Trotting on roads?

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Mac1999

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I've always been really careful ground-wise....I never jump when it's really hard or the ground is bad and I am careful where I canter too...I never canter down roads when hunting or anything.

What are people's opinions on trotting on roads for fairly long periods? I worry a bit about their legs and if I am risking future problems? When the fields are bad I don't have a lot of choice as I don't have an access to a school and need to keep my boys fairly fit. But I don't want to risk causing them problems now or in the future.

What do you think?
 
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I do, always have, but not hammer and tongs, just slow and steady.

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Same here but mostly uphills. This was especially when I didn't have anywhere to canter - now I have the moors
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- but before I got him fit for PN eventing by trotting on the roads and weekly jumping lessons.
 
Don't see a problem with trotting on the roads as long as its done responsibly. Build it up gradually etc, in fact I was always taught it helps to strengthen up their legs so I will always have a certain amount of trotting roadwork built into a fitness programme.
 
I very rarely trot on roads or really hard ground unless i have to. My horse was out on loan to someone a few years ago and we found out afterwards that she was doing a lot of road work with him including trotting. He used to have very clean legs but since this loan he now has a few permanent lumps at bumps on his hind legs. They don't seem to affect him but don't look very nice! I would avoid it wherever possible.
 
I always trot on the roads, not fast just a nice working trot. My mare is a bit fizzy out hacking and doesnt walk if i try to make her walk for too long we end up jogging and cantering and sidewards so trottting is safer for me
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however she does have silicone pads in front
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I always bare this in mind, something I've always been tought from a young age, never do too much trotting on roads and always think about the ground conditions when cantering, dont get me wrong I'm no kill joy, I enjoy trot as good as anyone, it strengthens the legs but you will also notice that then ones that do a lot of fast work on hard ground....are the ones that end up with lame horses etc
 
I agree with Kate, it's supposed to 'harden up their tendons' (not sure how scientifically proven that claim is though?) I think it's the only way you can really get them fit enough for hard work, lots of trotting up hills. Build it up slowly though, and try and keep it to up hills or at worst on the level, never down hill.
 
Not unless I have to. I sometimes do it if I am really rushed and can squeeze a bit in going up a track, but very rare that I do it on tarmac. I would not worry about doing it if it meant getting away from danger. Don't like the idea of all that concussion on his feet.
 
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I never canter down roads when hunting or anything.



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I thought people intentionally cantered on roads when hunting because it is supposedly less damaging than trotting.
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Have always trotted on the roads, the 'trick' is to keep the trot slow and balanced, pushing from behind, rather than allowing the horse to run on, especially on the forhand. We must have got it right having got our horses into real old age, still with sound legs
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trotting on roads is fine as long as your sensible as it can cause jarring of legs etc if not but i dont see an problem with it
 
I've heard a lot of people saying its really bad for a horse's legs to trot on roads for long periods and will lead to problems later on in a horse's life.
My parents are old school hunters- trotting on roads is THE way to get a horse fit, always has been, and to us, always will be- you don't get a horse hunting fit in an arena.
My old mare has been trotted (for long periods often) on roads and other hard surfaces for as long as we have had her, and most certainly before we bought her. She is now 28 and has no problems with her legs at all.
 
As with most drivers here, we regularly trot on roads whilst driving, it is far easier for a driven horse to trot uphill than walk. Our boy has been working on roads for 14 years now and has good legs. (so far)
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I always trot on roads and non of our horses over the years have had any problems at all! I don't go hell for leather or anything, just nice and balanced and get my horse to work.

Actually vibrations and this type of concussion on legs I have heard helps with improving bone density as far as I am aware (heard that on TV not long ago about vibration of bones). I think it is worse for horses to be constantly worked on soft surfaces and then expected to jump round xc or big showjumping courses to be honest.
 
I would happily trot on the road on an unshod horse but would think twice about it on a shod horse. With most shod horses the frog doesn't come into contact with the road so the shock isn't dispersed through the digital cushion, lateral cartilages etc.
 
Always have done, never a problem but mine are barefoot so concussion is less. Don't go hell for leather but do lots of steady slow work.

Have also been known to canter up disused lanes, again barefoot and actually less concussion than trotting.

Wouldn't feel so confident with a shod horse thou as the foot can't expand and contract to absorb the landing correctly.
 
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I do, always have, but not hammer and tongs, just slow and steady.

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Ditto...and on a regular basis.
 
My understanding of 'hardening the legs' is that the trotting causes mini stress fractures on the cannon bone, calcium builds round these fractures, increasing the strength and size of bone. If done correctly, this leads to iron hard bone, capable of long periods of work on hard sufaces.

I am an endurance bod (up to 160k) and most routes in the UK involve a bit of road work. I wouldn't ask my pony to do in competition something I hadn't built up to in training first.
She has done many kms at speed and has lovely clean legs.
(my first post!)

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I live at home with no luxury like a sandschool, i have two youngsters and a 12yr old & last season i had only the roads to keep fit apart from once a week renting a school to jump etc & the weekend then consists of competing. My 18yr old tb mare was trotted on the roads 4days a week and hunted at the weekend and was fitter for it. I maybe trot for 10mins at a time (never done hill) maybe a verge if wide enough not usually though and one youngster competes in showing & WH & gets placed every time out! Again its down to building it up on their legs & if out of work start slowly again so their legs get used to it, touch wood so far so good!
 
I trot everywhere on the roads, but my horses are barefoot. When they were shod, I HATED the shock going up through their legs - you could see and feel it when inhand. Now they just pad along and make so little noise you can sneak up on people.
 
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