Trotting on the roads - is it harmful?

[bluewhippet]

I have a fit 9 year old arab gelding. Passed a five stage vetting, nothing wrong with his legs. He likes a long trot on the roads and so do I. But I know nothing about the long term effects - are there any?

 

[babymare]

ok im bit old school in some ways but if they are brought to fitness right and given some good steady roadwork over weeks in walk ( with short bursts of trot on good ground) mmm ok but I try to keep tror short on roads as the impact damage can not been seen- best to find routes where can trot on good giving ground and use road work to keep horse working and going forward and responding to aids and smiling to the drivers who slow down xx

 

[VioletStripe]

As long as the horse has good feet, and is not trotted extensively, then yes it is fine. However, it should be built up slowly. Walk at first, then with short bursts of trot which can gradually lengthened. Never trot too much though. I've been told once before if done properly it can help strengthen tendons? Don't quote me on that thought and I stand to be corrected Either way I do think it's good to change the surfaces we work horses on. Just remember to gradually work it up, and don't do it too fast or for too long xx

 

[Charliepony]

When mine was back in work after a fracture I was told by the vet to trot on the road, as the concussion strengthens bone. He is sound as a pound now, at the age of 16, and has trotted (and cantered, he's primarily a hunter) on roads all his life.

 

[lhotse]

I trotted my horse on the roads all her active life, and she was never unsound. I have seen more horses injured from endless circles in the school. I think so long as you take it steady, and introduce trot after a good period of walking work on the roads, it does little harm in my opinion.

 

[MrsHutt]

I don't claim to be any sort of expert, but a very knowledgeable lady at our yard always says it's good for them to do some road trotting. I am always a little nervous when I go with her, though as she does seem to go for quite a long while. As I said, I'm no expert so I bow to her superior knowledge - her horse is a very fit hunter type, though.

 

[sallysim]

it's not the hopping over the hedges that hurts the horses' hooves
but the 'ammer, 'ammer,' 'ammer on the old high road!

don't know who wrote it, but always remember that from my Black Beauty annual when I was a kid.

oh, yeah, and being yelled at by my dad!

 

[bluewhippet]

Sallysim, it is just that I remember every time I am trotting, which is why I thought I would ask!

 

[YorksG]

There is a vast difference between hammering a horse in trot on the road and trotting properly on the road. If the horse is banging along on the forehand, then it is not good for it, if it is trotting properly, under control, then I think it does no harm. We have always trotted on the roads and never had any lameness issues.

 

[skewby]

Gosh am I the only one who believes it's good for a horse to trot on roads as it strengthens and hardens tendons/ligaments? I thought race trainers did this on purpose? Have I imagined this? I hunt and am over the moon to have moved to a yard with lots of roadwork, so many people moan about it but having come from fields only I'm dead pleased as I always hated hammering up roads hunting when we'd not been on any since the last meet!

 

[sallysim]

I'm dead pleased as I always hated hammering up roads hunting when we'd not been on any since the last meet!


ah, perhaps this is where it comes from then ...

I do remember doing four to six weeks walking on roads before anything else as a prelude to getting horse fit.

However, I can also remember working for a dealer where lots of trotting was encouraged early on in horses' training on roads as well as other surfaces - and lots of splints were the result...

 

[ladyt25]

I have always trotted my ponies and horses on the roads and still do. I understand the concussion helps to build bone density so it is good for the horses legs. As mentioned though, there's trotting and there's trotting (ie like a gypsy on a flashing lane!). if you trot like the latter then i can imagine that would not be ideal for the horse.

The majority of lameness issues (often tendons, suspensory ligament and collateral ligaments) I have come across of friend's horses are in horse who do a lot of schooling in arenas as opposed to the horses that do a lot of road work. I personally think too much schooling on soft surfaces can ultimately cause more problems for the horses legs.

 

[Foxhunter49]

As someone else said, steady trotting on roads will help to harden a horse's legs. Pounding will cause problems.

 

[quirky]

Another one here who has a good long trot on the road, as said above though, it's a nice steady trot, not hammering along for all we're worth.

I am in the minority on my yard as most people seem to see a hack as an opportunity to amble, rather than the chance to fitten the horse as I do.

 

[HorseGirl18]

it will also help with their tendons, make them stronger so you dont have to worry too much about harder ground. if you were not to put boots on on the road, (only walk, little trot) and then put boots on when your cantering and jumping on hard ground (still a little give) you should be ok because you have strengthened the tendons by roadwwork

theres one proff rider that goes cross country with no boots 'as they will weaken his strong irish legs', found out in a mag

 

[LaurenBay]

I also trot on the roads, We have to do quite a bit of roadwork before we get to the bridle paths, so always have a trot to get them warmed up before we get to the fields Never had a problem.

However if my old share Horse was feeling partically fresh then I wouldn't as she tended to get a bit on the forehand and then pound. Can't be good for there legs!

 

[Suziq77]

it's not the hopping over the hedges that hurts the horses' hooves
but the 'ammer, 'ammer,' 'ammer on the old high road!

don't know who wrote it, but always remember that from my Black Beauty annual when I was a kid.

oh, yeah, and being yelled at by my dad!

