How to use Gallops?

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Lorrie66

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Hi all,

I move in June to a new Livery that has a 7 furlong loop gallops.
I've not had use of gallops before & wondered how I can use them other than just a blast about!
Me & my horse are really happy hackers/ dressage wannabees!
I don't need endurance training but would like to keep him stamina fit & also help with weight. He is Spanish and a very very very very good doer!!
We are just starting out together & have a long way to go - having only done one prelim test so far ( but we came first!) We are 5 mins from Addington so my current goal is to feel competent enough to do a test there.
Can the gallops help with wellbeing & fitness considering what we want to do? and if so what do I need to focus on?!! He is not overweight currently but it is a constant battle counting calories - bless him if only he knew its the same for me too :)

Thanks!
 
I may be wrong so if anyone has any better ideas then please feel free to correct me!

If I were you though, taking into account everything you want to do, I would probably start just by taking him for a good trot up them a couple of times ad then just walk back down, once he's a bit fitter (if he's not already) then long, slow canters are much better for building fitness than short fast ones, when the horse is cantering slowly (but with the correct level of impulsion) for a period of time then they are working much harder. This would help keep his fitness levels up. I probably wouldn't do that too often though, maybe just once every couple of weeks or you could find yourself with something fit enough to go round badminton ;)
 
i agree :) and don't do the same thing everytime, or whenever you hit a stretch of grass your neddy will want to go fast!
 
TarantuLove said:
i agree :) and don't do the same thing everytime, or whenever you hit a stretch of grass your neddy will want to go fast!
Click to expand...

I am so guilty of that!!!

I share my horse with my mum, she will come back from riding and say "Well I know exactly where you canter everytime you ride as D shoots off on particular spots!" :o
 
OneInAMillion said:
I am so guilty of that!!!

I share my horse with my mum, she will come back from riding and say "Well I know exactly where you canter everytime you ride as D shoots off on particular spots!" :o
Click to expand...

I'm the same at the moment because the ground is so hard there's v limited canter spots, but its interesting when you have an ex-racer!!
 
Use them for practicing lateral work etc....

You can use them any way you like. Good bit of trotting and really slow trotting will build fitness.

Like others have said vary what you do....you don't want touch grass and go.
 
Have a blast! lol. It's funny...my horse [who ironically is an ex-racer] is laid back anyway...but even more laid back on the gallops! I mean, we hit 6th gear easily enough when we want to, but he'll just stay balanced and mannerly the whole way round, no matter how many times we go for a blast about.

For him, as he's so chilled anyway, I have to guiltily admit I do only ever use them to have an absolute burn around myself!!
 
this is a positive post. I am hoping to start working my new boy (ex racer) on the gallops, at present he is just incredibly tense on them so after we have done more schooling to get used to each other and develop manners and relaxation im going to start using them to just walk out on until he realsises he doesnt have to gallop. Mine are all weather surface so atleast not grass!!
 
When I head out on the gallops, I usually trot around once or twice on each rein, give him a look around. Then I would ask for a slow enough canter extending more and mroe after one lap until he is galoping (not to the max though). Same again on the other rein and I usualy let him go on when we go up the hill.
 
When I had access to gallops before I used to walk up, trot back and then walk 1 furlong, trot 2, walk 1 etc. Then on the way home have a steady canter for the first 7 furlongs and gallop the last one. Then I hacked back to the yard as a cool down.
 
Never had access to proper gallops but have to 'safe for galloping' areas...

Totally agree about varying the work... leg yield in zig-zags most of the way if you feel like it! But, if you and horse want to, enjoy a good blast too every so often, can blow the cobwebs away lovely :-)

See other's advice for good fittening options.
 
i asked my instructor if she would give me a hand to introduce my new 6yr old mare to the beach... she suggested going to gallops first to try out the speed and the brakes! seems like a good idea, but i did wonder what i would do when i got there... walk, trot, canter, go like the clappers and hope i can stop?
 
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