Trotting on roads..

[Jay89]

Do you trot on roads, some people say you shouldnt others say you can, just wondered what peoples views were?

 

[mik]

but slowly and in balance.

 

[Ellies_mum2]

I trot on roads but not a massive amount ie. just for a couple of minutes at a time

 

[Ali2]

Yes but we are shoeless.

 

[nicnag]

I've said no, but it's really that I've got one mare with Savin so we mainly walk on road but I will trot if I feel we're on a stretch of road I'd rather get off than stay on for any time. I do more trotting on the forestry tracks round here than tarmac.

 

[Ezme]

If we didn't trot the driving horses on the road we'd never get anywhere

 

[Jay89]

Think there are times when you need to lol. I think if its not too fast or for too long its ok.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

I do, but try to do it in short amounts and slowly, and balanced. I don't really do it for any length of time.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Yes, all of them.

I told the Newmarket vet that we'd got up to nine (and a half!) minutes continuous trotting on roads and estate tracks and she was fine about it - wanted Dizz to be doing forty minues sustained trotting and knew that we only really had the road to do it on.

 

[Equus Leather]

Yes, always have trotted on roads. It's good for building up strength in the legs. Good for fitness. Good for getting places quicker!

I've never heard such tosh about not trotting on roads. Horses trotted everywhere in the old days before cars...why shouldn't we trot on roads?

Now cantering on the road is completely different....

 

[CorvusCorax]

Absolutely!

Also a slow canter-on-the-spot once or twice

but that was hunting and I had little choice in the matter

 

[nuffield]

If you go to an endurance event you will see the competitors trotting fast on the roads for miles and miles. Also cantering. The horses are vetted before and after the event.

 

[muffinino]

Yep, never had a horse lame from it either. I have even *whispers* cantered on the road on occassion when out hunting as it was actually easier & more balanced to do so.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Yes
Most of our hacking has to be on roads, so we'd do very little other than walk if we didn't trot on the roads. I do keep telling my horse that it's not so good for her to canter on the road.

Controlled, balanced trotting is good for fittening horses (and their riders). It does make me cringe though when I see some of our neighbours trotting with reins like washing lines, going hell-for-leather up the road. I'm not surprised when I then find out that their horses have foot problems. *Touch wood* ours have all always(30+ yrs) been fine.

 

[CrazyMare]

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, never had a horse lame from it either. I have even *whispers* cantered on the road on occassion when out hunting as it was actually easier & more balanced to do so.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this!!! My mare will HAMMER her legs out hunting if she trots on the roads, we do a steady hand canter instead if we can, she stays slower & in more balance.

 

[Rhiann0n]

Yes, on my 18 year old TB........... and on the way home its often a spanking medium trot! But not round sharp bends, where the tarmac is slippery, or for long periods.

 

[samstar]

Yes I trot on the roads but only in short bursts

 

[rara007]

Yup- Sometimes not even that slow, or for that shorter distance

 

[hellybelly6]

Nope

Horse has bone spavin and side bone and is lame trotting on hard ground.

 

[yethersgill]

Yes. Try and keep her steady when hacking, but will go faster on an endurance ride

 

[Puppy]

Yes, in moderation

 

[Haflinger]

Yes I trot on the roads

 

[RunToEarth]

Yes, all of the time, for quite long periods of time, and my horses have never had any problems from it.

 

[Tallante]

I've got a driving pony. It's pretty much all we do!

 

[Taffster]

We ont trot on the roads its not the fear of making him lame its the wear and tear on his legs!

 

[Abbeygale]

Yes I trot on the roads -we have always trotted on the roads - and have never had a horse with a problem with its legs.

 

[emilyw]

No I just walk on the roads...we have bone spavin and Navicular so its a complete no no!

 

[Elle1085]

Yes i've always trotted on the roads normally just up the hills so not really for that long but if i'm trying to get a horse fit then i'll trot as much as i can. My horse walks so slow i'd never get anywhere without trotting

 

[4leggedfurries]

Yes i trot on the road, always have and always will, never had any problems and i've always trotted quite a lot. D will quite happily trot the entire time we are out, we'll start off in a nice walk then we're off and i dont have to do anything he'll just keep going, we only tend to walk when he's had enough.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont hack, but when I did I never trotted on roads - terrible for concussion IMO. My first pony came down with concussive laminitis many years ago which I believe was brought on by me trotting (slowly) too much on roads.