Trotting on roads

[J1993]

One of them mixed opinion threads.

I have a 4 year old and we have some lovely quiet roads around. I much prefer getting her out hacking rather than in the school and she enjoys it too.

Some people have said they would never trot on a road. Too much concussion etc.

Some have said it conditions their legs?

She is shod on front. I have been doing the odd stretches of trot on my hacks on some flat and uphill sections but then a few people on my yard have said im knackering her legs.

 

[EllenJay]

Trotting on hard surface is fine - provided you don't overdo it. The same as trotting on really soft surfaces can knacker their legs - if you overdo it.
Everything in moderation.
Keep the trot balanced and steady

 

[paddi22]

we did a few physio and vets talks on this. short stretches are fine. uphill is better. I always trot mine uphill a bit and on suitable verges, but would generally just walk on hacks. as ellenjay said, a balanced stead trot is ok. it's the clattering forward trots that are dodgy.

 

[oldie48]

I do the same as paddi22, mainly a good active walk, trot uphill but not if the road is slippy or too steep.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I don't trot at all on the lanes I use except to literally get out of the way of traffic when going around a corner or something similiar.

 

[VioletStripe]

we did a few physio and vets talks on this. short stretches are fine. uphill is better. I always trot mine uphill a bit and on suitable verges, but would generally just walk on hacks. as ellenjay said, a balanced stead trot is ok. it's the clattering forward trots that are dodgy.

This - short bursts and not hammering. I have always used it in small doses for building fitness up as it is good for hardening tendons up

 

[bouncing_ball]

Think Dr marlin said a maximum of 5 minutes.

https://davidmarlin.co.uk/portfolio...o-review-trotting-on-roads-to-get-horses-fit/

 

[eggs]

I think the hardening tendons up has been shown to be a falsehood. Years ago we always trotted the hunters on the road to 'harden' their legs. Now I just do a controlled trot up a slope.

 

[chocolategirl]

One of them mixed opinion threads.

I have a 4 year old and we have some lovely quiet roads around. I much prefer getting her out hacking rather than in the school and she enjoys it too.

Some people have said they would never trot on a road. Too much concussion etc.

Some have said it conditions their legs?

She is shod on front. I have been doing the odd stretches of trot on my hacks on some flat and uphill sections but then a few people on my yard have said im knackering her legs.

I only ever trot uphill, and for short bursts at a time, I’ve just assumed that’s what’s best ?

 

[Tarragon]

I trot on the roads, otherwise I would never get anywhere! But, it is hopefully always a steady pace and never down hills. My ponies aren't shod either, though I am not sure this makes a difference. I have a feeling that more damage can be done by overusing a soft arena then steady trotting in straight lines on a tarmac road.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I always trot up road hills, sometimes trot on the flat for short bursts but never downhill. Over winter all hacking is on roads so I have to trot or they would lose all the fitness built up over the summer.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

When I worked at a RS back in the 60's all our work was done on the roads so a lot of trotting. All horses shod all round. At least 3 of the horses were in their 20's and totally sound. Lameness was virtually unheard of.

 

[paddi22]

When I worked at a RS back in the 60's all our work was done on the roads so a lot of trotting. All horses shod all round. At least 3 of the horses were in their 20's and totally sound. Lameness was virtually unheard of.

A few of us had a really interesting chat about this years ago. we exercised hunters for hours clattering down roads and I would have been of the same view as you but then we remembered how many horses were just accepted to be a bit 'off' or had a 'weird trot' or were buted when needed. I think if we put those horses in a dressage arena to do a prelim test they'd be pulled up as 'being off' a lot! so I think there was lameness but unless it was bad it was just worked through or gotten on with. I don't think there was the same subtly in picking up issues. I also think horses back then were generally sounder and hardier as they were worked on all surfaces from young and didn't do the endless arena work and restricted turnout that plagues horses these days and cause easier breakdowns.

 

[AmyMay]

I’ve always done a lot of trotting on the roads, with no ill effects.

I think what you’re doing, op, sounds sensible for a young horse. I certainly wouldn’t do any more.

 

[Gloi]

I've trotted many a mile on the roads over the years and never had anything go lame from it. To be honest I've only ever had occasional lameness ,and always from external causes like kicks, but have always had tough breed ponies.

