How do you keep your horse(s) fit <enough> to hunt?

[rttigrl]

Also, what is <enough> for 2nd field?

So psyched that I finally found somewhere to hunt where I could see myself going back again and again. Also psyched that on our last time out, everything seemed to ‘click’ and my big guy was having so much fun that he didn’t really want to go home!

So, now I could pay dues, clip him, tap his shoes and plan for a big season, but…

Daylight is fading fast. Likely to be a crap winter here (MD). He’s not very fit now, and while I can get him fitter over the next 6-8 weeks, riding more than 2-3 times a week (including hunting) after that will get dicey.

There HAS to be someone out there like me–big corporate job, family, horses at home (no indoor), draft-x–who makes it work–how do you do it?!? Am I over-thinking the time requirement to be fit enough to hunt 2nd/3rd field?

[Beverley]

When I hunted regularly, whipping in, really, once I got them fit during summer roading and staff hunting, I pretty much only rode when hunting. Mine were turned out 24/7 with shelter (and fully clipped with rugs on), and that does make a big difference versus being stalled in their keeping themselves fit. Mind you, whipping in, a horse covers more miles than even first flight, typically for me 20 miles minimum, so one workout a week like that for each horse was plenty. I did not hunt any draft crosses, but the round mound of quarter horse was not exactly built for staying fit, yet he did fine. When I did have occasion to ride the fit horses between hunting days, it was typically an hour or two hack, mainly trotting since they get more than enough galloping while hunting. Also, when hunting fit, and you get the invariable winter freeze out for some weeks in MD/VA, they do maintain their fitness for 4-6 weeks even without significant work.

So yes, you are overthinking it, relax and have fun!

[tangledweb]

If I start fit enough I find it works OK. I don’t think you need to work that hard to stay fit enough. Staying fit is easy. Getting fit in less than ideal conditions is hard. Bringing a new horse on, or coming back from travel or an injury in January is hard.

So go out now and hunt. If you are out there now everybody will be in a similar position especially in the 2nd field. If you wait a month everybody else will be fitter and the hunting days will be getting longer.

Your options are basically

• hunt 3 days a week so you don’t need fitness rides in between
• board somewhere with an indoor for the winter
• send the horse out to somewhere that will put rides on him in the week, so you can just turn up on the weekends and ride.
• make it work at home by finding the motivation to ride when you can rather than waiting for when you want to.

I do the making it work version. It’s usually somewhat light a little after 7am so some people can get a ride in before work. I have lights and an outdoor arena so I ride on what I can even if that is just trotting up and down the plowed gravel driveway. There are some days that conditions really stop me, but overcoming the urge to stay in a warm bed rather than do boring fitness work is realistically the problem on many more days.

It generally works for me if I keep it up. It stops working when I say “Oh I’ve had two weeks of travel. She’s probably not fit enough to hunt this week. I’ll do more fitness work at home then get out next week … or the week after.” Finding the motivation and time to get more fit at home in the dark on frozen ground is tough.

[Kodiak]

What they said. And if you find your horse struggling a bit or it’s a really hot and fast day, drop down to a slower field.

Mine actually get their break after the end of the season, then get back into work over the summer and are hunting regularly now. Hunting or even hound exercise twice a week keeps them in pretty good shape, along with 24/7 turnout.

[wateryglen]

And there’s no shame in coming in early when you think your horse is spent. There’s usually likeminded fellow hunters you can join up with. It really depends on the days action/pace/distance. I always underestimate the horses fitness and overestimate my own! I wear out first usually!!

[wendy]

Horses can see really well in the dark, and most are quite weather-resistant. If you invest in some good clothing and get over the instinctive human fear of going out in the dark it really opens up options for exercise during the dark end of the year.

[jawa]

The rides mid week don’t need to be LONG, its just important to try and do something. Even if it’s a short longe session.

A short warm up of walk and trotting for 15-20 mins and a cool down will go a long way in keeping the horse fit.

You’d be surprised how much you can see in the dark if you give your eyes a chance to acclimate. And horses do see better in the dark than you do. I used to regularly ride my 2 in the dark in the winter. I rode around the edge of a big field that we ALWAYS traveled, so no new terrain, but it had hills and swales. We did that w,t,c. For the first time, just walk to get an idea of how it feels.

I’m not sure if you have kids and how old they are, but I’ve planned dinners so that it gave me time between throwing it in the oven and getting back from the barn was perfect timing. And then there’s the crock pot!

[rttigrl]

This is terrific–thank you. I’m trying hard to define the space between being a weenie (there’s always an excuse to sit on the couch instead) and being a yahoo (participate in an extreme sport with no conditionining/practice?!? yee hah!).

Going cubbing again Wednesday. Thanks for the encouragement!

[otterhound]

My partner is huntsman here, and once hunting starts, our horses only get ridden twice a week - on hunt days. So long as they are fit to start with, that is easily enough to keep them that way.

[RiderInTheRain]

Right now, I’m alternating between hunting two horses. I ride the super reliable one on days I know I will be asked to volunteer as a whip (typically our weekday hunts) and ride the greener horse on days when I can hang at the back of whichever field is appropriate for him at a particular fixture.

I also do a “making it work” version. Typically, the winter schedule for my horses involves 1 day hunting, 2 days walk/trot hacks around the pasture if evening or early morning or on gravel roads if during the day (would love to do more canter work at home, but footing often prevents this as I have no arena and don’t want to tear up the pasture) and 1 jumping or dressage lesson. If I end up hunting the same horse 2x in one week, especially if I whip in twice on the same horse within a week, I either don’t ride other than the hunts or do just 1 slow hack or sometimes a lesson in between. If icy or otherwise bad footing prevents work other than walking, then I walk them for as long as possible until I get too freezing cold or run out of time for the day, whichever happens first.

Most of the people I hunt with keep their horses in similar situations, so if weather interferes with fitness work, we are all more or less in the same boat. And to be honest, most of the folks I hunt with worry about fitness far less than I do and rely on hunting or hound exercises 1 or 2x per week (plus 24/7 turnout) to get and keep the horses fit. Many of their horses have been hunting for a decade or more and are completely sound, so that strategy obviously works for many horses. The additional days I work my horses are just as much (or maybe more) about the fact that I’m hoping they will be event horses in the future too, so we have to do some dressage schooling incorporated into our hacks.

I agree with tangledweb it is better to get out now and hunt while everyone is working on fitness rather than trying to wait until later in the season when the hunts will be longer and faster. If the hunt becomes unexpectedly long or difficult there will likely be someone willing to hack in early with you.

[CC1]

So do tell, what club are you having such a great time with?? : )

And will ditto everyone else on the fitness. I was lucky. My big TB was an ex-timber horse and getting him fit was very easy and I rode in second so I did not need a completely fit TB! Trail riding before the season, trot sets and dressage work a couple times per week during the season(to keep his mind engaged in between hunts) was all I did. He hunted until he was 21 and retired due to PPID.