How to fitten a maxi cob for BE

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brumbybob

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I have a 9yr old 16.3hh Shire X (not sure what crossed with) and we do BE80..aiming for 90s later in the season. he competes in all affiliated disciplines (BD, BS, BE) and is a chunky chap who is very light on his feet. I have worked hard on his fitness/weight and for the last 6 weeks have been doing intervals twice a week (sometimes 2mins/2mins, sometimes short sprints up hills)> he is really fit for a heavy..though needs to be fitter as we still are incurring time faults at BE80,though they are reducing from last season. Am I missing anything here? I've even found I am walking the "coblet racing lines" on the XC..inside track and all that. Any thoughts welcome from riders out there who have ridden a heavier type at BE.
 
Hello - good on you and do post some pics!
This isn't about maxi cobs but I do have experience with natives and endurance which is fairly similar I guess. I found that it was the initial foundation work (all the initial walking) and then the topping off with plenty of canter work, that made the difference. Are you doing longer intervals too, for example cantering for 5-7 mins at a time? Galloping? I found it really helped to right myself notes on my iphone as I was going, e.g. I would canter for five mins and then write a note of how long I felt it took him to return to normal breathing, then go again, etc, and then keep a record of this. I would also get to some gallops if possible and try and do some extended galloping times.
Do you take him on longer rides too? E.g. sponsored rides and so on? I'd recommend this for variation and stamina, really helps.
If he is heavily muscled/sweats a lot then do also remember to consider electrolytes; you may well not need them but worth considering - speak to a feed company perhaps?
I really recommend looking at the endurance resources for this; as a heavy cob you'll probably also find it is hard to cool him off, which is quite important at an event; you'll find lots of resources on cool water sloshing etc. I found it super helpful to get a stethoscope and measure my horse's heart rate after exercise but possibly that's taking it a bit far! They're not expensive though.
 
I've had to work hard to fitten my chunky traditional connie for his first very hilly BE. HACKING. Miles and miles of hacking and hill work in particular. Gallops once a week at least and he's fed a lot!
 
I have an ID we are trying to prepare for some low level BE .
I would try working him twice a day .
And doing longer slow canters and more trotting basically just more of everything !
 
All great advice :)

If you are near the coast, I have found decent dunes to ride up and down are ace for getting a heavier type fit.

Also, imagine you are Andrew Nicholson :) as soon as you land from a fence make sure you move away as quick as you can.
 
Thank you for all of this. Really helpful. I have done alot of foundation work. What it's made me realise I'm not doing is the galloping. I maybe do a v short stretch..but most is canter. I also don't do more than 2mins fast work - so yes..in hindsight....how can I suddenly expect him to do 7 minutes! he does sweat - but not excessively; yes I do use electrolytes. But the longer intervals have made me think - so a big thanku.
 
I'm picking up that gallops are good - and I haven't been doing enough by any means...canter yes but not up a gear. feeding...tell me about that please. he is a very athletic coblet - can be v perky under saddle...so I feed him Staypower Museli..but maybe not enuf + AlafA oil (and beet/carrot juice). Thank u for your thoughts
 
No - but a very fine coat - hardly anything. terrified of clippers so it's a once a year job under sedation and lots of scizzor trimming!. His feathers have to stay on!
 
brumbybob said:
This made me smile! I think you are so right - I need to up my game after the fence/ yes we have the beach nearby - we can;t ride in the dunes tho.
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You can save at least 1 sec per fence if you pick up the pace quickly, over 18 - 20 jumping efforts that is 18-20 seconds less time, one of my liveries went for a lesson with AN for just this reason, he really had her landing and going forward without any hesitation to save time, also if he is fairly steady don't set up too early before the fences, leaving it an extra stride or two, as long as it is safe and he comes back to you, will also save time, with the heavier types you need to use technique to your advantage as you will never have the natural speed of a more lightweight horse or the agility of a pony.
 
Gallop gallop gallop as often as you can! Preferably uphill. In summer I mainly stick to riding in the field when schooling, I find this does help.

Also take fewer breaks when schooling. That will also test YOUR fitness levels :D

My dressage trainer had us going for 40 mins without stopping the other week, all in trot and canter - B was feeling fresh and we needed to keep his brain working! I was exhausted after, pony not so much. I have a feeling that he'd have kept us going longer if there wasn't someone else waiting for their lesson after me!
 
This makes sense - thankyou. I made up time at last weekend's BE by not setting up too early but I think I could ride away quicker. he had 54 time faults despite going clear at his 1st BE80 last Sept; at last weekend's BE80 we had 34..and that was with a run-out. I did make much more effort on the technique!
 
Thank you for this - I think the galloping is missing! I feel he has a big gearbox that I have not yet tapped in to! I am actually quite fit - I ride two horses most days..but I find it exhausting when you've got the big drive to an event (up here 2-4hrs is normal for BE) and then the mental concentration of 3 phases as well as the physical!!
 
Embo said:
Gallop gallop gallop as often as you can! Preferably uphill. In summer I mainly stick to riding in the field when schooling, I find this does help.

!
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WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you mad! As sure a way to break a horse down as I know!
 
Mike007 said:
WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you mad! As sure a way to break a horse down as I know!
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I wasn't insinuating galloping uphill in a field everyday, if that's what you mean.

