Gallops for hire in Scottish Borders?

[Noodlejaffa]

My grey gelding used to be 'okay' to hack out and do fitness work round about the farm and life was fairly hunky dory. However, in the last six months, he has become increasingly dangerous to hack out.

Given I event him, I'm now looking in to ways to try and keep his fitness levels up. He'll happily school away for hours on end (does a good hour a day) and will canter until the cows come home.

However, I need to find a solution to managing to do my usual interval training and wondered of hiring gallops once a week might be an option.

Do you think this is a feasible idea?

And if so, does anyone know of gallops you can hire in the Scottish Borders (preferably east)?

 

[bordermare]

There's a gallop at a place in Westruther.

http://www.rideborders.com/livery-yards/beeches-barn---westruther---simply-exclusive....html

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Friend works near there and has told me it's not worth going to as it's tiny.

 

[tricksibell85]

How far away are you from Jedburgh? My uncle will know of a few places - will txt him and get back to you x

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Just over 20 miles.

 

[FigJam]

Do you have a beach near you that you could use? Or would that count as hacking to the little hooligan? Shame he's got worse, do you think he'd be better with a nanny horse to get his hacking confidence up again?

 

[tricksibell85]

Ok i have txted him - will let you know! im sure there must be lots...!

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Beach would finish me off! Would blow his mind completely.

And believe it or not, he's worse in company as he sees it as an opportunity to show off.

My trainer says its fine not to hack him, but I'm just aware about wanting to keep his fitness levels up.

Just as well he performs at competitions. He's never happier than when he's concentrating on the job in-hand.

 

[FigJam]

Oh dear, maybe not then!

Good luck finding some gallops. Poor Alfie and I wouldn't get on- I love a good hack! He's far too clever for his own good!

 

[kirkton]

At the risk of sounding stupid ....if he doesn't hack out how come he's so good at XC?

On a hack is he nappy or spooky? What is he like if you box him up somewhere different and then try and hack him?

 

[DarkHorseB]

This may be too far away from you but I have heard these are excellent. May try them myself in the Spring

http://jamesewartracing.com/aboutus.html

 

[Noodlejaffa]

He's exceedingly spooky, then gets himself completely worked up.

Cross country he's focussed one what he's doing, same with sj and dressage. But going between lorry and arena/start and back to lorry is always hairy.

 

[asset2004]

[ QUOTE ]
This may be too far away from you but I have heard these are excellent. May try them myself in the Spring

http://jamesewartracing.com/aboutus.html

[/ QUOTE ]

Another vote for these gallops, very impressive

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Ooh, lovely! Unfortunately, completely the opposite end of the Borders to where I am

 

[SpottedCat]

If it is any consolation, last season I got my horse fit enough to come straight out at Novice off the back of virtually no hacking (he is not great in traffic so we'd walk the 20mins round the farm once a week at the weekends) doing all my fitness work in the arena. It's perfectly feasible up to that level I think - I don't know what level you are eventing at but I did not do any interval training for intro and PN and did it off the back of his normal workload, and he was plenty fit enough.

 

[Noodlejaffa]

I'm not looking into doing anything above BE100 so nothing spectacular. However, he does do a 3DE mid season and anyone who's done Burgie knows the fitness your horse (and you!) need for that hill!

Forgot to say, over the last few months we have worked up to doing 20-25 mins of hacking round the farm tracks (where I am within view of at least one human being!). The nerves can just about cope with that, but only after a good hour of schooling to take the edge off the wee darling...