Roadwork

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rodeo12

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How much trotting on the roads do you do each time your out? What's the longest time you'd trot for.

I know there's often a debate about the hard ground and horses legs and whether they've become accustomed to it or not will make a difference, but not after a debate, just wondering what people do and whether they put boots on as need to get my horse fit and during the week will only have roads to hack on and thus am going to have to do a lot of trotting. Just trying to work out what to limit it to.
 
Had mine years and must do at least an hour of roadwork a day, sometimes well over 8 miles per ride on the road. Mixture of shod and unshod.

Never had any problems.

Providing they're fit, not hammered on it and conformationally correct enough to not be stressing anything in excess, then I see no problem. I've always used it for strengthening and fitness.


ETA - just remembered it was on about trotting apologies! I don't really have a 'set' amount of time. Depends on the road surface and how fit the horse is and how quick I need to get somewhere! Probably 20 minutes max trotting out in one time.
 
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I only do it really on one stretch of road, its a 10 minute stretch, coming and going from our yard, and I only really do it there as its slightly uphill, and there's a bit of a bend in the road with gypsy camps, so practising trotting transitions there, helps focus Idiotpony who's a little jumpy when he sets out for a hack and takes his mind away from the dumped rubbish that clearly is out to eat him.

btw, he's barefoot and doesn't wear hoofboots. I don't really tend to do it anywhere else, just doesn't occur to me, unless I'm in a bit of a hurry to get to the offroad areas/back home.
 
Im fittening mine up also, and currently do a number of 2 minute trots on the road during each hack - I would do more but she's barefoot and I'm working on her feet as well as her fitness!
Hills are a good tool to trot up if you have any around you when she's ready. Or an active walk!
 
I tend to walk briskly uphills not trot and interval trot on the flat. Usually 2min trot 2 min walk for 15 mins or so.
 
When my mares fit we'll quite happily trot an hour and half+ ride on roads and nip into fields for a canter/jump some logs if we want to. Dont have any longer rides really!

Shes warmed up before (walk a mile or so) and cooled down before we get home and built up steadily to this though.
Im of the belief they need a little concussion in legs to strengthen. You cant wrap them up forever, shes together and balanced and doesnt slop around when ever I ride. Majority of surfaces (unless your on an exceptional yard) are too deep and not mantained and detrimental to tendons IMO.

And shes shod (little road pins incase its slippy)
She doesnt wear boots/bandages for the simple reason she doesnt need them.
 
Wooohoo! You've all made me feel much better - I was thinking half hour which will be perfectly fine then. My horse has done a lot of road work so he too has got a lot of strength already and he doesn't wear boots either so really I can just keep everything the same and just do some interval work with him to build him up :)
 
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