How far do you travel your horse to ride?

[Boughtabay]

And does it depend on what you’re doing when you get there?

I’m trying to plan realistic goals for when I get back on board after getting married (can’t afford to hop down the aisle ). We have 1 dressage/sj venue (winter only comps) within 30 mins, 1 xc course an hour away and two multi-discipline venues ~1.45. Everything else is a good 2.5 hrs away. There are a couple of fun rides locally but the ones with jumps are ~1hr+. Basically for the number of people with horses locally there’s limited events! most people either show in the summer and or travel quite a way from what I can see.

I’d like to go to a camp hopefully but closest I believe is about 2.45 hours away so would have to try and travel up a separate day to any ridden stuff which stretches the days away out massively. I’d have to built up to anything like this regardless as he can be a sticky loader & don’t want to put him off.

Interested to hear peoples opinions/approaches to travel time vs riding time/work level.

 

[Britestar]

Last night I travelled 1.5 hrs each way for an arena hire.

Nearest winter comps are 50 mins, up to 1hr 20m

Nearest training is 15 mins in summer, 20 mins in winter.

Comps I'll go up to 2.5hrs each way for a day trip. I used to go further but don't event anymore.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Not very far any more!! The main venue I use is 20 mins away. That's for comps, clinics and a very rare arena hire. I travel to ride in the woods which is 10 mins, or to the gallops which is 20 mins. My nearest xc is 30 mins and we have several venues within an hour and 30 mins.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Loads and loads of stuff is within an hour, nearest venue is 3 miles, camp is an hour away, most stuff is 15-30 minutes.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I traveled 3 hrs then first session at camp. Horse was fit. Camp day one usually a lot of standing around. 1 hour for D or SJ or 1.5 for ode.

 

[JFTDWS]

I used to happily drive hours each way for a day event - competition/ arena hire. Now I don’t go out so regularly and have options within 15 minutes.

I do have two camping events planned this year, one local ish, the other in Wales (we’re in Suffolk). I haven’t worked out the logistics yet, but yea - it’s going to be a bit of a trek! He won’t have to work on travel days though, and it’s not an arduous competition type event.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Travel 30mins most weeks for jump/SJ lessons. For comps have 2 venues running stuff semi regularly about 45mins away. Quite a few places then that are 1-1.5hrs which I’d do quite happily. For eventing I’d do up to 2.5hrs each way in a day, any more than that I worry I’d be too tired to do all the driving safely after a full day of competing, plus not sure it’s fair on the horse.

I’ve done 2hrs+ for a camp before and was absolutely fine. Arrived Friday evening, riding Saturday and Sunday, travelled back on Sunday evening after riding. But was a relatively straightforward drive and horse is a good traveller.

We are going 5-6hrs for championships but won’t be travelling on days we are competing, and are staying for 4d.

Your distances all seem very doable, you say he’s a sticky loader, but if he travels well once you’re going I’m sure you’ll be just fine

 

[irishdraft]

I go out most Fridays for a jump lesson which is 30 mins but also go bloodhounding and hunt rides at weekend which I put a max of about 1.5 hours each way but that is mainly cos horse isn't a great traveller.

 

[Patterdale]

I travel a minimum 3 hour round trip to any venue. I travel 4 hours each way to camps and ride on the day I travel.
There’s nothing nearer so no choice. The horses don’t seem bothered, all travel well.
It bothers me more tbh

 

[MissTyc]

with my fit horses, I am happy to travel an hour for arena hire/lesson, or 2-3 hours for championships and camp, or 5 hours for BIG championships but that's only happened twice in my 40+ year life so probably should be considered outlier data.

with my young/unfit/less seasoned traveller horses, I don't really like to go more than 30 minutes if they are to also work, but will do 1-2 hours of they can have a decent break before riding, like camp or longer events, etc.

(it's more about me driving and driving stress than the horses, but I do notice a difference in the horses too)

 

[Boughtabay]

Thanks everyone kind of confirming my thoughts on what is appropriate at different stages of fitness/experience. I had hoped to go bloodhounding next winter but realistically even if I get him fit enough the pack is too far away with most meets ~2.5hrs. It’s not fair to do a full day on top of that but we’ve got enough variety in other things within a “do-able” distance after building up hopefully!

 

[alibali]

I think it's important to consider the fitness of the horse, how experienced it is travelling/ how good a traveller it is, how much work it will be getting asked to do in addition to travel and also what sort of roads the majority of the journey is on. An hour's journey along twisty country roads will be much more tiring than an hour's motorway cruising at constant speed.

 

[Boughtabay]

I think it's important to consider the fitness of the horse, how experienced it is travelling/ how good a traveller it is, how much work it will be getting asked to do in addition to travel and also what sort of roads the majority of the journey is on. An hour's journey along twisty country roads will be much more tiring than an hour's motorway cruising at constant speed.

Definitely! Unfortunately were the windy road type of area so it’s going to take some time to get to a point where I’m happy taking him long-ish journeys and doing work on top

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I travelled 1 hour 15 mins each way today to do a pleasure ride. My maximum is probably 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Thanks everyone kind of confirming my thoughts on what is appropriate at different stages of fitness/experience. I had hoped to go bloodhounding next winter but realistically even if I get him fit enough the pack is too far away with most meets ~2.5hrs. It’s not fair to do a full day on top of that but we’ve got enough variety in other things within a “do-able” distance after building up hopefully!

what pack were you hoping to go with? and whereabouts are you?