hunting fitness for horses

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Kittykins

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Hello all,

just bought my first horse, and, as she loves to jump (and I've always wanted to do it), I plan to take her out hunting every now and then over the winter. Two questions: for a morning's hunting once in a while (it definitely WON'T be every week), how fit does she need to be? She's quite laid back at the moment and generally does about half hour in the school every few days, and gently hacks out on the rest of the week. She gets a day or two off, too. I don't want her so fit that she's always prancing about, if i can help it. :-D
 
depends how you want to hunt and who you're planning to hunt with (some packs are faster than others)

she certainly needs to be in more work than she currently is

the easiest way to get hunters fit, once they're in work after their summer break, is to take them on mounted hound exercise (hacking with hounds) which is approx 2-3 hours a morning, followed by autumn hunting. Nice quiet off road hacking for 3-5 hours - our hunt goes out several mornings a week so you can pick where and how often to go.

Long slow work is the best way to build up stamina - it's not necessary to do canter work for several months yet!

fit horses don't prance about - unless they're got fit and then underworked. Our guys hunt every week and are much quieter when they're fit than when they're getting fit
 
Thank you, that's very helpful. We're in Sussex, so will be going with the South Down and Eridge. There are a LOT of roads in Sussex so I'm hoping it won't be a VERY fast pack!

So, if i slowly build up the amount that she's hacking over the summer to get to approx four hour rides... start canter work in September? October?
 
If you can't take her out autumn hunting etc, then just make sure you've upped her normal workload.

If she's in work - schooling for an hour each time - working hard enough in all 3 paces to raise a sweat - hacking in walk and trot for 1-1.5 hours - and ridden 5-6 days a week, she should be fit enough to follow for a morning's hunting.

Have fun!
 
To get a horse fit you have to increase its heart rate, but it must be done gradually. There are various books called Getting Your Horse fit and reckon it takes 6-8 weeks of gradually increasing exercise, and almost daily riding. I don't think it is necessary to ride every day, particularly if the horse is turned out. Getting a horse fit is the hard thing. Once they are capable of a certain level of work, i.e. hunting, they don't lose it suddenly, so if you keep taking them reguarly they don;t need an enormous amount in between. But don't take an unfit horse hunting becuase you risk all sorts of injuries, as they will be excited and keep going even when they are tired and that is when damage is done to tired legs.

Some horses are very energetic and put a lot into their work, so they are much easier to get fit (my eventer used to come out of the stable and gallop round the field a few times every morning). Others are lazy and think a ride is a time for a gentle stroll (current horse). These take a lot more fittening work.

I am sure that people with more experience than I will give you more advice.
 
Thanks Orangehorse.

I sort of feel I should point out that that exercise regime is what her previous owners have her on - I'm collecting her in a couple of weeks. Just wanted to be prepared, as obviously I have the whole summer to get her going, so wanted to know how fit I should be aiming for.

I'll definitely check out the mounted hound exercise.
 
I think you've got the most of what I would suggest already... the only other thing I would add is that hill work (if you can) is a great way of improving their fitness, especially when the nights get shorter and you dont have as much time... but by then she should be about ready to go.

We are lucky to have a great big hill with a good track nearby. I can do 2 ups and downs of that and home again in 40 minutes. I know he's ready for hunting when he doesn't want to stand at the top and puff! Once we're into hunting season he is hunting once or twice a week, and hacked out once or twice, and turned out all day everyday. We might do a bit of unaff SJ to keep him thinking, but that's about it! He really doesn't take much 'keeping fit'
 
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