Hacking question

[welshponylover]

Hey Guys,

If i go hacking on the road, i thought it was ok to trot if the horse is shod. Then my mate told me you shouldn't too much.
Just wondering what the limit of road-trotting is?!

Sorry for another blonde question - just wanting to clarify that what im doing is ok!

xx

 

[jcwh]

i have trotted about a good hour on roads, for hacking.
my mare is unshod on all four feet. no problems there, even makes her feet more durable if i set out a road plan.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

there are no set 'rules' for it. I trot my horse on the road but only for short periods. I wouldnt recommend that you trot fst for long periods as its fair to say its concussive on the feet. My horse is shod btw.

 

[Lippyx]

I think it is all down to the indiviual horse. Some horses have rubbish feet even when they are shod, and can't do a lot on hard sufaces, where others have no shoes and can go for miles. I would say the native types having harder feet than say a TB, but again, this is not in all cases!!

 

[neeny5]

i trot my mare a lot on roads, she is shod

 

[nikkimariet]

Everything in moderation. I wouldn't suggest 'trotting for hours on roads'

Trotting on the roads (unshod/shod) is good for building muscles. But too much and too hard can jar their legs and cause injury to their feet and legs.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Personally I would think of the long term effect, the consussion etc, depends on how long you want your horse to last, mines 32

 

[Brandy]

Personally I would think of the long term effect, the consussion etc, depends on how long you want your horse to last, mines 32

^^^^^^^
This. I don't trot on the roads at all really. When my old horse was younger (not young, but still in work as opposed to 30!) it was a surefire way to lame him, whereas he could trot on tracks no problems.

I also run and can really tell the difference between runnin gon a road and on a grass track, and thats with the benefit of decent running shoes. It really jars the joints.

 

[OWLIE185]

It's their joints that suffer later in life from too much trotting on the roads!

 

[MICHAELA8228]

i trot my mare a lot on roads, she is shod

Me too....

 

[YorksG]

We have always trotted on the roads, but always a balanced trot, not allowing the horse to hammer along on the forehand. The oldest we got one to was well into her 40's with that regime

 

[welshponylover]

Thanks guys, i always do it in moderation! Just wondering though

 

[noblesteed]

I found out my old sharer had been hammering my shod horse on the roads in an on-the-forehand carthorse trot. "It makes him fit," said she. I was very cross. She is not my sharer any more!
I don't think it is necessary to hammer them on the roads, as there is no reason for it. Walking energetically builds up muscle and interspersed with balanced trot is fine, plus cantering on grass verges. We are lucky to have lots of hills to keep horses fit.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

We have always trotted on the roads, but always a balanced trot, not allowing the horse to hammer along on the forehand. The oldest we got one to was well into her 40's with that regime

My horse had lami few years back so can't trot on any hard surface cos concussion can bring on lami. However I was and am consious of hard and uneven ground/road and definately wouldn't do it long term on a younger horse. Your oldest did well to get to that age then.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I used to do a fair bit of trotting on the roads. However I noticed that my horses (as I keep them forever) developed arthritis and my last old boy, who was a fantastic hunter in his day, developed very bad arthritis and rotated pedal bones in old age.

My new youngster is the first horse I've owned which I wont trot on the roads, just to be on the safe side. I do a lot of road walking, always making him walk out and never dawdling, but I only trot on grass or surfaces now.