What is your definition of fit?!

[Hutchlou]

I was having a conversation with a friend yesterday who believes that you can't get a horse fit by hacking & that you need to school to achieve fitness. My two LOVE to hack so we happily go out most days for at hour+ & (after warming up) will spend most of the time in trot with plenty of canter (usually uphill) & the odd gallop!! ;-) I do also do some basic schooling, jumping & lungeing, so that they are doing a variety of work & don't think that life is only about tearing around the countryside!! ;-) What are your thoughts?

 

[Sparkles]

Fit to me is that the horse is at a suitable state of fitness for the workload it's in - be that light hacking for top level eventing.

Hacking is the best thing for fitness to me. You can do everything in it - schooling, field work, hill work, road work for strengthening and jumping.

 

[pinklilly]

It depends what you are wanting them fit for, hunting, hacking, eventing?

We only do roadwork to get hunters fit, no schooling and they are certainly fit to do a days hunting, hunt staff horses so not just hacking at the back for a couple of hours. Also, you can school a horse out hacking and make it work properly and improve it's way of going.

 

[StormyGale]

Same as Xmas sparkles a horse that is fit for the activity or workload u are doing. A fit horse that only hacks twice a week won't be fit in comparison to a 3* event horse but wouldn't need to be. If a horse can cope with the workload without displaying signs that it is too much to come with and is enjoying it that's what matters. As for hacking I don't think u can get any better schooling in an arena has benefits of a flat surface however hills, fields and different terrains all help building muscle and fitness different speeds etc. And also just as important develops and occupies the brain horses love to roam and nose at what's out in the big wide world. Plenty of horses get sour to schooling going round in Infinate circles. Don't get me wrong there's a time for schooling as well but hacking is just as good

 

[Hutchlou]

Thanks, I agree, mine are fit enough through hacking to be able to do what I want them to do!! To me decent hacking is like the horsey equivalent of interval training ie a great cardio workout & stamina building, whereas 30 mins of flatwork schooling*** is the 'yoga' equivalent, ie great for muscle maintenance & keeping supple & flexible, but doesn't get your heartrate racing! ***disclaimer - I do appreciate that people CAN do some AMAZING, high level, hard work & technically impossible for the likes of my dobbins, flatwork in a 30 minute session!!