how do would YOU get this horse fit?

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Megibo

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Now I don't have a school so am limited on work I can do.

My mare has been out of regular work-today she did 10 mins brisk walk and about 2 minutes trot total. she was sweaty and puffy.
tomorrow she is being clipped so she'll be cooler in work..

in March i want to do a hunter trial and then compete in the following show season.
I can ride 3/4 days a week and have limited hacking it is mostly roads.
 
I would start off with just walk. No trotting. Gradually increase the distance you walk and then start introducing hills if you can. Only then would I progress to trotting. But thats just what I do. Depending on your horse, possibly clip a little. Mine lives out but he does have a little bit under his neck clipped off which really helps with him not getting too hot.
 
I agree, start off with lots of walking, hill work if possible, then introduce short trots before bringing back to walk, gradually increasing the trot but always coming back to walk to allow recovery time. When we were hacking out for several hours a day, mainly at walk with only short bursts of trot, the 2 we rode were at the fittest they have ever been within a couple of months.
 
When I first got Sophie I lots of trotting up hills. I think they are best way to get them toned and fit. One day trot five minutes straight and next day slowly increase the time of trotting. I don't clip mine because she is normally very fit by the end of the summer and she isn't a very sweaty pony. I think going for long, slow rides are better than fast, short rides.:)
 
My boy came back into work on a vets fitness schedule. first week 10 min walks, 2 week 20 mins, 3&4 weeks 40 mins walk, 5 week 60 mins walk. Then slowly introduced trot and then finally canter
 
Start walking for the first few weeks, roads are fine as the surface will be consistent , if you can gradually extend the time until you are doing at least an hour. Introduce some trotting, short periods at first, use hills where you can.
She should start to tone up and get fitter, if you can do a longer ride at the weekend that would help and fit in a lunge if you dont have time to ride, depending on the ground.
If you ride 4 times a week by the end of December she could start having some short canters if she feels ready, you are then on track to compete next season, the initial slow work is most important to get right as once they are really muscled up a break for some reason will not matter too much.
 
Forgot to say, when riding in the land i ride on is not totally flat so she goes up a semi steep incline, then down one, then on a flat piece, and then back round.

so i should ride her in walk with short bursts of trot? and for how long etc?


I was thinking of brisk walking on the roads for max 15/20 mins once a week (that's how often i can realistically hack) and the 3 other times when riding in do 10 mins brisk walking (5 each way) and about ten minutes of trot in total but broken up.
so for example, after warmup, one minute one way in walk then two minutes in trot, one minute walk. change rein and repeat and do that about 3 times? then 10 mins for her to cool off.
How does that sound for the first couple weeks?

How should I increase that? Like, in week 2 should I increase the trot so do it 4 times not 3?
Also how should I increase the roadwork since she will only be on roads once a week.
if you can answer all of that it is very much appreciated!!
 
Tazhazzamoose said:
Forgot to say, when riding in the land i ride on is not totally flat so she goes up a semi steep incline, then down one, then on a flat piece, and then back round.

so i should ride her in walk with short bursts of trot? and for how long etc?


I was thinking of brisk walking on the roads for max 15/20 mins once a week (that's how often i can realistically hack) and the 3 other times when riding in do 10 mins brisk walking (5 each way) and about ten minutes of trot in total but broken up.
so for example, after warmup, one minute one way in walk then two minutes in trot, one minute walk. change rein and repeat and do that about 3 times? then 10 mins for her to cool off.
How does that sound for the first couple weeks?

