Castleway
New User
Hi 
I'm looking for some advice regarding fitness plans/exercises for jumping fitness.
I have a 12 year old 14.3hh welsh cob mare. I've had her since she was a foal and historically have mostly done dressage and showing, so we've only really started jumping competitively in the last 18 months or so. She has shown an aptitude for Mountain & Moorland working hunter and I'd also like to do some unaffiliated ODE's.
She is an EXTREMELY good doer, but since I've moved yards I'm able to manage her weight a bit better now. She is slightly overweight at the moment, but is getting slimmer. Her current level of fitness is OK for what she has been doing in the past - she was previously schooled in walk, trot and canter around 3 times a week for about 30 minutes and hacked twice a week for about 30 minutes - this included some short bursts of canter/gallop round the fields. I would jump her every couple of weeks or so in the school.
I've recently moved yards and the hacking is much better so I've been increasing our hacking time, and now hack more often than I school. I've been able to increase the hacking to up to 1.5 hours a day, mostly walking on roads, a lot of which is hilly, and now introducing more trot and canter as there are a few grassy places we can access.
I also jumping her once a week at home, or at a show at least once a week. The increased hacking does seem to have improved her fitness, however on occasion she can be a bit stuffy to jump (all is OK in terms of health - she is regularly seen by a physio and all tack etc fits fine) and seems tired and blowing after jumping a course. We did a working hunter championship this weekend, the course was long and tricky with and she did all the difficult bits amazingly (including a combination which was a down-hill to up-hill dog leg turn), however we were both shattered by the end of the course!
I'm going to keep going with the hacking as I'd love to be able to take her drag hunting this winter - think it would really get her going forward and help improve her fitness. I'm also going to start taking her on some farm rides. My question is, should I now start introducing more of the faster work such as cantering and short gallops, and also are there any jumping exercises anybody could recommend which would increase her 'jumping stamina', and how often should I be doing these?
Thanks in advance for any tips
I'm looking for some advice regarding fitness plans/exercises for jumping fitness.
I have a 12 year old 14.3hh welsh cob mare. I've had her since she was a foal and historically have mostly done dressage and showing, so we've only really started jumping competitively in the last 18 months or so. She has shown an aptitude for Mountain & Moorland working hunter and I'd also like to do some unaffiliated ODE's.
She is an EXTREMELY good doer, but since I've moved yards I'm able to manage her weight a bit better now. She is slightly overweight at the moment, but is getting slimmer. Her current level of fitness is OK for what she has been doing in the past - she was previously schooled in walk, trot and canter around 3 times a week for about 30 minutes and hacked twice a week for about 30 minutes - this included some short bursts of canter/gallop round the fields. I would jump her every couple of weeks or so in the school.
I've recently moved yards and the hacking is much better so I've been increasing our hacking time, and now hack more often than I school. I've been able to increase the hacking to up to 1.5 hours a day, mostly walking on roads, a lot of which is hilly, and now introducing more trot and canter as there are a few grassy places we can access.
I also jumping her once a week at home, or at a show at least once a week. The increased hacking does seem to have improved her fitness, however on occasion she can be a bit stuffy to jump (all is OK in terms of health - she is regularly seen by a physio and all tack etc fits fine) and seems tired and blowing after jumping a course. We did a working hunter championship this weekend, the course was long and tricky with and she did all the difficult bits amazingly (including a combination which was a down-hill to up-hill dog leg turn), however we were both shattered by the end of the course!
I'm going to keep going with the hacking as I'd love to be able to take her drag hunting this winter - think it would really get her going forward and help improve her fitness. I'm also going to start taking her on some farm rides. My question is, should I now start introducing more of the faster work such as cantering and short gallops, and also are there any jumping exercises anybody could recommend which would increase her 'jumping stamina', and how often should I be doing these?
Thanks in advance for any tips