How much trot/canter do you do when hacking?

[MuddyMonster]

I was talking to my friend who seemed surprised by the amount of trot & canter work I do out hacking. I've never considered myself particularly gung-ho! In fact, 18 months to 2 years ago, I undertook a course of NLP to help my nerves with riding.

I've got direct access to off-road hacking, so dont need to worry about traffic. Now he's much fitter than he ever was we do more, but generally speaking I walk the first mile and a half up the track to reach our off road hacking (and the last mile and a half back), but then I'll usually trot fairly early on & intersperse this with canter and walk breaks. We have lots of hills, which are rather handy too. But it obviously depends on other factors too like how fresh he is, weather, temperature, the footing - we are lucky that we have lots of options for routes so most of the time the going is pretty good - but I won't 'canter (or trot) at any cost'. Plus, I do monitor him & if he's tiring we obviously just drop down to walk. He'll often come back having sweated, but not dripping or on his knees in exhaustion ...!

My horse (well, native pony) is quite a forward thinking type & although he can get strong at times, I can always stop easily. He also does walk when I want him and will happily walk somewhere he's cantered previously - so we are not out of control by any means.

I'm a bit of a worrier about his legs but other than a bout of mild laminitis, he's never been lame. He gets regular physio & they along with my vet & farrier have said he's more than capable of what we are doing. Since his laminitis I've made a real effort to up his exercise & find it has really helped him keep a better weight.

But, does it sound like we are doing excessive amounts?

 

[FfionWinnie]

No it doesn't. As long as he is conditioned to the work I can't see a problem. Mine never hack out without breaking a sweat! Your walking before and after is excellent to get him properly warmed up and obesity 24/7 is surely much worse for joints than using them how they were intended for an hour or two

 

[huskydamage]

Sounds fine to me, you seem like you monitor your horse and warm up and down so enjoy! My off road riding is bad, I try to trot and canter as much as I can, but I always walk the first and last mile. If she is excited though she can trot the whole ride almost non stop. She is always sweaty but that's what the clip is for! Ive done some activities with other people on very fit horses and she keeps up no problem. I don't do anything but the type of riding you describe possibly with more road! Hacking is really good for fitness I think.

 

[CrazyMare]

I walk the first and last mile approximately then other than that, go fairly quickly!!

I can do a six mile off road hack in 1hr 15, or an 11 miler in 2.5 hours.

Hacking is for fitness, kicking on and getting them thinking forward!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Thanks guys You've helped put my mind at rest I'm not overdoing it!

 

[wingedhorse]

I go as fast as the ground, safety, control, manners, environment and ground allows.

Sadly this is often not very fast. Lots of our hacking is busy with pedestrians / dog walkers and stony / boggy / rock solid.

I rarely reach the edge of my horse’s fitness on regular hacking. I do pretty much the fastest sensible pace the environment allows, most of the time.

If I had lots of great ground, I would do a lot more trotting and cantering. I think aerobic fitness work on hills and good ground is great for horses.

As long as warm up, cool down, and horse is fit enough to do what you ask (so build up slowly if not used to it) seems absolutely fine to me.

 

[SuperH]

We would do as you describe if conditions allowed. Unfortunately for us we have a lot of roadwork and traffic to contend with and what off road we have will be too boggy before long for any faster work. We are pretty sedate over the winter and fitness does tail off a little. Sounds like you have a lovely set up. Enjoy!

 

[PaulnasherryRocky]

Is there such thing as too much canter work?? If your horse is fit then why not!

I did 8 miles in 1hr 20 on Sunday and felt that was a much more sedate ride than I usually do- pretty much wherever there is grass, I'll be off!

I trot any road work mostly too as find it boring...

(Horse doesn't take off with me though- if I was on a horse that EXPECTED to go every time we hit grass I certainly wouldn't do this!)

 

[PorkChop]

I go as fast as the ground allows tbh. Always walk the first and last 1/2 mile.

