards from your proposed event date and build the canter work up as you get nearer the date. If you have any hills going up them in trot and walking back down, repeating a few times is great for building stamina and the back end. Hope that helps.
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Thanks, this is really useful and luckily I've got a bit of time to prepare so will definitely start working on the canter with some of you tips :-)
 
I'm not sure she'll ever be "too" fit! Thanks, hopefully once we're there I will stop stressing and enjoy myself, always worry myself when its something we've never done before esp as I shut off and go into panic mode!
 
At this sort of level I would expect the XC to be 4-5 mins long so would be aiming to be cantering/ galloping for that comfortably in the last week or so. My daughter does similar and her pony usually hacks out for an hour once a week, has a high intensity flat lesson for 45 mins, he gets lunged for about 25 mins and then she may school and jump on another 1 or 2 days for about 30 mins, one of those days usually includes a good bomb around the field several times!!. He flew around a 2 mile /5 min 80cm XC in a Ode last week and barely broke sweat.
 
I like all mine being able to fast canter/slow gallop a mile before I'll take them somewhere at the start of my competition season :)

I find they get fitter as the season goes on but I do a lot of hacking as opposed to schooling :)
 
Thanks Jericho and Neversaydie - I think I could get her to that fitness in 7 weeks, just need to find places I can get a long enough canter in. Thinking there are some gallops not too far from me so maybe I should hire those out a couple of times on top of hacking as although I have places to canter I don't think it would be enough to keep her going for 5 minutes/a mile even at her slow speed! Thanks again this is all really useful :)
 
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