Walk or trot uphill?

LaurenBay

LaurenBay

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Because my Horse is weak behind I try to do a lot of hill work with her to keep her strong. I alternate between walking up them and trotting up them. I went out with a firend the other day and she said walking up them was much more benificial for the Horses hind muscles, I always believed it was trotting uphill. I just don't like to trot every hill, because she then anticipates it and jogs sidewards :rolleyes:

So what do you find works better, walking or trotting uphill?
 
Fast walk or slow trot that way they have to push themselves but I suppose if I had to choose one a good walking pace would be mine
 
Walking or cantering up hill is great for bum building! Wish we had more decent hills, would love a nice up hill canter to do regularly (think my horse would find it far too much effort of course!).
 
Thanks. We have loads of hills near us. My usual route is a long hill but not steep, we trot that, walk up the steep hill, trot or walk on the flat, long down hill in walk, flat walk, good steady trot on the flat and then a very short steep hill trot. Long hill walk down. Its all roadwork and round a local housing estate. Takes about 25 minutes.

But may try fast walk on all hills and steady trot on the flat.

Thanks
 
I totally disagree with the canter! Best way to build up a horse is trotting up a hill long and low!! And yes as above transitions. But again long and low.
 
I usually trot uphill (it does lead to a nice bum!) but have recently decided just to walk with LG as his hocks aren't as strong now he's older. I have a really interesting book on equine fitness and building muscles [geek alert :o:o] and in the 'veteran horse' section it mentions that trotting is quite strenuous gait for horses - more so than walk and canter - as it places a reasonable amount of strain on their joints and ligaments, so now we just do a brisk walk uphill. Sometimes we canter :). Given the choice, LG will canter over trot. On a younger horse I'd walk or trot, often with transitions thrown in.
 
Boyo isn't allowed to trot on the roads (vet & farrier advice), so its as brisk a walk as we can manage on the uphill roads. Haven't found anywhere round here yet for a decent uphill canter, but I'm still exploring :)
 
Kikke said:
I totally disagree with the canter! Best way to build up a horse is trotting up a hill long and low!! And yes as above transitions. But again long and low.
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The reason that cantering up hill is so good is that it really works the abdominal muscles which a bit the hole grail of muscle development .
Top line is sooooo easy to develop but abdominal development takes far longer.
 
But of both! Walk & trot with plenty transitions making sure he's using himself not dragging himself up hill with front end. & transition hav 2 b sharp & instant 2 aids! My boy thinks that Is fun??!!
 
10 strides walk, 6 strides trot, lots of transitions... If I allow ben to just walk he gets very sluggish so we keep it varied. It keeps him pumping!
 
Kikke said:
I totally disagree with the canter! Best way to build up a horse is trotting up a hill long and low!! And yes as above transitions. But again long and low.
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^^^^^ Agree - Trot is an even movement that is why it is used for exercise as it maintains all the muscles evenly.

Walk uphill initially if horse is not very fit but building up to trot as the horse becomes fitter, Cantering uphill just burns away muscle and the horse tends to pull itself up on its forehand more.

Working up hill increases lung fitness too without the additional strain on the limbs
 
My mare, who is weaker behind, will always try and trot up hills unless I tell her not to, so my guess would be that trotting is much easier for them and therefore not working them as hard. I try and keep her to a walk, but its not easy.
 
I like trotting uphill (long and low) for muscle build, my boy always wants to canter so must be working him hard. For very steep hills we walk. I actually like cantering downhill on shallow slopes as they really have to get their bums underneath them!!
 
Walking. One of mine always wants to trot uphill so I guess it is harder work for him to walk (which I make him do coz I'm a meanie!) I guess walking is better for muscle and trotting for stamina. My back lady told me (controlled) trotting downhill is good for their bums too but I'm not brave enough to do it :o She also added that asking for a few steps backwards when you are walking downhill really makes them work their back end too.
 
My boss in NZ made me walk all the polo ponies up steep hills for first few weeks after wintering out. Some of them it was very hard to keep in walk as they wanted to gooooo! And found it hard. So we did a little trot sometimes. But they were all damned fit by the time main season kicked in if I do say so myself! We also had no injuries relating to fitness (only one youngster got mild splints and one did a tendon out of 13 in work) so this kind of hillwork must work well to give them a solid base. Sadly no hills to speak of where I am here...
 
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