mileage?

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SarahRicoh

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Random i know but iv been thinking today... Iv always ridden a lot & go out for very long hacks especially in the summer.. Me & my friend went for 9 miles once & our ponies were fit & happy..

But of course differing opinions some people thought it was too much!
Anyway,current horse loves to work and our 'long' hack (about an.hour up hill into woods & back down) barely affects him. The more he does happier he is... In.the wild horses go.miles & miles each day! I know horses are 'different' now but im sure most horses would be happier for doing more miles...

Opinions please? (no arguing!)
:)
 
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JFTDWS

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9 miles is a walk in the park :D Just look at endurance distances!

fwiw, I regularly do 15-20 mile rides in summer. I would do longer if I had time to get them fitter and the hacking wasn't so mediocre.
 
Oberon

Oberon

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Fit horse, fit, balanced rider, well fitting saddle and access to water en route = no problems.

Endurance peeps would sneer at nine hours;)

Make sure you feed plenty of salt. 25g a day maintenance plus more when in work. Horses in work run out of Chloride after 2 hours!
 
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JFTDWS

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You should... I'd like to do higher level TRECs over longer distances, but I need a pairs partner really :eek:

If I want to do more than 20 miles round here I end up hitting either a major road / town centre - which I don't mind, but I can't imagine my presence would be welcome holding up the traffic on a Saturday morning :p I'd love to have access to some of the hacking some members of the forum have access to - you could go out all day quite happily!
 
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tazzle

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another fan of "long hacks" here :D

saddlebags with a picnic or stopping at a pub for lunch ..... brilliant ;)

as to ?? too much the 9 hours out ........ well even if the horses are not very fit as long as it was walk most of the way and mostly on flat and good going and with stops along the way for drinks/ grazing ( and oberons criteria) most horses be ok with that. Better obviously to work up to it rather than suddenly decide horse ok if its only used to a half hour pootle round the block once a week ;)

opinion on would most horses be happier doing more miles hacking

oh well ... providing they are happy / confident with the attendant traffic (very few long hacks without roadwork for most people) and assorted "scary stuff" and can relax and pootle along taking in the scenery then yes, I think they would ;)
 
abbijay

abbijay

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Big Pony used to be in a trekking centre and would do 8 hour days repeatedly into the mountains but they did structure it with breaks and water stops. In good weather I often do 3 - 4 hour rides on a weekend. I would love to do more but I don't have the time in the week to get him fit enough to do it (max 90 minutes riding on an evening after work).
 
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JFTDWS

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Ha, if you ever want to do an L3 in the Oxfordshire to Herts region, let me know :p I can't guarentee we won't get lost though :eek:
 
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Brandy

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Crikey 9 hours!! Not that I think its too much fo rthe horse, but out of interest, how did your bottom fare after 9 hours in the saddle??
 
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