How Fit For a 32km Ride?

[acorn92x]

I'm looking to do a bit of endurance this year with my 15hh cob. She loves hacking and we've done a few fun rides since I've had her and she loves it, much happier out and about in the countryside than in a school so I'd like to up my game a bit and give this a go. I've registered for a 16km fun ride in March and will do a couple of these before I try anything more but am questioning how fit would she need to be for this? She's ridden 5-6 days a week, a variety of schooling, lunging and hacking (Hacking more on weekends at the mo because of the lack of light - roll on summer!) for about 40 mins in the school to up to 2-3 hours hacking at weekends. School work consists of lots of transitions, circles, serpentines with some lateral work, poles and teeny jumps (Cross poles lol) thrown in and hacking is a variety of roadwork, hill work and general exploring in all paces (Mainly trot when off the road although I encourage canter up hills and in longer bursts when we have room). Do I need to do more than this to get her fit for a 32km? Hacking will increase and schooling will decrease as evenings get lighter though! Aim would be to try one in May/June time potentially. Thoughts?

 

[Farma]

I have done this distance a few times and I think it seriously depends on how your horse behaves during the ride and the terrain you will be on, as I have seen hot joggy horses exhausted by the end while the calmer ones tend to plod through without a problem.
If you have a 16km booked then see how she feels but if you are hackin 2-3 hours on the weekend you should be fine as I am sure the 32km was around 4.5 hours ish.

 

[acorn92x]

She's very calm. Doesn't hot up in company at all and is a steady type, she'll trot for hours at the same speed and won't go tearing off if other horses are flying past in gallop.
That's reassuring to know then I'm lucky to be relatively close to Epsom Downs so might try and get over there a few times to make use of the sand gallops for some longer canters with her and might try come interval training on the smaller down area close to my yard.

 

[EstherYoung]

Aim to take it fairly steadily (trotting generally takes less out of cobs than lots of cantering) and you should be fine Which one are you doing?

 

[CrazyMare]

I have Endomundo on my phone and it tracks me while hacking giving my total distance and speed. It's free to download and doesn't have any monthly charges.

 

[FfionWinnie]

She might fair better than you. 16 to 32 is a big jump. I would try and do a 25 after the 16, personally.

 

[acorn92x]

She might fair better than you. 16 to 32 is a big jump. I would try and do a 25 after the 16, personally.

That did cross my mind. I might take her out to one of the various locations near me (Leith Hill, Box Hill or possibly slightly further afield onto the South Downs) and try to actually ride 32km before doing it with her. She's quite fit at the moment and is a steady sort, she doesn't hot up in company which I think would be a bonus for doing something like this.

EsterYoung, I was thinking about the 33km ride at Primrose in Kent. I think it's the 2nd weekend in May, around the 15th I believe. I'm based in the South East and lucky to have some wonderful rides round here. They have a 25km pleasure ride so if I don't do the 33km, I'll do this instead

 

[FfionWinnie]

I wouldn't aim for 32, aim for doing 25 at the pace you would intend to maintain and see how you and she feels at the end of that. I hack two horses out for up to 3 hrs in the winter and 6 hrs a day in the summer but I found the issues started coming in at 25km endurance rides such as saddle chaffing me and the horse, which I would want to have sorted before going further.

 

[acorn92x]

Thanks FfionWinnie, I'll definitely bare that in mind. Saddle chaffing did cross my mind but I wasn't sure how much of an issue it would be? She's got a Thorowgood T8 cob but will hopefully have a K&M version by the time we get to doing a 25km so although comfortable, probably not the ideal thing for Endurance! Is there anything else you'd say to be aware of?

 

[Morgan123]

If you're doing 16kms and you feel that she is happy, fit, and comes out of them well (as she should given current work), then I'd do 32km no problem. If you find a 25km then great, but I wouldn't say it's bad to jump to 32km if she feels fit and happy to you. Many people start with 32kms! Just play it by ear, you know your horse best.
Having a tracker app is amazing for checking your speed and keeping an eye on your training, I completely recommend that. I like the Runtastic one personally, but there are lots of free options.
In terms of issues, I'd say be aware of your girth just as much as your saddle - it's easy to forget thinking about comfy girths but they're super important. I found a prolite girth pad suited my horse, but sheepskin or neoprene are super popular too.
Enjoy it, endurance is awesome!! Good luck.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Thanks FfionWinnie, I'll definitely bare that in mind. Saddle chaffing did cross my mind but I wasn't sure how much of an issue it would be? She's got a Thorowgood T8 cob but will hopefully have a K&M version by the time we get to doing a 25km so although comfortable, probably not the ideal thing for Endurance! Is there anything else you'd say to be aware of?

Worst ride I did was when I had got an acavello seat saver. Thought my bits were going to fall off before we finished 😳 Just make sure anything you change is well broken in before you go further than usual and try out saddle bags or anything new before you go to a ride too.

I suppose it depends a lot on the terrain as well. There's no way my endurance club would suggest 32kms early on in your membership but it's pretty hilly here .

 

[spookypony]

If you have a mature, reasonably fit horse and can secure an experienced companion, then I don't see a reason why a 30k should be unmanageable by early summer. However, I'd agree that it might be a good idea to do more than one PL before it, if just to become comfortable with the way the whole event runs, the vetting, and pacing.

I also agree that there are 30k rides and then there are 30k rides...I've been to some rides where we cruised around a 30k loop and vetted in under a minute, and others where recovery took a long time, just because of the terrain and the weather and the pace.

If you regularly hack for 2--3 hours at a brisk pace, I don't imagine that you'll suddenly have massive tack or gear issues at a 30k. For me, 60k was the reassess-boots-and-saddle-get-riding-tights point. Though I did have a badly-chafed bloody leg once when I wore the wrong socks for a 34k.