How should I increase that? Like, in week 2 should I increase the trot so do it 4 times not 3?
Also how should I increase the roadwork since she will only be on roads once a week.
if you can answer all of that it is very much appreciated!!
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She is not going to get fit on a max of 15-20 mins unless you can increase the time, most horses will be hacking for a min of one hour.
It is not a case of increasing the trotting that will get her fit it is the overall time and conditioning of the muscles, so if you can only hack once a week go for longer every time.
If you are going to do what is basically interval training you need to increase the faster work as the recovery time reduces, and again gradually increase overall time.
 
be positive said:
She is not going to get fit on a max of 15-20 mins unless you can increase the time, most horses will be hacking for a min of one hour.
It is not a case of increasing the trotting that will get her fit it is the overall time and conditioning of the muscles, so if you can only hack once a week go for longer every time.
If you are going to do what is basically interval training you need to increase the faster work as the recovery time reduces, and again gradually increase overall time.
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So hack out for at least an hour, and give her a longer recovery time to begin with?
sorry i'm confused about this sort of thing.
for example should I do
week 1:
2 mins trot 3 mins break and repeat 3 times
week 2:
3 mins trot 3 mins break repeat 3 times
week 3:
4 times trot 2 min break repeat 3 times
week 4:
5 mins trot 2 min break
week 5:
6 mins trot 1 min break
then introduce canter work ? (where possible)

would that be the correct sort of thing to do? sorry for being complicated :o
 
Yes that is the idea, but as she was puffing today I would not trot for a few more weeks. You want her to be active but not getting too puffed when first starting her fitness otherwise it can stress her too much and she will not use herself correctly, she will then not muscle up properly.

A horse needs to build up its muscles in the correct way, very steadily, which will then enable it to use itself when expected to work harder or faster.

If they do not have a good foundation as you increase the work they tend to just lose weight, often from their topline, and can then not perform as well.

If working correctly as they get fit the topline will become more toned as will all the main muscles, the tummy will lift and become firmer.

This will take several months to achieve but once they are well toned it get easier to maintain.
 
be positive said:
Yes that is the idea, but as she was puffing today I would not trot for a few more weeks. You want her to be active but not getting too puffed when first starting her fitness otherwise it can stress her too much and she will not use herself correctly, she will then not muscle up properly.

A horse needs to build up its muscles in the correct way, very steadily, which will then enable it to use itself when expected to work harder or faster.

If they do not have a good foundation as you increase the work they tend to just lose weight, often from their topline, and can then not perform as well.

If working correctly as they get fit the topline will become more toned as will all the main muscles, the tummy will lift and become firmer.

This will take several months to achieve but once they are well toned it get easier to maintain.
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Okay thanks, I'll go off what mill said and not start the trotting for another 4 weeks or so as i have at least 19 before the comp i want to do.
So ideally 4 weeks of 30 mins brisk walking using the hills in the field i have to ride in, with a minimum hour hacking once a week, then begin on the trotting that i outlined above?

or introduce long singular periods of trot and then interval training? which would be best ?
 
millitiger said:
I wouldn't be trotting at all for at least 4 weeks and then introduce slowly.
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I have never really understood this approach to bringing a horse back into work, when people seem happy to trot a freshly backed horse the 3rd or 4th time they sit on it. Can anyone shed some light on it?
 
Snipe said:
I have never really understood this approach to bringing a horse back into work, when people seem happy to trot a freshly backed horse the 3rd or 4th time they sit on it. Can anyone shed some light on it?
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The OP wants to get a horse fit to do a hunter trial in 19 weeks time but not ride for more than 10 mins per day, well this sort of conditioning will not work, as all she is doing is enough to start a horse into work. Road work is always recommended to harden ligaments, and hill work to develop muscles.
Walking is the best work for conditioning and for muscular development, but we are taking about an hours walk, to be honest ten minutes is the time it takes to warm the muscles, and will have little effect on a horse which is expected to compete.
Some [well fed] horses will not just walk, they need to have a few trots to get rid of excess energy, when people are, for example, breaking horses, they are using a school surface and this will allow them to train without damaging ligaments and tendons. Horses brought in to work will progress steadily and gain fitness, experienced horse trainers will know by experience and by the condition of the horse [which will be checked daily] how much work to put in to each horse.
Ten minutes to warm up and ten minutes to cool down, so at first the horse is doing almost no work, but this is generally built up over a six week period to an hour of exercise, including walk trot and canter.
Lunging and / or the horse walker can be used to work the muscles and increase fitness before adding the weight of a rider. The trainer who is breaking horses regularly will not be pushing the horse beyond its physical strength, but needs to build up strength by developing previously unused muscles.
Inexperienced owners are more likely to have lameness issues because they have not progressed the training and/or monitored the legs etc.
To be honest there are plenty of horses and ponies who are just ridden without any program at all, but they are not going to be asked to compete.
 
