Is being led considerably different RE fitness to being ridden?

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My mum has stopped riding Badger because he's been a bit naughty so he only gets ridden once a week and then she leads him from her horse 4/5 days a week.

So he's only really doing hill work in trot etc. with no rider and cantering once a week with rider but I hunted him today... seemed fine but I'm wondering if it makes much difference?
 
I would think this late in the season that he'll be ticking over nicely and it won't be a problem but if it was fittening work at season start, then there's nothing like ridden work to help IMV. When we rode and led, we'd alternate every other day and the day they got led, they'd also wear a roller too to get the skin stronger.
 
When I had my first hunt groom job a couple of the horses were bad to ride and I was told just to lead them, it never seemed to make any difference fitness wise. I had to ride them when I did 2nd horse anyway, they all did half a day twice a week there. Much better than recent hunt I was at where one horse would do a full day once a week.
 
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