What do YOU class as light, medium and hard work

[arwenplusone]

Another post got me thinking, so thought I'd canvass opinion.

What do you personally term as light work, medium work & hard work?

A fair few people (IMO) think their horse is in harder work than he actually is, and feed that way too, often resulting in too much 'fizz'.

Thoughts?

 

[jenbleep]

For me, light work is gentle hacking two/three/four times a week. Mainly walking and trotting, with the odd canter

medium - that plus two schooling sessions, riding club activities on the weekends.

Hard - that plus more schooling and fittening work (galloping) and one/two day events

It might be a bit vague but I'm sure someone will jump in and correct me

 

[dwi]

Light - hacking most days, schooling up to 3 times a week for up to an hour

Medium - competition fit for affiliated level

Hard - hunting, racing or national level competition

 

[PoppyAnderson]

Light - Tootling about
Medium - More than tootling about and less than hunting, polo, eventing etc
Hard - A LOT of work! Hunting twice or more times a week, 3 day eventing, high goal polo etc

 

[toomanyhorses26]

I think my tb is in med work even though we aren't hardcore competitors . He is exercised six days a week but can do two hours a day as he is on working livery . There does tend to be an easy week and a hard week as the school operates a policy of one week in the school and the next out hacking on the group lessons. If I think he isn't working the energy out esp hacking as some riders see hacking as a bit of a mooch out where others ride like they are in the school. He is realtively forward going without being an idiot and doesn't show signs of being overfed/underworked eg bucking,pulling etc. The sign for him that it maybe going that way is he gets spooky so I asks instructors how he has been behaving and adjust if neccessry.

 

[jenbleep]

[ QUOTE ]
Light - hacking most days, schooling up to 3 times a week for up to an hour

Medium - competition fit for affiliated level

Hard - hunting, racing or national level competition

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah this sounds more correct

Charisma is in light work

 

[arwenplusone]

I think most Riding club level horses are in light work - even if they are ridden 5/6 times a week


so would go with dwi's textbook answer

 

[CrazyMare]

Mine get fed the same whatever work they are in. TopSpec, Alfa A and Fibre Nuts.

Hard - hunting two or more days a week, for good days

Medium - hunting periodically, jumping weekly, lessons, schooling, hacking

Light - hacking, the odd session in the school.

I admit I often work mine twice a day, go to a competition one day and a lesson the next etc. I have the equine version of duracell bunnies.

 

[SilverSkye]

I work my horse 5-6 times a week a combination of schooling, lunging, jumping and hacking, i generally take her somewhere in the trailer at least once a week to do something ( jumping, pleasure ride, x country school depending on what is on) and i would consider her to be in medium/ medium light work.

 

[only_me]

Light work - Horse is hacking and doing low level comps. Schooling is done 2/3 times a week. Riding club/pony club level

Medium work - competing at novice to intermediate eventing, dressage and jumping 1.10m+ showjumping.
Hacking and schooling. National 1 day events. Competitions. pony club camp (we have lessons for total of 4 hours each day for 5 days!!)

Hard work - Hunting 1/2 times a week. 3 day eventing, polo, racing etc.

imo my horse is in medium work. I however am in hard work.

 

[Jingleballs]

[ QUOTE ]
Light - hacking most days, schooling up to 3 times a week for up to an hour

Medium - competition fit for affiliated level

Hard - hunting, racing or national level competition

[/ QUOTE ]

Would agree with this - as much as I'd love to say my horse is in medium work he's definately not (and is fed accordingly)

 

[star]

i am finally considering mine is in hard work as he's hunting once, sometimes twice a week, competing dressage as well, plus normal schooling and hacking. over summer he'll be in medium work. i'd say most people's horses are only in light/medium work and people do tend to over-feed.

 

[SirenaXVI]

Completely agree, most people overestimate their horses level of work

Light - hacking most days, schooling 2/3 days, the odd RC competition
Medium - affiliated competition fitness
Hard - Hunting, Racing, Eventing etc

 

[SNORKEY]

well I only work my horse two/three times a week for 20 mins a time so that's very light work, when I was schooling him and showing him 5 days a week i classed that as medium work, and I suppose hard work is racing, 3 day eventing etc.

 

[jumptoit]

Imo....

