How much conditioning can be done in walk?

[Ginn]

As of Monday (clocks changing and nights drawing in) I will be unable to ride after work unless it is in the field in the dark (which I have no issue with - I know the particular "schooling paddock" well, it is checked regularly for holes etc, and there is *some* light from streetlights and yard lights approx 50yards away).

However, by the nature of it being a field, a 25x60 flat, fenced paddock to be specific, the ground is going to become an increasingly limiting factor.

So the question is: How much conditioning can be done in walk?

By this I am referring to fitness, strength and suppleness.

There should be 2-3 opportunities a week to do road work (if nothing else) in addition to this, but theoretically, how possible is it to develop the above 3 areas within these limitations?

Discuss.

 

[Ginn]

Anyone?

 

[tigers_eye]

Ginny Leng was always a great advocate of walking, I think about an hour and a half every day on top of all other work. I was told by a reliable contemporary that she got a horse Badminton (long format!) fit entirely through walking due to health issues. However I believe that was out hacking with hills etc. Have you seen Horsehero's in hand schooling video with the Thurman Bakers? Some great ideas there you might be able to use.

 

[Hels_Bells]

A friend of mine's grandfather rode at the olympics back in his day and always maintained that you could get a horse fit (that is 1950's olympics fit) by walking at 7mph!!! I've nit tried but id be inclined to believe him!!

 

[deicinmerlyn]

I don't know how much but certainly more than doing nothing at all! I think it is beneficial and if that is all I could do then I would do it. I think you'd be surprised how well conditioned you can keep a horse by walk work. The only thing lacking would be stamina/cardio/vascular fittening, but it would still be an improvement to doing nothing at all.

 

[kick_On]

ooooooooooooo we both have same prob here. If you can keep her exercised 3/4 times a week over winter you'll be surprized how fit T will become

 

[Ginn]

Ahh, but you have much bigger (and more fields) than me And you can do canter work in yours Need to work on suppleness and strength as much as fitness too - getting her fit isn't the problem, lol! I hate driving to and fro work in the dark!

Will have a look at the vid T_E ta

Question then is, how much conditioning can you achieve with 2x hacks a week and 2x walking round a 25x60 field a week?

 

[kick_On]

i would say enough say at crimbo to go hunting................

 

[Ginn]

I was thinking more stressage - while I realise with madam anything that involves somewhere new means taking my life in my hands I'm not quite that suicidal, yet! (though if you felt like it...)

 

[Britestar]

One of the old school Vets around me used to say you could walk them fit. Whilst working for a hunt many years ago, thats what we did. Walked them for hours to condition them after a summer off.

 

[Jane_Lou]

I have just posted on another post about bringing a horse back into work in the dark! I had one who had been off over a year due to a series of problems, he was ready to start back into work in November so he spent the winter walking around the fields, up and down hills and round the farm and after 4 months of walking I was amazed at how fit he was. He had started doing some trot work at weekends but it was too dark out hacking during the weeks to really do more than walk.

 

[Ginn]

All sounds pretty positive. Will just need to think of some ideas to keep both of us from boredom as enless walking around an arena sized paddock could quickly become dull and lead to unwanted distractions!

Am thinking that with a headtorch could probably pop some poles out (on floor/raised by a few inches) to walk over/around/between... lots of shapes, transitions into and out of halt and within the walk, LY, SI, pirourettes, turn on forehand and lots of shapes. Hmmm. Going to take some discipline! lol!

 

[kerilli]

yes, i think you can walk them VERY fit, the only thing you can't do is get them truly out of puff the way you can galloping... but i was told that as both walk and gallop are 4 time, walking actually gets them fitter for galloping, same muscles (unlike trotting, say).
lots of leg-yielding, spiralling, you can do an hour in walk without getting bored, honestly!

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

As has been said you can get a horse very fit by just walking, especially if you have some decent hills. But I have found that they do need to do some fast work - a short fast gallop or 'pipe opener' for their wind (I presume) if you are going to ask them to do periods of extended canter/fast work later on.

 

[humblepie]

Another who was told years ago that much could be done in walk and there are lots of things you can put in to ensure it doesn't get too boring. I think that work in walk is often under-rated.

 

[Mearas]

I agree with Kerilli, if you add shoulder-in, travers, renvers, it does not only get them fit but it makes them supple as well.You can do this ridden or in hand.

 

[flyingfeet]

You can get them very fit by walking, but it means riding and not just slobbing around (which many people walking hunters do!)!

Work them in an outline and it builds back and neck muscle (also defines others), as they have to slowly build up muscle and just holding them in the outline (whilst pushing forward) is hard work for the unfit horse.

Then you should become proficient at shoulder in, leg yeild, half pass, turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches and walk piroettes

In addition you can move onto western moves and make them sidepass down a pole between their front and back legs (without touching the pole!)

Whilst you are at it, play with gates until your horse is really good, it won't get them very fit but teaches them to respond and will come in handy in the future!

 

[Maesfen]

One of the old school Vets around me used to say you could walk them fit. Whilst working for a hunt many years ago, thats what we did. Walked them for hours to condition them after a summer off.

Couldn't agree more with this but always make it a strong walk, no slopping along and if you have hills/slopes, so much the better for their wind too. By the end of dark nights you'll have a fit horse with toned limbs which will be strong enough to move onto faster work with little delay.