Getting fit for Milton Keynes 3DE

[porkpie]

To all you folk who have done either MK3DE or similar events, I would welcome your pearls of wisdom.

My fellow is reasonably fit at the moment - hes ridden about 4 times a week which will be a mixture of schooling on the flat and hacking. We've not been jumping much just because of the weather, lorry not starting, school being flooded etc - the same problems everyone else is having!

Come Spring, I'll have had more time/light to get him fitter but I've never done an event like this before - certainly never roads and tracks, so I'd really welcome any help or advice you can give me - both for getting the horse fit, and any other helpful tips. I plan to do the biggest class so am aware that I must have him 'bang on'!

In the meantime, I will be working on my own fitness which has let me down in the past. Again, any tips - please share.

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR - heres to a drier 2013 - pleeaaasssee!

 

[star]

I did rc champs which are long format. Had him normal BE90/100 fitness and just did a couple of sessions on the gallops to work on speed needed for steeplechase plus some longer hacks doing lots of trotting to prep for roads and tracks. He completed all phases within the time and came into ten min box chilled with normal heart rate.

 

[SpruceRI]

I was rather anal about getting my horsey fit for the first 3DE I ever did (MK!). In the weeks and months before it I measured out the distance of the R's & T's, Steeplechase and XC on a map of my local forest and then boxed over and rode it, doing interval training at first (trot, walk, trot, walk then canter, trot, canter, trot)

And then from 3 weeks before the Event, did the whole route at the required trot, canter and gallop speed. Along with flatwork, lunging, competing.

She was as fit as a fiddle. I on the hand, was not!!

 

[Ludi-doodi]

If you look at the MKEC website under the 3DE there are some useful downloads including a booklet which has a short fitness section. Haven't done this event in nearly 10 years but it's excellent fun!

 

[* TEAM SAM *]

IM DOING IT TO DEAD EXCITED BEST START GETTING MY GG FIT FIT FIT X