Training on the gallops

only_me

only_me

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Took billy for a blast up the gallops today, good steep hill but not sure how long it is - takes roughly 3 mins to walk down again. I did 3xtrots and 3xsteady canters and he only started to sweat on the second canter and was tired but not dead when finished.

I was wondering how you all train on gallops?
Racehorse friend says they do 4xsteadys and 2x3/4 pace with the tbs but I don't want billy that fit as unecessary wear and tear on legs and he doesn't need to be that fit!!

So what is your routine on the gallops? Hill gallops preferably :)
 
It's difficult to say as it depends on the gradient, length of gallop and horse. The most important thing is to never go flat out as its an artificial surface, 3/4 speed should be max pace. I think you just want to feel that the horse is having a good blow and you feel it's worked hard.
 
6.5f all weather up a good hill. Having had a 10min walk/trot hack first I then do one steady canter and twice at 3/4 speed. This is roughly what we did with the racehorses (NH)/pointers, but they got another trip up or a sprint as they got close to running.

It takes about 10mins to walk back down (I often trot half of it) so I think yours is a bit shorter. I don't think there's a right or a wrong really.
 
Thanks guys, has a long steep hill will try and get a pic next time out. Would you keep upping the intensity of the session or would you let horse get comfortable at the set and then move up?
 
A really good indication of if they have done enough is dropping off the bridle. I always pull up immediately and walk back. We use this method for pointers doing trot work up very steep hills but works the same in canter.
 
Doing hill work or any kind of work a horse should be forwards into the bridle. As in there should be some pressure in the reins and taking you forwards. When they drop the bridle the pressure in the reins suddenly stops and this is because they have hit their limit. Last time I was going up a steep hill in trot on a pointer with another one alongside. We had already gone up once, about half way up mine dropped the bridle and the other one kept going as dropped it further up the hill as fitter.
 
LEC said:
A really good indication of if they have done enough is dropping off the bridle. I always pull up immediately and walk back. We use this method for pointers doing trot work up very steep hills but works the same in canter.
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While I would agree with this for some horses, the trouble is it does depend on the individual! Just like people, you get the keen ones and the idle b* ggers :D Also I had a WB once who used to tell me he was working as hard as he could, it was only once I bought a heart rate monitor I discovered he was hardly exerting himself at all!

The gallops I use are approx 5f up an initially steep hill, then a steady pull - I actually don't use the last section as it is a sharp bend then a flat straight which seems a bit pointless, so what I use is more like just over 1/2 mile. For a 1-2* CCI ie opt time 7.5-9 mins I would be going up it 3 times, speed variable depending on horse and event aimed at (eg Weston Park is a very demanding 1* fitness wise, as was Necarne) 3* plus they would go up 4 times the last few times. That said, Noff was goong up 4 times last autumn before Weston CCIP last year because he has to go flat out to get the time so needs to be super fit :)

I find you get to know the particular gallops and, over time, get to know how many times, how fast, and how they should feel for a particular level of fitness, that's why I'm reluctant to use other gallops now :)
 
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