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Post by brigadier on Sept 21, 2008 17:00:49 GMT
Can only do non competitive at mo as he is too young to be a serious athlete but he did 18km today at castlehoward and loved it- got a bit strong on canter at one point so need to try to set a more consistent pace but we completed in under 2 hours.
the hoof boots were ok but I did find myself panicking a bit when the ground was uneven- we tended to slip and trip a lot and at one spot during a particularly sharp canter (ok gallop) he changed legs and I nearly lost it.............!
But in all a really great day- good facilities/parking/organisation and loads of yummy grass for him to chomp whilst I had my sandwich and cup of tea at the end. (it was so good he didnt want to get back in the box!)
I just want to curl up and sleep now- sooooo tired!
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Steph
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Post by Steph on Sept 21, 2008 17:08:20 GMT
well done - sounds like you had a great time and that Basil's been bitten by the endurance bug!
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Post by brigadier on Sept 21, 2008 17:19:23 GMT
its really good fun! Doing one next week in Notts but then its about the end of the season so will find some winter activity to keep him interested!
Plan to do a few next year. I was suprised at how fit he is- I mainly walk and trot at home. I need to lose some pounds though!
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Post by finefilly on Sept 21, 2008 18:41:31 GMT
glad you had a good day! i love doing endurance, i find it really enjoyable and you get a rosette at the end when you have completed! a lot of endurance riders only train their horses at a slow pace (walk and trot) with only a bit of fast work to fitten them up. they call it LSD (Long, Slow, Distance) training
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Post by brigadier on Sept 21, 2008 19:09:56 GMT
yes I suppose faster work will just hammer them- I need to fitten up now!
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Post by dannyboy on Sept 21, 2008 19:50:21 GMT
Endurance sounds like so much fun  |
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jane
Novice Willy Washer
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Post by jane on Sept 21, 2008 19:56:41 GMT
Hey that sounds briliant Brig, well done you and Basil.
I agree with finefilly, the best way to fitten for distance is steady work, that is basically what I do with Debs, lots of long steady hacks, we do have a canter or gallop as well. If you can get to some steep hills, working up those is the best for fittening work, start slow and as you progress push him a little faster, you will soon have super fit Basil
if you haven't got hills come here and we'll take you up a few... haha
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Sept 21, 2008 20:06:45 GMT
Sounds like you had a great day then and couldn't have asked for better weather. Hope it holds out for the next one.
(ps wait till morning - you will be walking like John wayne!)
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Post by finefilly on Sept 21, 2008 20:10:50 GMT
we are lucky that we have really steep hills round here to ride up and i used to train dazzle and beauty up them. we used to canter up them but was told to walk them up this really steep hill and the poor things were pooped when we got to the top! apparently walking is the only gait that uses every muscle in the horses body but isnt a strain on their limbs. there is a form of training and (dont quote me on this) but i think it is called fartlicht training! not sure how you spell it but it means if you go out training your horse (and they use it for athletes) you go slow and steady for the first bit and for the last 2 miles you go really fast. thats meant to keep the fitness up.
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wraggel
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Post by wraggel on Sept 21, 2008 22:24:25 GMT
Would love to do endurance or have D fit enough to do endurance, we live on hills and can ride for miles up and down dale but how can I maintain the level of fitness when time is short on most days and soon the nights will be drawing in and that will only leave weekends.
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Post by brigadier on Sept 22, 2008 6:15:24 GMT
Im in same boat really wraggel, the only other thing I have access to is a horse walker so if I cant ride for a stretch of more than three days he goes on that for 45 mins but I find as long as you ride reasonably consistently and they spend in between in the field they keep ticking over! My quickie ride for when Im working is 45 mins!
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Post by racaille on Sept 22, 2008 6:39:51 GMT
Well done you and Basil!!! ;D Sounds like you had a wonderful day out together and Basil really enjoyed himself - going full blast, the tinker!
You ought to come over here - just as your competition season is ending, ours is just starting.