 

[Antw23uk]

I had a light bulb moment the other day and realise that I ride far too sedately. Its unlikely I will up the pace much now as its a weekend hack only due to the light but my new years resolution ... get a welly on!! For what its worth I think your hacks sounds lovely

 

[pansymouse]

I go as fast as the ground allows tbh. Always walk the first and last 1/2 mile.

Me too. If I wanted to walk I'd get a dog.

 

[pennyturner]

^^^ And me. Mostly canter and trot around the fields, with the occasional bit of walk to get our breath back.

Sometimes we take out a carriage alongside mounted riders... which poor unfortunates have to do a working trot for 10 miles straight to keep up with the carriage ponies.

 

[JenTaz]

Another who as soon as on grass, we are off as long as it is dry enough, I go by if we are leaving hoof prints it is to wet to be either trotting or cantering, but as long as it is dry enough we will not walk through a field by choice.

Longest hack we have done so far in the last 6 weeks since he came back into work is about 15 miles, which took about 3.5hours, of mostly trot.

 

[NZJenny]

I see so many horses that benefit from getting out the gate and getting going - nothing settles a fidgety horse better than a couple of km of trot or a long steady canter.

I don't hack with others too often as I'm always the one saying "should be go for a trot now?".

 

[Dave's Mam]

Ground, safety & surroundings allowing, I see no reason not to trot on! It's good for both of your fitness.

 

[Ben2684]

Depends on the ground, fitness of horse, how may dog walkers are in our way and how busy it is but I spend so much time on roads getting to the off road hacking around us (which is fab once you actually get there) that it seems a shame to waste it waking! Long trots for muscle tone with a few long steady canters for cardio, and the occasional mad dash/hoon for the smiles (both mine and the horses)

 

[pansymouse]

I see so many horses that benefit from getting out the gate and getting going - nothing settles a fidgety horse better than a couple of km of trot or a long steady canter.

I don't hack with others too often as I'm always the one saying "should be go for a trot now?".

People won't hack with me either because I don't like mostly walking. Actually my back really hurts if I walk too much, I need to trot and canter to free it up.

 

[madlady]

I have to be careful as one of mine starts to expect and anticipate where she will trot and canter and can become quite rude about it so if it's her I'm riding then the hacks need to be a bit more sedate - she's getting better but is only still quite young.

When she is not with us then I trot all uphills and canter where it's safe and appropriate to do so. My evening hack is a 4m of off road bridleways which we can crack round in 30 mins if the tracks are soft enough to get some good canters in or 45-50 mins if I'm trying to get madam to walk nicely and not bog off when she feels like it.

Weekends we are out for a good 2-3 hours, a mix of road and tracks and always get a couple of lovely long canters in.

 

[peanut]

I go as fast as the ground allows tbh. Always walk the first and last 1/2 mile.

Ditto. I don't think my horse feels like she's had a decent hack if she doesn't get some good canters!

 

[little_critter]

I watched your carriage driving video and it made me realise how soft we often are on our ridden horses. I try to trot / canter as much as safely possible in order to keep my pony fit. However I couldn't imagine doing nearly 12 minutes non stop trotting as per your you tube video. And your horses seemed totally comfortable with it. (not a criticism at all - looks like good exercise for them)

Unfortunately it's pretty hilly on our routes so while trotting up hills is good, it means we have to walk down the other side so I struggle to do long steady trots.

[was meant to be a reply to pennyturners post, but I hit the wrong button]

 

[atropa]

I would love to do more fast work on hacks, it's mostly all off road but tarmacked though, and I worry about concussion trotting along tarmac. The grass tracks and bridleways around here are actually the parts closest to our yard, where I would be walking to warm up or cool down.

 

[pennyturner]

The ponies don't struggle doing an hour or more in trot LC ... but the riders certainly do

The ridden ponies tend to walk for a while to rest [the rider] from time to time, and canter to catch up. Depending on the pony, some will happily hold back the carriage in trot downhill, so might do 10 miles (well over an hour) in trot, uphill and down - except if I've allowed them to canter the hill, when they get a short walk after.
I doubt you could trot downhill with shod horses in the britching without slipping, but it has never been a problem barefoot.