You can't get a horse galloping fit without galloping it!
 
If I find ground good enough to gallop we gallop :p, I don't know where Mike thinks you live embo but it would be unusual for us to be able to gallop everywhere we go :p, that is somewhat different to as often as you can :p
Alternatively we go to the gallops, usually to give the TB a racing start (his start is rubbish :p) then we run out of steam about half way but boy does he willingly put more effort in that usual :p
 
I would question the wisdom of doing something like BE with a heavy horse. The strain on their joints lugging their weight around, even if they are fit and trim, there is still a lot of body mass to move. Some horses just aren't suited to this type of work, especially if you want them to stay sound long term.

If you must do it, lots of steady hill work and double the time you would expect to get a light weight horse fit. Pick the events you choose carefully - ground conditions, terrain etc, so you make it as easy as possible for him.

I have an ID who absolutely loves to jump but he is simply not built for eventing and all of the experts (vet, physio, farrier etc) tell me the same thing - its too stressful on joints and heart. He goes arena eventing so we still get the kicks but without the sustained effort that cantering / galloping over long distances would give.
 
Clearly you didn't watch Mr Mulry, half clysdale, storm Badminton XC!!!

The OP is talking about BE80. Not Badminton. It will likely be safer and better ground than an unaffiliated 80.

KautoStar1 said:
I would question the wisdom of doing something like BE with a heavy horse. The strain on their joints lugging their weight around, even if they are fit and trim, there is still a lot of body mass to move. Some horses just aren't suited to this type of work, especially if you want them to stay sound long term.

If you must do it, lots of steady hill work and double the time you would expect to get a light weight horse fit. Pick the events you choose carefully - ground conditions, terrain etc, so you make it as easy as possible for him.

I have an ID who absolutely loves to jump but he is simply not built for eventing and all of the experts (vet, physio, farrier etc) tell me the same thing - its too stressful on joints and heart. He goes arena eventing so we still get the kicks but without the sustained effort that cantering / galloping over long distances would give.
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With these heavier horses they need to learn to drop down and properly gallop - I spent a hack at the weekend trying to convince the Oik that he could do it but he insisted on continuing at a lovely hand canter :)
When you're on course though as well as fast away and setting up as late as possible be aware of the route you are taking. I see a lot of eventers taking huge sweeping turns and wasting time to a fence when it's not really required if you can safely and legally make a route shorter then do so!
 
Embo said:
I wasn't insinuating galloping uphill in a field everyday, if that's what you mean.

You can't get a horse galloping fit without galloping it!
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The purpose of a training gallop is to exercise the cardiovascular system and they should be used sparingly at most.. Everything else should be done at a slower pace .Hill work at a canter will achieve everything required. So yes you can get a horse galloping fit without galloping .
 
Michen said:
Clearly you didn't watch Mr Mulry, half clysdale, storm Badminton XC!!!

The OP is talking about BE80. Not Badminton. It will likely be safer and better ground than an unaffiliated 80.
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I did indeed see him and he was excellent no denying that. But he may well be an exception to the general rule and I would question whether this type of work will lead to him having long term soundness problems in the future.
 
ester said:
If I find ground good enough to gallop we gallop :p, I don't know where Mike thinks you live embo but it would be unusual for us to be able to gallop everywhere we go :p, that is somewhat different to as often as you can :p
Alternatively we go to the gallops, usually to give the TB a racing start (his start is rubbish :p) then we run out of steam about half way but boy does he willingly put more effort in that usual :p
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Neither do I... our nearest gallop track is a good 40 mins in the trailer so we can only get there once or twice a month max, if that. And our hacking is mostly roadwork being just off the A21 so I have rare opportunity there. For me, once or twice a month max, if that, is as often as I can!
 
Mike007 said:
The purpose of a training gallop is to exercise the cardiovascular system and they should be used sparingly at most.. Everything else should be done at a slower pace .Hill work at a canter will achieve everything required. So yes you can get a horse galloping fit without galloping .
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Yessir!
 
Mike007 said:
The purpose of a training gallop is to exercise the cardiovascular system .
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And there is no better way to do that without straining the joints than taking the horse swimming.

Also, to teach a horse to gallop properly, work it upside something else.
 
KautoStar1 said:
I did indeed see him and he was excellent no denying that. But he may well be an exception to the general rule and I would question whether this type of work will lead to him having long term soundness problems in the future.
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Well my share horse (5/8 TB, 2/8 Welsh and 1/8 Shire - but definitely erring on the heavy side) is 20 and still going strong. We've only done 80 and 90 along with lots of other riding club stuff. A friend's supercob is 19 and also still going strong and she's done a lot more than me. Good conditioning and training is the key, not breeding.

Having said that OP we've never got inside the time - he hates going uphill and I hate going downhill, but we're happy just to get round and have some fun so I don't care!
 
I really would get him upsides something else if you can. Frank is welsh, so all his limbs go up and down rather than out. Having him upsides something else encourages him to stretch and he has learnt to gallop more over time, and now he loves to play at a racing gymkhana style start at the bottom of the gallops even if when he does do that he can only make it halfway up :D (and he knows the TB will be coming back down so no stress ;) )

He did manage to mess up his shoulder by extending it too much down the beach one day though when he opted for a race I didn't say was ok and wasn't quick enough to correct (he pretty much went lame on stride 1).
 
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