LizzyandToddy
Well-Known Member
Firstly, I'm not here to say who's right, wrong or blah blah blah, I just want to hear peoples opinions on how they judge whether a horse is fit. Everyone I seem to speak to has different ways of judging so I'm just curious to hear what sort of criteria everyone else judges it on?
-Possibly particularly appropriate given the recent lack of riding thanks to the snow!!
Now I for one would look at the muscle build up (and whether or not its in the right places), and I know when I'm judging the fitness of my horse for eventing I take him for a gallop up a lovely big hill and see how long it takes him to tire out - I know that when he is fit enough for what I want to do he can make it to the top, still breathing well, without having slowed down (in fact often speeding up) and I know that he can trot me comfortably without having to stop down into the nearest village out on a hack. I'm actually a little limited in that I rely solely on riding in fields and out hacking to gain fitness as we have no school or anything
He can also comfortably hold canter for around 10 minutes or so in flat-work lessons and such.
Obviously different disciplines require totally different types of fitness, would be very curious to here other peoples thoughts - particularly if anyone on here does endurance riding? (Something that's always baffled me you go so far?! D: )
-Possibly particularly appropriate given the recent lack of riding thanks to the snow!!
Now I for one would look at the muscle build up (and whether or not its in the right places), and I know when I'm judging the fitness of my horse for eventing I take him for a gallop up a lovely big hill and see how long it takes him to tire out - I know that when he is fit enough for what I want to do he can make it to the top, still breathing well, without having slowed down (in fact often speeding up) and I know that he can trot me comfortably without having to stop down into the nearest village out on a hack. I'm actually a little limited in that I rely solely on riding in fields and out hacking to gain fitness as we have no school or anything
He can also comfortably hold canter for around 10 minutes or so in flat-work lessons and such.Obviously different disciplines require totally different types of fitness, would be very curious to here other peoples thoughts - particularly if anyone on here does endurance riding? (Something that's always baffled me you go so far?! D: )