Trotting on roads

[beh]

 

[Frazer]

Most of my fittening and exercise on the roads will be trotting! You see the cobs, and the harness horses trotting full speed on roads with shoes and no bandages boots! I normally trot inbetween 5/10 minutes, depending on hills etc... Sometimes up to 15 minutes!!

 

[Molineux]

I try not to trot on roads - the only time I will trot on the road is if we have a nice big hill to go up.

I know a few people that trot a lot on the roads and they have had quite a few problems with tendons and leg problems.

However when I go hunting it does all change as you have no choice in the matter

!!
But thats every now again!

 

[loopeepee]

See my thread in the NL!

 

[beh]

yeah i have Illus, i wondered what most people done as it seemed to be 50/50 in the NL, sorry if you thought i eas copying, im not im just inquisitive (sp)

 

[RachelB]

I'll trot up hills, and along some stretches of road if I know I won't get much off-road work done in that ride, but generally I'll try and plan my ride so I don't have to do much. I even don't mind trotting my friend's flat-footed ancient hyperchondriac pony along the roads, and she doesn't usually go lame because of that (*touches wood*)! Doesn't bother me too much.

 

[pottamus]

As I mentioned in the other post, I do loads of trotting to get and maintain my horse fit enough for endurance. All my work is on roads as we have limited off road riding here...so I do my 1 - 2 hours hacks all in trot with the exception of downhills...so I guess on average we cover most of our 20 plus miles a week in trot!

 

[Jemayni]

I try and avoid it at all costs; I really cannot see the benefit in it, also our off-road hacking is quite good so it is realistically avoidabrle. I think I would probably be more inclined to do it if I ever rode horses older that 6, but I don't and they still have underdeveloped bones etc etc.

 

[helenandshadow]

Yes most of my fittening work is roadwork, i usually trot for about 20 mins, never downhill though, it toughens the legs and i've never had any problems.

 

[bellgave]

My show horses dont get to trot on the roads for fear of splints. Anything else I ride does trot on the rod as I think its great for fitness

 

[wizzi901]

yep trot on the roads, lots of walking too. I do feel if you pander too much horses get soft! - only in my personal experiences and a friend who had a nightmare feet issue with her pure TB, all 17.2hh of him! - he is now much stronger and feet harder for actually asking a bit more of him. My boy is also tough as nails and following a busy career probably has the best legs you have seen on a 23 year old! No lumps bumps tendon issues at all. And those tendons have been busy over the years I assure you!

 

[Vicki1986]

i trot on the road to strengthen legs and for fitness.

 

[severnmiles]

Aslong as the basics of roadwork are done (at walk) to harden the legs there is no reason why you shouldn't trot on roads. Our old mare trots for miles on roads during fittening work and hunting, she's 25 and her legs are still going strong!

 

[BBs]

Rarely trot on the roads, unless 1. I have a fresh horse or 2. that I need to get past something or theres a lot of traffic behind me or something similar and 3. if its bloody cold (winter riding).

Now I have moved we have a few gentle hills to trot up and I use these for the horses fittening work. However, I dont see the point of hammering my horses on the roads - thats my opinion, many think Im mad competing in the summer on firm ground. Equally, theres a lot of trotting involved when we are out hunting also.