Trotting on roads - yay or nay?

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So far I have avoided trotting hovis on roads or hard ground as far as possible as I am a little worried about his joints etc. He's a 16HH 5 year old clydesdale cross and therefore still has a lot of growing to do.
However we hack out with a lady who has a 17.2HH leggy beast who's stride is loads longer than Hovis' and in walk we get left behind. In trot we keep up easily as he has a very active trot. Also I'd like to get him fitter and trotting for longer distances seems the easiest way to do this.
So should I trot him on roads etc or not?
 
I have two heavy horses - both are now arthritic and my vet is convinced it is because they did too much too young - especially trotting on roads. If I were you, I would not trot a young heavy horse on a hard surface unless it was absolutely necessary (to get out of the way of traffic/catch up another horse etc.). I would hate Hovis to end up with the problems my two have got.
 
I'm not sure considering his age, as I only have teenagers
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but I do lots of trotting on the roads, because he loves it and I'm lazy, hate walking, hard work! ATM I'm gettting 14.1hh cob fit after a year out following PSD surgery.

The vet advised me to do 5 minutes trotting after 3 weeks of walking in a 90 minute hack. I've never had problems doing lots of trotting on roads, but you do need them to be fit enough for the job.
 
Think it depends on each individual horse. I try not to trot Lacey too much, especially in the summer as her feet tend to crack, so I dont want to make them worse!
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Walk is much less concussive. Some trotting on the roads shouldn't do any harm, but done regularly, over a period of years, it would probably lead to problems.
 
Food for thought...lady I knew years ago had a pony that didn't do well on hard ground. With the foot and mouth of 2000, she actually ended up with no other choice that to take the pony on the roads. After 2 months of gently building up...she never looked back...I think it is more a question of not doing too much too soon...keep an eye on the legs...always check for heat when you get home and if you think there may be an issue...cold hose or use neoice bandages or something like that...
 
i was told years ago that more than 5 mins trotting on the road per day = damage from concussion - pedalostitis, ringbone, tendonitis, etc etc. i will trot uphill only on roads for no more than 5 mins a day. around here it's flat as a pancake, so no trotting on roads at all, just not worth the risk. with a heavier-type horse, i wouldn't.
 
I was always told that trotting on roads helped to strengthen up their legs. I am building up the trotting I'm doing now with my 5 year old and have never had any concussive injuries with any of my other horses. I think a lot of it is personal preference and if you do do it build it up slowly.
 
Yes I'll trot on the roads but only in short and infrequent bursts and a nice balanced trot, not hammering them along.
 
i dont do much trotting on roads with my barefoot mare beacuse i want to keep her legs in good shape.i will trot on for a few mins if needed though.shes 18 now and shes got no windgalls etc.(got at rising 5) and no signs of ring/side bone or arthritis.shes hardly been trotted on the roads at all and was backed 'late' at 4.
hence i dont do much trotting if any on roads with the 5yo.
we have hills and off road hacking round here though to get them fit.
 
I always have trotted on roads and had horses live into their 30's and 40's with no real problems with their legs. I think the key is to ensure that the trot is always collected, never 'hammer' the trot on the road. One of ours was a Clydex who made it into her 40's, was never lame and eventually was pts as a result of a heart condition (age related)
 
I will trot my HW cob on the road for short periods -a the moment we do a few strides and then back to walk.

He is a very slow walker so we do need to do some trotting to keep up with the other horses but I only really do it when going uphill.

I do worry about the concussion it can cause and I am going to try him shoeless in the winter with hoof boots as this should reduce some of the strain.
 
Our driving horses do 90% of there road work at trot, they all start at 3 and by the time they are 4 they do upto 6 miles regualrly with longer drives once or twice a week.

We have never had an issue with legs and have never had one lame.
 
Our HW cob has been driven since he was three and is now 17. he has, and always does, trot a lot on the roads. No problems so far with hooves or legs.
 
I dont trot on the roads because merlin already has arthritis in one fetlock and this would make it worse
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Also at the last yard I was at, all the people who trotted for miles on the roads, had horses with buggered legs.... two of which have now been pts
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So personally I wont risk it.
 
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