Interval training/fittening - where to begin?

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WishfulThinker

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I am hoping to do more comps with Beau this year - and some XC. So I am thinking now is the time to start making sure he is actually able in terms of fitness. He can recover quickly from a quick 30 sec full on gallop, and can happily do a full hours jumping lesson with some breaks and not be tired after.
Today we did a canter round a local stubble field (he needed held back rather than pushed on), prob no more than 2-3 mins going round (I forgot to time it) but he was 5-6 mins before he was completely back to normal - but he was still full of beans and able to do 25 mins schooling after.

So anyway - does anyone have any tips or a plan? He is ridden for up to an hour 6 days a week already, and has in the past easily completed 2/3 goes round a XC or hunter trials on 1/2 weekends a month along with some hunting - but that was the year before last. .
 
What level are you competing at? Its great that you're aware of fitnesss and its importance, but if its a local hunter trial, for example, its not necessary to do loads of fittening work, as more often that no this will cause more harm than good. If you;re horse is happy to school for a period of 45ish mins, or having a decent jumping lesson or hours hack with a bit of cantering, they shoudl be fine.

Try never to "gallop." This is useless and does no good! Its all about sustaining a decent canter for a long period of time, if you wish to build up fitness.
 
Lol, very low level! But I saw the state of 2 reasonably fit horses that did the local hunter trials last year and they came back totally wrecked - I don't want Beau to be like that, but then he is dark brown so in summer he will be pooped, which is also partly the reason.

He has been nicknamed the Duracell Horse though as he can go for a long time, and keep going and he never suffers the ill effects after - Mum says he is a proper Hunter as you could ride him to a meet, then go round then ride home and he would still be fresh!

I'm not sure its a gallop, nothing like racing speed - to me it just feels like a fast canter with a decent moment of suspension + stretch.
 
Sounds like your horse is quite fit ,plenty of hill work and doing it regularly and he will be fine.Interval training is about working the horse in sessions ,letting it almost recover and then asking again .The recovery time gets shorter and the work times longer ,this can be done in trot at first it is not all about galloping but it is a tricky thing to do and best left to experts.
If your horse is recovering well from what you ask it to do then it sounds like you are keeping him fit and he is loving the work .Always get to know your horse and his body ,notice any heat ,swelling or tenderness after hard work and you will find problems before they develope .
Good luck
 
Oh he can do about an hour lesson - mianly trot with some canter and usually no breaks and hardly sweats a drop.
I am not sure he looks fit though - but he doesnt 'wobble'. I have a few resources so shall look them over. I do not want him as fit as he was whenhe was away on loan as I think I might do myself an injury trying to keep up with him!

This is his condition now:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2788838/an/0/page/0#2788838
 
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