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Tazhazzamoose said:
So hack out for at least an hour, and give her a longer recovery time to begin with?
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You need to build up to an hour of reasonably fast work in about ten weeks, without a school, an good instructor, and limited hacking it is unlikely either of you will be fit to compete.
I think you would be better to find a more suitable yard, or send her to be schooled for you for six weeks prior to your first event.
 
Snipe said:
I have never really understood this approach to bringing a horse back into work, when people seem happy to trot a freshly backed horse the 3rd or 4th time they sit on it. Can anyone shed some light on it?
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As Mrsd says you are not expecting to do a competition on a newly backed horse also most would , if started correctly, have been lungeing and long reining for some time in preparation for backing. The ground work would have conditioned them to some extent.
 
I use the old 'hunter fittening' programme which takes about 6 weeks to get them fit. Much as others have described, start in walk work, about 15 mins and then build up gradually over a fortnight to harden the legs before introducing trot, then build up the trot before introducing the canter. Then the last weeks or so is interval training to increase stamina at speed. It is a very 'old fashioned' regime, but it has always worked for me!
 
epsilon said:
I use the old 'hunter fittening' programme which takes about 6 weeks to get them fit. Much as others have described, start in walk work, about 15 mins and then build up gradually over a fortnight to harden the legs before introducing trot, then build up the trot before introducing the canter. Then the last weeks or so is interval training to increase stamina at speed. It is a very 'old fashioned' regime, but it has always worked for me!
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Same here! been doing the same with my loan mare, lots of brisk walking to start for the first few weeks
 
MrsD123 said:
You need to build up to an hour of reasonably fast work in about ten weeks, without a school, an good instructor, and limited hacking it is unlikely either of you will be fit to compete.
I think you would be better to find a more suitable yard, or send her to be schooled for you for six weeks prior to your first event.
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where did i say i don't want to ride for more than 10 minutes?!?

I doubt that, it is perfectly possible. i have 19+ weeks, why would i need an instructor ?
my yard is private so i'm not going to move onto livery nor do i have money to throw away on getting someone to school her when i can do it myself...
 
epsilon said:
I use the old 'hunter fittening' programme which takes about 6 weeks to get them fit. Much as others have described, start in walk work, about 15 mins and then build up gradually over a fortnight to harden the legs before introducing trot, then build up the trot before introducing the canter. Then the last weeks or so is interval training to increase stamina at speed. It is a very 'old fashioned' regime, but it has always worked for me!
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okay i will look it up thankyou :)
 
epsilon said:
I use the old 'hunter fittening' programme which takes about 6 weeks to get them fit. Much as others have described, start in walk work, about 15 mins and then build up gradually over a fortnight to harden the legs before introducing trot, then build up the trot before introducing the canter. Then the last weeks or so is interval training to increase stamina at speed. It is a very 'old fashioned' regime, but it has always worked for me!
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Agreed.

It does make a difference between field kept and stable kept horses too - although field kept horses need to develop musculature to work under saddle, their basic level of fitness is higher than an out of work stable kept horse (e.g. one coming off box rest). Hence the discrepancy between a vet recommended 4 weeks of walk and the traditional hunter fittening programme with 2 weeks in walk.
 
