Is it too far....

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almrc

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...to ride a youngster on a 10 mile fun ride? By youngster I mean a just literally turned 5 yr old TB X. She lives out, is always super hyper and was backed when she was 4. She has been bought on quite slowly as she seems young for her age (due to not so good start). She is being ridden around twice a week which will gradually increase once lighter, doing about one hour at a time. She has recently competed in a couple of novice sj classes.

Would it be fair to take her on this 10 mile fun ride? Is it too much work for her? I want to get her out and about but dont want to push her too much. My friend has suggested taking her but I am unsure. Its all off road. Failing that I'll take my cob :)
 
When is the fun ride? For a horse of any age, I don't think being ridden twice a week would be enough to get them anywhere near fit. I wouldn't have a problem doing a 10 mile ride with a fit 5 year old though :)
 
If she is only being ridden twice a week I think 10 miles would be too much in one go she, if she is a hyper type, will probably get very excited and use herself too much for her level of fitness potentially doing some harm either physically or making her very buzzy which can be difficult to undo later.
Fun rides are great for youngsters but it can be hard to get them to settle if others are galloping everywhere around them.
 
I think any horse that is only being ridden twice a week 10 miles would be too far.
The horse needs to be relativly fit.
10 miles isnt that far and even if you took it slowly but a little fitness is definatly a priority.
 
Going against the grain I think you can get enough fitness by riding twice a week. BUT it depends what you do. My friend took her older lad out to a 10 mile pleasure ride (with a 3 mile hack to get there and back), and he managed well. His heart beat etc was all fine.

The twice that she rode was 3 hour hacks each time. I'd be more concerned with the horse being a youngster so you don't yet know the limits of her. My friend knew her horse well and what he could cope with.

I agree with the others, take the cob and work on fitness with youngster :)
Hope this isn't too much of a ramble.
 
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