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Post by solomon on Apr 12, 2010 19:26:39 GMT
Our YO went cross country yesterday 8 miles. Said ours would not be fit enough to do it. When she got back she was a bit dissappointed 'cos quite a lot of people were like us doing the course at a slow pace. It was'nt a competition more a fun ride I think. How fit should a horse be to do a fun ride and what to do to get them fitter.
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Post by scattymare on Apr 12, 2010 19:50:42 GMT
Sol if you're doing 10 mile rides at the weekend and Petes not struggling then you're def ready for a fun ride. After all I'm guessing you don't have to jump everything if he is tiring.
Me and ed are doing our first pleasure ride next Sunday. I think it's an 8 miler, no jumps though. Me & S tend to do at least that distance at the weekends and weekdays I ride about 5 miles each day more if I have time. We do quite a lot of trotting on the bridleways and are now working on longer canters. I have built her up slowly, getting a bit faster and going a bit further gradually. Its taken 3 months so far and I would say she's pretty fit but could do with a bit more stamina - she's great for short bursts of a faster pace but tires fairly quickly, though she recovers very quickly too and is soon ready to go again! - will come as the last of the flab comes off.
I think most horses in regular work could cope with a fun ride if kept at a steady pace.
Go for it. They're great fun and a great way to see some different scenery.
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Post by fleabitten on Apr 12, 2010 20:26:47 GMT
I would imagine a cross country fun ride would need to be the same fitness as you would for a ODE or hunting perhaps??
As for fitness, just do more of what youre doing basically - longer trots, longer canters. Rider needs to be fit too! I was puffed just cantering round the arena for several laps imagine what id be like having to do cross country jumping!! lol!
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Post by scattymare on Apr 12, 2010 20:34:28 GMT
Thats a good point Flea - I was knackered yesterday just doing the mini course! Yet long distance I cope OK with - me and Eddie are well matched!
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Post by fimacg on Apr 13, 2010 8:06:20 GMT
As scatty and flea says you have to build it up slowly and gradually get longer a 3 mile hack is a short one for me and takes around 40 minutes. You also need to build up longer canters which is something that can be a struggle (although with your railway line less so for you) My problem ios that Stock is going back out into the fields and all stubble fields have now been ploughed and replanted so a lot of my routes are now out of action.
Fitness can also be built up in the arena by doing more faster work and jumping etc, also try to get out to do hunter trials etc.
If you are doing 10 miles you can do a pleasure ride.
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Post by brigadier on Apr 13, 2010 16:31:10 GMT
Id say a fun ride was well within your scope now and if it was a cross country one then popping a few of the jumps wouldnt harm. Fun rides often dont have the water stops that endurance rides have so pushing your horse too hard would be a no no. Gentle trotting, steady canters and plenty of walk breaks should keep the pace about right, if you wanted to be more precise look at the endurance gb website, competitiors aim at 8-12km per hour, so a fun ride should be steadier.
Id say Basil was pretty fit at the moment and we did a 4.5 mile cross country course recently- we didnt jump everything. I was like the walking wounded the day after- very stiff, but he was as fresh as a daisy!! Ive no danger of tiring him out first!!!
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for so much hard work we thank ye!!