Re fittening exercise, yup, I agree that walking up hills is really good for the GGs. Trotting's useful too - when we are short of time we go for a 20/30-minute trot - proper active trot though, not slouching along!
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Post by fimacg on Sept 22, 2008 8:21:19 GMT
Raicaille - is that on roads? I always wory about doing too much trotting on roads because of getting splints?
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Post by duckles on Sept 22, 2008 9:06:23 GMT
That sounds wonderful Brig- well done to you and Basil ;D Castle Howard sounds amazingly historic and I imagine it as full of beautiful sceanary.
Racaille- I only have roads for trotting as well. I know its not great so I try and alternate it equally with walk but always trot up the hills.
Yesterday was so beautiful I would have loved to have done something more adventuous that just hacking out (which was wonderful but tame)
We don't really have endurance rides here - how long does 18km take?
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Post by Blonde Donkey on Sept 22, 2008 9:08:34 GMT
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Post by racaille on Sept 22, 2008 10:15:57 GMT
Raicaille - is that on roads? I always wory about doing too much trotting on roads because of getting splints? Yes, on roads  It's not ideal, I know, but we have little choice. Our hills are the foothills to the mountains and very stony so for a workout trot we have to use the tarmac lanes. I haven't seen any problems but then most of our horses are small and rustic. I don't know if that makes a difference? |
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Post by finefilly on Sept 22, 2008 12:28:07 GMT
We did a lot of road work, work on stony paths on the hills and on grass. an endurance horse should be used to going on all terrains but if you cant do that, i wouldnt worry too much, as long as they are fit you should be ok. go steady on parts that are quite rough and i even get off sometimes and lead them if it is really bad and it gives them a breather. very tiring on you though!
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Post by Jen on Sept 22, 2008 12:37:26 GMT
i think it is called fartlicht training! not sure how you spell it but it means if you go out training your horse (and they use it for athletes) you go slow and steady for the first bit and for the last 2 miles you go really fast. thats meant to keep the fitness up. it is called fartlek training!! had to do it in pe - it was a bugg£er!!! |
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wraggel
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Post by wraggel on Sept 22, 2008 13:57:00 GMT
Im in same boat really wraggel, the only other thing I have access to is a horse walker so if I cant ride for a stretch of more than three days he goes on that for 45 mins but I find as long as you ride reasonably consistently and they spend in between in the field they keep ticking over! My quickie ride for when Im working is 45 mins! Oh thats ok then, our smallest ride is around 45 mins at tea time. usual ride 1-2hrs when I'm off weekdays and big ride 3hours weekend a combination of all possibly 3 times a week. Maybe hes not as unfit as he likes me to believe the monkey. |
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Post by finefilly on Sept 22, 2008 17:50:48 GMT
i think it is called fartlicht training! not sure how you spell it but it means if you go out training your horse (and they use it for athletes) you go slow and steady for the first bit and for the last 2 miles you go really fast. thats meant to keep the fitness up. it is called fartlek training!! had to do it in pe - it was a bugg£er!!! ha ha! probably! couldnt remember what it was called! ;D |
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ceej
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Post by ceej on Sept 22, 2008 18:48:41 GMT
Would love to do endurance or have D fit enough to do endurance, we live on hills and can ride for miles up and down dale but how can I maintain the level of fitness when time is short on most days and soon the nights will be drawing in and that will only leave weekends. its as if the words were taken out of my mouth! I cant help thinking urg thats it then -only weekend riding soon |
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Post by maximum on Sept 22, 2008 20:54:55 GMT
riding round the arena in a head torch?
well done Brig no idea how I missed this! I think running along side him would be the answer to getting yourself fit!
theres a girl on my new yard who has been on team GB a few times and she does Interval training on herself and her horse! I believe the bleep test is the way forward!
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for so much hard work we thank ye!!
It's not ideal, I know, but we have little choice. Our hills are the foothills to the mountains and very stony so for a workout trot we have to use the tarmac lanes. I haven't seen any problems but then most of our horses are small and rustic. I don't know if that makes a difference?
