How much trot and canter out on a hack ?

[Sillysaxon]

Hi

I would love your opinion on my hacks and whether I’m doing an average/ below average amount of trot and canter . Horse is 21 and is fit, however I make sure he has breaks . Hacking is good but we do have road work which is limited to walk and quite a few hills. Also due to the weather recently a couple of our paths have become very muddy .

I’ve attached the equilab of our two most recent hacks.

Thanks in advance !

 

[mini_b]

Hacking in walk for long periods, especially hillwork is great for keeping an older horse fit whilst reducing joint concussion. It really does keep them fitter than you think.
A good trot or canter to blow out the cobwebs on good ground is fine.

I don’t think it matters how much you do unless you are fittening it up; you say horse is already fit.

 

[Wishfilly]

I think most people would like to get a bit more canter than that into a long-ish hack, but if you've got limited places available and the ground is poor, then it's much better to only do what you can do?

Is there a particular reason you're asking?

 

[Sillysaxon]

I think most people would like to get a bit more canter than that into a long-ish hack, but if you've got limited places available and the ground is poor, then it's much better to only do what you can do?

Is there a particular reason you're asking?

Hi

It’s my first “proper” loan. I don’t ride out with others often so generally just wondered how our route compared with others . I certainly don’t want to overdo it with him due to him being a senior horse but would like to think that he’s actually getting a bit of a workout.

 

[Wishfilly]

Hi

It’s my first “proper” loan. I don’t ride out with others often so generally just wondered how our route compared with others . I certainly don’t want to overdo it with him due to him being a senior horse but would like to think that he’s actually getting a bit of a workout.

Walk work, especially up and down hills is really good for keeping horses fit. I definitely think you aren't overdoing it- I wouldn't want lots of hard trotting on roads etc!

At this time of year it's often a case of doing what you can and keeping them ticking over- and as the ground gets dryer/evenings lighter you may be able to up the work a bit.

The key thing is are you having fun? And does he seem to be enjoying your hacking?

 

[Sillysaxon]

Hacking in walk for long periods, especially hillwork is great for keeping an older horse fit whilst reducing joint concussion. It really does keep them fitter than you think.
A good trot or canter to blow out the cobwebs on good ground is fine.

I don’t think it matters how much you do unless you are fittening it up; you say horse is already fit.

He’s fit in my eyes - he’s always forward going and up for a trot or canter. I suppose that could just mean he’s just keen though ?

 

[mini_b]

He’s fit in my eyes - he’s always forward going and up for a trot or canter. I suppose that could just mean he’s just keen though ?

don’t mistake fit for keen! If he’s blowing after trot bursts, not fit.

as he’s a bit older and if you aren’t keeping him ticking over for competing in spring then what you are doing is finou are doing it regularly and not dragging him out once a week and really tiring him out.

Will help him from getting really creaky and if hes forward it sounds like he’s enjoying himself!

i wouldn’t worry about what you are doing too much as long as you are both enjoying it and he seems capable of the work!

 

[Gloi]

How did you do the equilab like that, I can't seem to save it.
This is are typical rides, we don't have many cantering places either.

 

[Barton Bounty]

If you hit trends it comes up like sillysaxons, ?

 

[hobo]

Is that a free app ? Looks fun and helpful for seeing what you are doing.

 

[Sillysaxon]

Is that a free app ? Looks fun and helpful for seeing what you are doing.

I think there is a free trial and then it’s approx £7 a month or cheaper depending on your subscription.

 

[Hackback]

When my 16 year old horse was being rehabbed from treatment to his suspensories I had a strict plan from the vet that started off at 20 minutes walk 3-4 times a week and built up over the course of 6 weeks to 1.5 hours mainly trot or canter 3-4 times a week. To be honest trying to fit that much work in was hard (lucky it was summer) plus we barely have any opportunities to canter locally.

When the vet signed him off at the end of the 6 weeks she said "right, you can push on now". I thought we were already pretty much 'pushed on' by that point ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Is that a free app ? Looks fun and helpful for seeing what you are doing.

Yeah it’s actually really good! I use it. Its called equilab ? you dont need to subscribe if you dont want to. I dont ?

 

[Starzaan]

I think the answer will really depend on who you are asking.

For me, that much walking on a fit horse on a hack would bore me rigid (and does often as I work in rehab haha), but I hack my own horses for fitness for competing and hunting, and to blow the cobwebs away.

