How to get fit for a hunter trial?

[Jazz2984]

I'm desperate to do some xc events this year but Im not sure my horse is fit enough. We hack 4-5 times a week and school a couple of times. My problem is with my hacking there's nowhere to have a long canter, there's lots of short canter opportunities but nothing I can do laps of! How can I get him fit enough to go round a hunter trial?

 

[be positive]

You do not really need to do long canters to get fit, use any hills out hacking to get the horse really working, increase the periods of trotting and do plenty of cantering in the school, if you have field you can do some canter work in that should help, go xc schooling if you can and that will help with fitness, take the first events steadily until you know how fit he is and he will get fitter from each competition, if in doubt be prepared to pull up and retire.