Light Work = Hacking, Competing and/or Schooling for up to 5 - 7 hours a week (total)

Medium Work = Schooling, Competing and/or Hacking once or twice each day

Hard Work = Medium Work + Fast Work eg. Interval Training

 

[lilym]

IMO light work = hacking upto 1hr, mostly walk and trot with some canters, schooling for upto 45 mins a day, with local shows, unaffiliated dressage and SJ.

med work 1- 2 hours hacking with plenty of steady canter work, affilaiated dressage up to med/elememtrey level, one day events, hunter trials, pre novice eventing, hunting 1 day per week, affiliated SJ.

hard work = national hunt racing, 3 day eventing, high goal polo, 50km plus endurance rides, hunting 3 days a week.....

 

[Storminateacup]

Oh dear if all the above is correct, then I ve never even managed to have one of my many and varied horses in even light work!!!

 

[Vizslak]

i school 2wice a week, proper fittening roadwork 3 times a week (i didnt use the term hack cos the only other horse on yard out of 20+ that can keep up with these 'hacks' is an endurance horse) and hunt once a week but would consider this medium work not hard work?!

 

[Stoxx]

dwi is spot on.

Which means that my horse is in medium work, however so many people over estimate the level of work that i find myself having to explain it all or they think I ride 3 times a week for about 20 mins!!

Was looking at my boy on the lunge the other day and I've definitely been under estimating how fit he is at the moment!!

 

[burtie]

My horse in in light/medium work. He schools up to five times a week for a max of 45 mins (sometimes walks out after for 15-20 mins) and hacks once a week for 1.5 hours including some fast canters.

He would need to do a bit more to be truley in medium work, including more fast work/jumping.

For hard work he'd need to work on the lunge or shcooled and be hacking or fast work each day

 

[amandaco2]

i think hacking a few times a week doesnt really class a light work even-more resting/light.
most people over estimate the work their horse is doing and would find the horse would struggle with their fitness even at the top end of light work.

light- ridden up to 7 days a week doing up to 45min schooling, walk,trot plus small amount of canter hacks, competing up to nov/elem dressage or 2ft sj up to a few times a month.

medium work-ridden most days higher level/affil dressage, more canter work in hacking/schooling,hunting, up to novice events, jumping and competing 2weekly.

hard work-competing eventing/adv m dressage+,national level competition,hunting, ridden/exercised everyday or twice a day.

 

[Ziggy_]

Light work for me would be mostly hacking 4-5 times a week with the odd canter, and occasional (once or twice a week) schooling and jumping.

Medium work for me would be Schooling 2/3 times a week for an hour, jumping/gridwork for an hour once a week, long (2hrs+) fast hacks and competing at weekends.

Hard work, as others have said, eventing, hunting, polo, racing etc.

I don't actually know anyone who follows the feed guidelines re. light/medium/hard work - everyone I know feeds fibre, and introduces some hard feed only if the horse is losing condition. Manufacturers' feeding guidelines are way off IME.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Personally I would say...
light- being fairly lightly hacked up to 3 times a week or so
medium- schooling for an hour in all paces, 2 hour hacks with gallops or jumping 4-5 times a week
hard- being ridden for at least an hour every day, worked hard, hunting or whatever.

But I know they aren't the "proper" definitions.

 

[Bright_Spark]

Its interesting how some people think that medium work is being worked most days for an hour or so, yet say hard work includes racing, hunting, advanced eventing.

Just seems like a big leap to me.

 

[QuobAsti]

[ QUOTE ]
IMO light work = hacking upto 1hr, mostly walk and trot with some canters, schooling for upto 45 mins a day, with local shows, unaffiliated dressage and SJ.

med work 1- 2 hours hacking with plenty of steady canter work, affilaiated dressage up to med/elememtrey level, one day events, hunter trials, pre novice eventing, hunting 1 day per week, affiliated SJ.

hard work = national hunt racing, 3 day eventing, high goal polo, 50km plus endurance rides, hunting 3 days a week.....

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="purple">I have to say that i agree mostly with the quote above. Although i would say Light - up to an hour schooling. Medium - more like 2 hours hacking regularly.

And your all mostly right that so many people think their horse is in harder work than they really are!

I was talking to a representative today from Allen &amp; Page she asked what work my horse was in and i said light work, she asked me to explain, i said ridden 5-6 days a week, schooling up to an hour and hour hacks etc - she said it was so nice to hear someone who realised what level of work they are doing with their horse and not over estimating the level of work. So many people say their horses are in medium work yet are doing less work than my horse.

Go figure

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