I think as long as you are happy and the horse is looking and feeling well, that is all that matters.

 

[Starzaan]

Yeah it’s actually really good! I use it. Its called equilab ? you dont need to subscribe if you dont want to. I dont ?

I love it. I use it for all my owners so they can see exactly what their horses have done.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I love it. I use it for all my owners so they can see exactly what their horses have done.

I sometimes forget to start it and Im halfway on my hack ?

 

[Starzaan]

I sometimes forget to start it and Im halfway on my hack ?

I have often forgotten to turn it off and realised that I’m tracking myself going for a wee ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have often forgotten to turn it off and realised that I’m tracking myself going for a wee ?

???

 

[Winters100]

I don't think there is an 'average', so since he is a loan I would ask the owner what she normally does. I don't really like hacking, unless it is at speed, so I go only when ground is good and we can canter at a reasonable pace for a good part of the time. I have other friends who adore going for long relaxed walks on their horses. As long as the horse in in suitable condition for what is being asked of it I don't see anything wrong with either of these. The main thing is to enjoy yourself within the realms of what horse can do and owner is happy with. Have fun!

 

[Lois Lame]

Is that a free app ? Looks fun and helpful for seeing what you are doing.

Yeah, it looks great. I didn't realise these things existed. (I'm living under a rock.)

 

[honetpot]

I think being consistently and control is key, it should mainly exercise, not work. I had a horse with navicular that I hunted, to get him fit to hunt, the exercise was mainly carried out on even surfaces out hacking, and he was 'held together', in steady trot, and a steady canter, so no blasting a round. So discuss with the owner what you need to do, and what is classed as work.

 

[Gloi]

How did you do the equilab like that, I can't seem to save it.
This is are typical rides, we don't have many cantering places either.
View attachment 102496

I've just looked at this again and realized that the totals don't add up because the ten or so minutes in tolt (purple) aren't on this screen. Think I'll report it as a bug.

 

[ycbm]

Mistaken post.

 

[Pmf27]

I don't tend to time my routes or log them with any app, but your hacks look quite similar in make-up to mine.

There's one route where we can have a good blast through the woods, but it's quite a long route so I don't always have time for that one.

On shorter hacks, I still like to try and get some canter in (as does pony!) So I have a little blast along the roadside verges on very quiet roads and providing there are no cars.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I forgot to use the equilab again! Lol put my camera on tho so that something ???

 

[Kaylum]

Thats light work but totally depends on the weather and underfoot conditions. We use to do 10 miles a day no problem mostly trot and they got fit quickly. Use your hills for a good trot work out. But build it up over time. Even 10 miles a day isnt really much of a work out. But a lot of owners only giving their healthy horses light work as they dont have time to do much more in the winter. If you have time to build up their fitness they get stronger and so do you.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Walk is underestimated and undervalued in my opinion. My pony underwent kissing spine surgery earlier in the year and did walking in hand for 6 weeks and completely changed shape. She looked the best she ever has.

What you are doing is fine as long as that is all you're asking of him. It would be unfair to hack like that then suddenly ask him to go around BE80. Also assuming he's not morbidly obese! Only thing I'd say is I like to do my last trot at least 10 mins before the end of the hack, so they have a nice calm walk home on a longer rein.

 

[AntiPuck]

I tend to do a lot of walking hacks at the moment as I'm in the process of building my horse's strength and fitness after overcoming napping issues.

One thing I try to do if I'm hacking alone, especially during the week where time is tighter, is deliberately pick the more difficult routes through things. For example, we have tracks with steep-ish banks either side, so I make her serpentine along the track up one bank, around and down it, then up over the other, etc. rather than walk along the flat track. Similarly if there are twigs, logs, little ditches, areas of long grass, etc she's walking over them instead of around, and if we go up or down hills we do regular walk-halt transitions and sometimes even back up the hill so that she's working harder than if she could just use momentum to get up/down, walking diagonally up/down hills is also great.

All of this adds a lot of proprioception training that is so good for their brains and bodies, and it makes the hack more fun for me as I start looking for new obstacles to try her on. Mine used to clatter through things but she is excellent at clearing even bigger logs carefully in walk now. So it's a hack mostly in walk but she's actually worked a lot harder than it sounds.