How to Improve Fitness for Hunting?

[3Beasties]

My 12hh Section A (Millie) will hopefully be hunting for the first time this season. She has been ridden about 5 times a week all summer, a mixture of Hacking, schooling and jumping. I though she was relatively fit but we took her XC schooling yesterday and she tired pretty quickly as she wasn't used to the long cantering stretches.

At the moment we don't have many places to have a good canter but this should change over the next couple of weeks as we will have stubble fields to ride in.

What can I do to improve her fitness before then?

She will be getting ridden less now as Little Jockey is back at school so I though I could Lunge her every day and then a few times a week she would get ridden as well.

Would lunging her on a sloped field be better for her fitness or should I just stick to the school? Any ideas?

 

[Joss]

I dont think lunging on a sloped field is a good idea, as the little pony will spend as much time coming down & going up. Having seen your great XC pics I wouldnt worry too much. The little pone did a lot of intensive jumping and probably found it hard work.

I would get out hunting sooner rather than later and just allow the pony to get gradually fitter as the season progresses. I presume it hasnt been much before so you are not going to want to gallop it silly on the first couple of days.

 

[3Beasties]

We are taking her cubbing soon so that should help with her fitness. She has never hunted before so No, we won't be going mad with her.