 

[wren123]

Interesting, we used to trot on roads but we hacked mostly, very little schooling and then in a marked out arena in a field. I do think endless schooling in a deep arena isn't good for a pony.

 

[millikins]

I think many driving ponies and horses are sounder than ridden ones, perhaps because less pressure on their backs and fewer circles but they trot on roads for most of their exercise.

 

[paddi22]

it's an odd one, because we get trotters to retrain who would have had shoes on and been in a cart since they were yearlings. and absolutely battered down roads at 40 miles per hour. And without exception, every single one has been sound and never had a lame day in their life. The first trotter I got I was paranoid she would be a nightmare to keep sound, but I asked a lameness expert at a talk thing about her and he said he would expect to see more lameness issues in well kept dressage youngsters as the strain on their legs from turns, lunging and surfaces would be way worse. he said the fact that trotters only trot in a straight line is a plus. I totally changed how I break and train horses after that talk.

 

[J1993]

Interesting responses! I feel her movement much better when we are having a good trot uphill. I feel her pushing from behind more. She enjoys it more too! I noticed she was much stronger. Then we had 12 weeks where we didn't hack due to a yard move and being busy and I can feel how shes a little weaker now again.

 

[Rowreach]

A few of us had a really interesting chat about this years ago. we exercised hunters for hours clattering down roads and I would have been of the same view as you but then we remembered how many horses were just accepted to be a bit 'off' or had a 'weird trot' or were buted when needed. I think if we put those horses in a dressage arena to do a prelim test they'd be pulled up as 'being off' a lot! so I think there was lameness but unless it was bad it was just worked through or gotten on with. I don't think there was the same subtly in picking up issues. I also think horses back then were generally sounder and hardier as they were worked on all surfaces from young and didn't do the endless arena work and restricted turnout that plagues horses these days and cause easier breakdowns.

I think there's a lot of truth in this. When I did hunters for a living though we did a lot of trot work on the roads because we knew that out hunting they would spend a lot of time clattering round the roads, and that our owners weren't always the best riders (some were passengers). So the horses were educated to go in a steady rhythmic trot, which got them fit and taught them that they could still get where they were going without going flat out. I don't remember many that had tendon or hoof injuries, the main problem was flint cuts and that wasn't on the road.

Having said that, these days I do trot on the road but steady as she goes for short periods.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

I think there's a lot of truth in this. When I did hunters for a living though we did a lot of trot work on the roads because we knew that out hunting they would spend a lot of time clattering round the roads, and that our owners weren't always the best riders (some were passengers). So the horses were educated to go in a steady rhythmic trot, which got them fit and taught them that they could still get where they were going without going flat out. I don't remember many that had tendon or hoof injuries, the main problem was flint cuts and that wasn't on the road.

Having said that, these days I do trot on the road but steady as she goes for short periods.

This is currently my job keeping hunt horses fit.
And where we are based we have nothing but road work and 1 field to canter in (did before all the rain).
So I have done a LOT of trot work on the roads at a nice steady pace but for a good length of time.
My horses are now out hunting.
If just a gentle slope I continue to trot down but if steeper I do walk down.
I do this as once they are out 'working' (with either huntsman/whipper in) they aren't going to be fussy about it so I feel at least they are conditioned to it.
I did box out to do bits of canter work and autumn hunting helped with this.
I have alot of offers of places to go but doing them alone and only a small lorry it's just not possible I don't have enough time in the day ??‍

 

[scruffyponies]

We trot, canter and gallop on roads. They're also driven at trot and canter on the road, barefoot. They are conditioned to it steadily, and I'm careful with anything new or young.

Not only do we not have lameness issues, but their feet hardly need trimming. I remove the odd flare as they develop, but that's about it. One is now 22 years old, loves a gallop on the road and wears so evenly that he has NEVER been trimmed. He has not had a day lame in his life.

Had one pony who would be lame in 10 minutes in a sand school (known hock issue), but would trot all day out hacking on the roads. He died of natural causes at 36, ancient but sound.
My view is that it is soft surfaces and tight circles which lame horses; especially young ones.