| Author | Message | ||
     Kathleen Upsall Member Username: Katastrophy Post Number: 83 Registered: 10-2008 |
I just do odds and sods with them during the winter and start fitness work really mid to end of feb- everything Wendy says is correct, I mostly drive out as have nowhere to school unless I hire somewhere, and we work on everything out driving- and yes, 'big trot' is improved tenfold by going uphill!!  | ||
| Wendy Peckham Member Username: Wendyp Post Number: 41 Registered: 07-2007 |
You don't need level ground to get a horse fit - make the most of your hills starting with lots of walking (make horse walk out, not slop along) followed by trot work. Each horse has its own needs for fitness but I always work on if the horse can easily cope with 12 miles trotwork (bearing in mind we live on flat ground here) and stops blowing by the time I've taken him out the carriage and unharnessed, he's fit! Recovery time is the key, the quicker the horse recovers and breathing is back to normal, the fitter he is. Always start off slow and build up. If fitness work is postponed due to weather, take one or two steps back in your programme when you restart(helps to make a plan in your diary and allow for a couple of delays). Anyone who has got a horse fit for hunting works to a similar programme and a horse ready for national HDT should be hunting fit. You can also school while out driving, doing half-halts, lateral work (watch for traffic!) and make sure you get a proper bend when going round corners. Practice the halt at road crossings and you can also do collected trot (lengthened strides will depend on surface but you could ask for them uphill). If the road is wide enough and quiet then try doing shallow serpentine loops. If nothing else it will get the horse listening to you as he won't know what the h*ll you will be asking next! Don't forget to feed according to work load, gradually increasing energy food as work increases and cut it back when not working. Good luck! | ||
| Frances Collings Member Username: Victory Post Number: 56 Registered: 03-2007 |
Well took pony who had been confined for several days down to the shool today and lunged on the snow bucking bronco but she enjoyed and I am sure will be fit by May!! Chill out early days. Enjoy | ||
| Patti Atkinson Member Username: Pattia Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2007 |
Mmmm .... fitness ... is walking to the field through foot deep snow enough I wonder? | ||
| Joe Hodgson Member Username: Joehodgson Post Number: 181 Registered: 07-2010 |
What fitness programs do you work on to get your horses fit for HDT? Some of us have problems to follow programs due to weather(SNOW) and where we live. I have no area to practice dressage or cones as all our fields are on hill's as we live in a valley on the North Yorkshire Moors, so the only time is when we are at an event. Your programs would be helpful to us all to share. |