TRAINER’S CORNER

TRAIL RIDE TIMELINE

Conditioning and training for the trails

BY TANIA MILLEN

When it comes to trail riding, it’s important to realistically match the time you can commit to your horse with your goals and expectations. Remember that it takes four days of exercise per week (for humans and horses) to increase fitness levels.

Early spring is a perfect time to prepare your horse for summer trail rides. Now’s the time to create a personalized conditioning and training program to achieve your goals, based on your horse’s current fitness.

First, decide on your goals. Where do you want to trail ride? What are the trails like and how long are they? What fitness level and skills will your horse need? For example, if your goal is to ride 30 kilometres up a steep trail to a mountain pass and back again, then you need a different conditioning plan than someone who wants to jog and lope 15 kilometres across rolling prairie. Mountain trails require long and slow distance fitness work, hill conditioning, and footwork skills, while prairie rides require fitness at faster gaits – plus the mental capacity to ride in open spaces. So start by making a list of “wish” rides you want to do, then arrange them in order from the easiest to the most difficult. Next, dig out your calendar and choose dates for each ride in.

It’s also important to realistically match the time you can commit to your horse with your goals and expectations. It takes at least four days of exercise per week (for humans and horses) to increase fitness levels. Being a weekend warrior simply won’t get your horse fit enough for ambitious trail riding goals. So decide how many days per week you can condition and train your horse between now and the proposed dates of your rides. Committing more time to conditioning and training means you’ll both be better prepared and you’re more likely to achieve your goals. More conditioning also means your horse is less likely to get injured, plus you’ll develop a better rapport with your horse. If you don’t have time for conditioning and training, consider choosing goals that require less fitness and skills, hire someone to help, or send your horse to a trainer or conditioning facility.

Before you start, check that your horse is sound and its feet are in reasonable shape. Determine whether your tack fits, assess your horse’s teeth and deworming needs, and consider vaccinations. It’s easier and cheaper to prevent issues than address problems later. Now dig out your calendar again and plan your program. A basic plan for an unfit horse that hasn’t

Mountain trails require long and slow distance fitness work, hill conditioning, and footwork skills, while prairie rides require fitness at faster gaits. BAR XP PHOTO

been in work is outlined below. If your horse is currently in work four days per week then skip to month three or four. Remember to check that your horse is safe to ride every day before you climb on. Groundwork is your friend, so are coaches and trainers.

Week one: Hand walk or pony your horse 15 to 30 minutes four or five days with or without tack.

Weeks two and three: Ride at walk 15 to 30 minutes four or five days per week. Incorporate carrot stretches, walking over poles, and gentle slopes every day to help your horse develop core stabilizing muscles. These are imperative for navigating uneven terrain while safely carrying a rider.

Weeks four and five: Ride at walk 30 to 45 minutes four or five days per week.

Weeks six through eight: Ride 45 to 60 minutes four or five days per week. Add five minutes of walking and five minutes of jogging each week but don’t increase both on the same day.

Months three and four: Ride four or five days per week. Alternate increasing time or difficulty (lope, hills, etc.) each week but not both on the same day. Aim for a ten per cent increase in riding time every ten days. Work up to 60 minutes of combined walk, jog, and lope (a total of 20

minutes each) by the end of month four. Or, three hours of walking interspersed with 20 minutes total of jog and lope, depending on your goals.

Additional Tips:

• Record your rides and activities every day. Time your rides; don’t guess. Always walk for 10 minutes first. • Variety and cross-training support soundness and sanity.

Make the work interesting. Practice loops, leg yields, bending, flexing, lengthening and shortening stride, transitions, riding from your seat and legs, and correct position. • Ride with friends indoors, outdoors, in all different settings, all weather, alone, or in groups. • Do as much groundwork as you like (at walk) in addition to the program. • If your horse is visibly sweating, he’s working too hard. • Don’t ride more than three days in a row. Rest days are imperative. • Jog for soundness every week. Consult vets and bodyworkers when needed. Maintain a regular farrier schedule. • Feed according to your horse’s body condition score. • Check that your tack fits as your horse changes shape. • Get fit yourself. • If you miss a ride, repeat the previous ride before continuing.

If your horse has a week off, repeat the previous week before

continuing. Stick to the program and let it do the work. • While doing conditioning rides, train your horse to safely navigate obstacles such as uphill and downhill sections, water crossings, bridges, and mud. • Carefully and safely expose your horse to bicycles, dirt bikes, dogs, and wildlife. • Practice exercises that help your horse learn to place his feet, respond to your cues, stay calm, tie confidently, ride with others, and any other skills you desire.

In months five and six, build fitness and skills by riding longer distances, on more challenging terrain, at different gaits, and in new places, but not all at once. Only add one new thing at a time. Start doing your “wish” rides. Book your easiest adventures first, and build up to the challenging ones. Each adventure will add fitness and skills, too.

Finally, remember that although it’s great to achieve your dream rides, it’s equally important to enjoy every day with your horse. So make a plan and enjoy both the journey and the destinations. AB

Additional Resources:

Equine Fitness, by Jec Ballou Fit and Focussed in 52, by Daniel Stewart Trail Conditioning Schedule, by Jec Ballou Trail Riding, by Rhonda Hart Poe