Personally, I don't see how you can get a horse fit for hunter trials with just a bit of walking and trotting. Your horse should be able to canter easily and without distress for at least the length of the course, and preferably much more than that if you take into account the amount of effort jumping will take as well. I would go along the 'hunter' type route - plenty of walking at a good pace for several weeks, then introduce trotting. When the horse is a bit puffed go back to walk, then more trotting when he's recovered his breath. When you can do an hour of fairly intensive walking and trotting introduce the canter work. As he gets fitter, you can canter for longer and then do a bit of faster work from time to time to get his wind right. Make as much use of hills as you can.
 
i've made this as a rough guide, what do you think/how would you change it.
'the track' is a bit of land next to the footpath that runs through our yard, and is actually quite a steep incline.

week 1+2:
20 minutes brisk walking-hour roads x 1
week 3+4:
30 minutes brisk walking-hour roads x 1
week 5+6:
30 minutes brisk walking+5 minutes trotting-hour road x 1
week 7+8:
35 minutes brisk walking+10 minutes trotting-hour road x 1
week 9+10:
40 minutes brisk walking+15 minutes trotting-hour road x 1 + trotting
week 11+12:
40 minutes brisk walking+15 minutes trotting+ 1 short canter per rein-hour road x 1 + trotting
week 13+14:
40 minutes brisk walking+15 minutes trotting+ 1 longer canter per rein-hour road x 1 + trotting +short canter
week 15+16:
40 minutes brisk walking+15 minutes trotting+ 2 short canter per rein, small fences-hour road x 1 + trotting + short canter
week 17:
10 minute warmup, 2 mins fast trot 3 mins break and repeat 3 times both reins, 2 long canters per rein,small fences-hour road x 1 + trotting + short canter
week 18:
10 minute warmup, 3 mins fast trot 3 mins break repeat 3 times both reins, 3 short canters per rein, bigger fences-hour road x 1 + trotting + short canter
week 19:
10 minute warmup, 4 mins fast trot 2 min break repeat 3 times both reins,3 long canters per rein, bigger fences-hour road x 1 + trotting + short canter
week 20:
10 minute warmup, 5 mins trot 2 min break repeat 3 times both reins, 4 short canters per rein,bigger fences- hour roadx 1 + trotting + short canter
week 21:
10 minute warmup, 6 mins trot 1 min break repeat 3 times both reins, 4 short canters per rein, bigger fences- hour roads x 1 +trotting + long canter
week 22:
10 minute warmup, 6 mins trot 1 min break repeat 3 times both reins, 4 short canters per rein, 1 fast canter up track, bigger fences- hour roads x 1 +trotting + long canter
week 23:
10 minute warmup, 6 mins trot 1 min break repeat 3 times both reins, 4 short canters per rein, 1 fast canter up track, bigger fences- hour roads x 1 +trotting + long canter
week 24:
10 minute warmup, 6 mins trot 1 min break repeat 3 times both reins, 4 short canters per rein, 2 fast canter up track, bigger fences- hour roads x 1 +trotting + long canter

just a rough idea mind.
 
Looks ok, just make sure you constantly reassess her fitness and don't stick 'blindly' to the programme :) Sometimes you may need to cut back, sometimes you may need to ask a bit more. Generally though, the longer you spend doing the introductory walking out/roadwork the better it will be for the horse :)
 
rhino said:
Looks ok, just make sure you constantly reassess her fitness and don't stick 'blindly' to the programme :) Sometimes you may need to cut back, sometimes you may need to ask a bit more. Generally though, the longer you spend doing the introductory walking out/roadwork the better it will be for the horse :)
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Thankyou. Yes I plan to go off her too as we go along :)
 
Tazhazzamoose said:
where did i say i don't want to ride for more than 10 minutes?!?

I doubt that, it is perfectly possible. i have 19+ weeks, why would i need an instructor ?
my yard is private so i'm not going to move onto livery nor do i have money to throw away on getting someone to school her when i can do it myself...
Click to expand...
Sorry I misunderstood:
Tazhazzamoose said:
Now I don't have a school so am limited on work I can do.
My mare has been out of regular work-today she did 10 mins brisk walk and about 2 minutes trot total. she was sweaty and puffy.
tomorrow she is being clipped so she'll be cooler in work..
in March i want to do a hunter trial and then compete in the following show season.
I can ride 3/4 days a week and have limited hacking it is mostly roads.
Click to expand...
 
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