Horse Fitness Question

[GrassChop]

My horse appears relatively fit, though I'm not sure if her sports pony type breeding contributes to the fact she seems to want to keep going forever at top speed despite being 18 years old. She's full of energy and loves her hacking.

I basically want to make sure she stays fit and strong enough for what I'm doing. At the moment, we are hacking between 3 to 5 miles per hack twice a week, varying between 45 minutes to an hour or so. All off road, good variation of walk, trot and canter with a couple of decent gallops, maybe the odd small jump over a log.

I work quite long mentally draining days so it can be difficult to push myself to do anything in the week so I try to lunge at least once and aim not to leave it more than 3 days off in between exercise. I'm probably hugely overthinking this but I want to make sure it's enough to continue what we are doing. So two hacks and one lunge session a week varying between 1 to 3 days off in between.

Is this enough or should I add another small session in somewhere?

 

[fidleyspromise]

This sounds fine to me and is similar to what I do with my 21 yr old. I watch the flanks after a faster canter or jumping to check on her breathing and I keep an eye on how much she's sweating keeling in mind if it's a hot day or she's had a tense moment as that can make her neck break out in sweat.

How is she? Does she breath fast? Does she sweat? I also pay attention to how willing she is to go as mine isn't lazy so that's an indication she pushed too hard.
(I go out with a friend and her younger, bigger horse so I let my horse drop back to a trot or a walk if she needs to).

 

[clairebearfur1]

Sounds good, I do similar with my horse too.

 

[mini-eventer]

If you are only hacking at the weekend and lunging in the week, I would personally try to add a light ridden day in the week, or substitute the lunging for a light school/hack,

 

[GrassChop]

This sounds fine to me and is similar to what I do with my 21 yr old. I watch the flanks after a faster canter or jumping to check on her breathing and I keep an eye on how much she's sweating keeling in mind if it's a hot day or she's had a tense moment as that can make her neck break out in sweat.

How is she? Does she breath fast? Does she sweat? I also pay attention to how willing she is to go as mine isn't lazy so that's an indication she pushed too hard.
(I go out with a friend and her younger, bigger horse so I let my horse drop back to a trot or a walk if she needs to).

Thank you!

She doesn't breath fast or seem to get out of breath very easily really, barely breaks a sweat unless it's a particularly warm day. Always willing to go, brakes are temperamental! I make her walk obviously so she doesn't overdo it but if she had it her way, she wouldn't do much walking, a jog is usually preferable!

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Sounds good to me.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Sound fine to me. I was told they have to have about two weeks of no work for the level of fitness to start to drop so what you are doing will maintain the level is she is at. Plenty of turnout also makes a difference as they are moving about more. My 25 year old does 2-3 hacks per week now to keep him ticking over.

 

[GrassChop]

Sound fine to me. I was told they have to have about two weeks of no work for the level of fitness to start to drop so what you are doing will maintain the level is she is at. Plenty of turnout also makes a difference as they are moving about more. My 25 year old does 2-3 hacks per week now to keep him ticking over.

Thank you. That's reassuring! Yes, she's out 24/7 too.