Hunting fit?

[Nicki85]

I am going to take Maggie hunting this autumn... but first i need to get her hunting fit!

She currently works twice a day in the school... so i'm guessing i need to build up her stamina with some fast work?

She came back from the sponsered ride on Sunday caked in sweat and although it was very fast it was only two hours!

What would be you schedule and how long do you think it will take?

Thanks! I've never been hunting before and soooo looking forward to it!

Maggie used to do lots of hunting in the past so no worries there. Just me thats the novice!

 

[MrsMozart]

We want to hunt this year as well and we're working on the fitness

Our plan is we have a hacking route set out (round the fields in our case). The plan is we trot round and work on building it up until we're trotting non-stop four times round; then start to build in canter stretches and extend them until the horses can canter the whole way and round x number of times. We have the advantage that the fields are on hills so 'tis great for helping build fitness and muscle.

 

[spacefaer]

have a look on the hunting forum - there are several posts which set out really clearly how to do it.

Was the sweat on the sponsored ride from excitement as much as unfitness?

Hunting is not all about fast galloping about - there can be long periods of standing about while the hounds cast - so hunting fitness is as much about stamina as being able to gallop.

Which hunt are you planning to go out with? Different packs have different styles of crossing the country - some are faster and jump bigger than others!

 

[Clodagh]

Don't get too fit for early Autumn hunting, theres lots of standing around ususally and a too fit horse will have the fidgets!

 

[Scribbles]

I'm going to watch this with interest, I'm wanting to take ned for 1 day hunting this sept to suss it out, and so don't want him to be struggling, but equally don't want him to be racehorse fit!

 

[MrsMozart]

Good point C and S!

OP - we've also started taking the horses over various surfaces, to get them used to dealing with ruts and uneven ground.

Hm. The thought of being on a fit Dizz who is asked to stand still....

 

[dwi]

I went autumn hunting last year and apart from a short trot at the start and a couple of points where D took it upon herself to try and gallop off like a nutter it was very sedate. We spent the vast majority of the time standing looking at bushes.