little_critter
Well-Known Member
It’s like asking Paula Radcliffe to do a session of gymnastics, she’s used to getting into a long distance running rhythm, the gymnastic work will tax different muscles.This reminds me of a horse I rode years ago, not a native, but hopefully still relevant. This horse was due to go to Badminton, long format, so it was a while ago! I was employed to make sure his dressage was kept up to the mark, the first time I rode him I schooled him for about 45mins and he worked well, but he got fairly sweaty and puffed a lot. I took him back to the yard and told them I was worried about his fitness, I knew the person who was responsible for his fitness, and she was excellent, but I was shocked at how he reacted to schooling. She laughed at me and told me to come back the next day and hack him. The next day she told me we would do average hacking, not fast work, we went out, and after walking a mile or so we started to trot round the fields, just a nice, active working trot, and we trotted forever, it was rising trot, my legs were on fire, I wanted to stop, I was knackered! The horse never faltered, never lost rhythm or power and after a gazillion miles wasnt even blowing. It brought it home to me very forcibily the difference between hacking and schooling fitness, and its true for all horses/ponies in my experience.
The horse skipped round Badminton no problem at all, his fitness was top notch.
My OH finds it cycling too, a short mountain bike ride can me as tiring as a long road bike ride. On a road bike you get into a rhythm, mountain biking has much more changes of pace, accelerating, braking, accelerating again. You can never settle and it takes constant effort.
Sounds like school exercises that will tax muscles are needed, like poles / grids