Surtees - i always remember that quote too!

 

[Solo1]

It's how we get hunters fit, 5 weeks walking on roads, then gentle trotting, and along some short stretches we extend them, as this is what they do out hunting and when excited. Never had soundness issues apart from in the fields, and we still have some going at 20 odd so must be doing something okay!

However would be more hesitant to do it to my eventer, I do take him for a gentle trot but wouldn't extend as we do the hunters (would hesitate to call extension a 'hammer' as well... more a half hammer as they're not totally on their forehand?)

 

[hessy12]

I trotted my horse on the roads all her active life, and she was never unsound. I have seen more horses injured from endless circles in the school. I think so long as you take it steady, and introduce trot after a good period of walking work on the roads, it does little harm in my opinion.

This, and i add that working in deep sand in schools pulls the tendons and suspensory ligaments (rather like deep mud does). i think we need to remind ourselves that horses happily live in many very hot countries where all the ground is hard, they don't break down from it there. all the hunts get their horses fit with a good deal of trotting on the road. I'd draw the line at canter though!

 

[doris2008]

I totally agree that it is probably beneficial but will freely I rarely do it with my gelding. He has had front soundness issues and terrible front feet so I am convinced it can't do him any favours?! The only occasions I do it are usually up hill and he has to be working from behind and powering himself up.

 

[Megibo]

not read all posts but-aren't you meant to do roadwork, and increase it, to make tendons stronger/harder ..?
i'm on work exp in a racing yard at the mo and that is precisely what they are doing to get their hunt horses fit again!

 

[Solo1]

Add would never canter on roads either, IMO they're more likely to slip and break a hip - have seen it done, not nice at all. Have been on youngsters out hunting and realise sometimes they insist on cantering, in which case I take them on the verge until they trot or use my friends horses as a buffer (he's used to it now and the common shout is 'if you can't stop aim for Captains arse!')

 

[Miss L Toe]

Gosh am I the only one who believes it's good for a horse to trot on roads as it strengthens and hardens tendons/ligaments? I thought race trainers did this on purpose? Have I imagined this?

Absolutely not, they walk on roads to build muscle and harden ligaments, it would be hazardous as well, as they can jump around a bit in the early stages of training and no one wants to land on the road. The walk is not a "stroll n the park", it is a forward going pace, and they should be sweating a bit if not clipped.
Trotting is generally a pre-cursor to cantering, it is used to build up fitness, ideally up a long slow hill on a conformable surface.

 

[Cocorules]

It would be really good to read a scientific paper on this. In the absence of that I would just relate that many years ago when I did that sort of thing I ran on the road and felt some pain in my knee. I still have the same pain now not significant but I can always feel it. I did a test a few years ago running across a pressure mat. That showed I was not running straight and my knee action on my knee which has the slight pain was all over the place. What I take from this is that for many fit people if working correctly there may be no problems but you are not going to always be able to tell visually or from heat. I would love to know if this has been looked at scientifically.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I was at a vet meeting, and the Farrier [world class] happened to say, "... and don't trot on the roads", I agree, that a little short steady trot does no hard, but I see a lot of people going full tilt for several miles, I would swerve that, though with hunters, they hare working animal and are probably going to have to get used to it more than others.
I understand one local vet has never passed a horse over aged 16, so there must be something in it.

 

[hannahmurphy]

Trotting on roads uphill is fantastic for them is all manner of ways. I had regular small bursts of trot on the roads, as long as it's all under control and they are working properly it's fine. It only becomes a problem if you're mindlessly hammering along for ages & ages ....

 

[EQUISCENE]

I am old school and have always believed that controlled exercise including trotting on smooth tarmac was good for strengthening legs and tendons, surely much better than hammering about on hard rutty ground..

 

[Miss L Toe]

not read all posts but-aren't you meant to do roadwork, and increase it, to make tendons stronger/harder ..?
i'm on work exp in a racing yard at the mo and that is precisely what they are doing to get their hunt horses fit again!

Yes the hunt horses, not the £20-200K TBs destined for racing at the highest level, Flat trainers and NH trainers have one primary aim, "get the horse on the racecourse" fit and sound, they may have to hold back a year if necessary, and they will have all the hi-tech assistance required if at a top yard.
When we are talking UK point to pointers, and I am not slagging then off.... the idea is to have fun, to hunt and to race at a local level, the horses may be at the end of their career, or at the beginning, or just a bit too slow to race under rules, but capable of carrying an amateur safely over fences and they have to hunt every so often. Very few p2p trainers have the facilities of the the top trainers, so they have to compromise and do what they can with facilities and horses available.

 

[Black_Horse_White]

I think it's the joints we should be more concerned about when trotting on the roads. I don't trot my horse anymore as he has ringbone, which may or may not be caused by concussion. He is sound on soft ground but lame on hard ground.

 

[miss_bird]

I am another one that was brought up to get horses fit by walking, short trots then longer trots on the road, to harden tendons.
Well i suppose it is something we will all have to agree to disagree about as you hear vets telling you to trot on roads and other vets telling you not to same with farriers.
I always hav done and never had lameness issues so it either works or i have been lucky