Talk about walking... establishing how long to walk getting young horse fit

[TSHEventing]

So, I know folks (especially Denny E) are bit proponents of the walk (active walk) for laying down base fitness, and the more I understand about exercise physiology the more I agree! But the question is, I can increase the length of time my young (4yo) horse walks until I’m blue in the face, but when is “enough enough?” 40 minutes of walking? 70 minutes? How do you guys go about laying base fitness down on young horses?

Thanks!

[GraceLikeRain]

If I remember correctly Denny advocated for working up to a brisk 45 minute walk as foundation fitness. Once in work an actively competing horse would also do a brisk 1.5 - 2 hour walk session 2-3 days a week in addition to normal work. I think that sounds like a blast if you have beautiful rolling countryside and truly miserable if you’re trying to do in in a covered arena for a full winter.

[EventerAJ]

Walking is important, but to me it’s not a “focus.” It’s something I do, but not something I worry about, if that makes sense. It’s part of my normal plan: every horse hacks (walks) after their day(s) off. At least 45 minutes, an hour is better, but occasionally shortened to 30 minutes if I’m pressed for time. Hills are great if you have them. Vary the terrain if you can-- turf, dirt roads, rocky trails, paved roads (especially in winter when the ground is icky). Let the horse be a horse… I don’t fuss about keeping the head down or back up, just keep the hind end moving and go in the general direction I want. (Caveat: if horse is being nutty, I may have to give him something else to focus on, like lateral work.)

An unfit horse will hack for anywhere from a week to a month, as needed for the individual. From there, hack once a week in general. Flatwork days may have an additional 15-30 minute hack before or after. I’m also a big believer in trot work-- my two-star horse has trotted 20-30 minutes one day a week since he was four years old. Trotting helps build more muscle and it has more concussion than walking, so joints and tendons adapt to minor “pounding” on a regular basis.

[Highflyer]

I wouldn’t do a ton of straight up conditioning with a 4 year old, personally-- maybe 15 minutes of hacking most days after a flatwork or jump school, and one or two longer (30-60 minute) mostly walk/ trot hacks or trail rides each week.

[kcmel]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;8890153]
If I remember correctly Denny advocated for working up to a brisk 45 minute walk as foundation fitness. Once in work an actively competing horse would also do a brisk 1.5 - 2 hour walk session 2-3 days a week in addition to normal work. I think that sounds like a blast if you have beautiful rolling countryside…[/QUOTE]

Not to mention endless time! I always wondered how Denny’s program is supposed to fit into an AA’s lifestyle (you know, like that job that pays the bills, kids, etc.)

[Rnichols]

I like to walk or hack my 4 y/o around the property at least once a week. We usually do once a week for about … 30-40 minutes. Honestly I do get bored doing it, so it helps if you have a friend to tag along with you. Or something my trainer gave me to focus on is which hind leg is tracking up at any given stride (this is actually really helpful, and has helped me to develop a feel in my seat, although we still have a long way to go). I will say too, I notice a difference. My mare was very tight and tense in her body when she came off the track, with very up and down movement. Doing a lot of walking (aside from our one walk day, we spend about 10-15 minutes walking to warm up and/or cool down before our rides) has really helped relaxed her body and improved her overall way of going.

[Twigster]

It was kind of a bonus that I had to rehab my guy for a bowed tendon, because it taught me to love the walk. First in hand, then under saddle, 5 minutes, then 10, and so on. The vet wanted an hour at the walk before we added in the trot work. Then 40 min walk + 5 min trot. He was 4 yo at the time.

Even though he is healed from that injury as a 5 yo, he still loves his long marching walks, and so when it is nice out I head outdoors at least once a weekend for a long hack (1-1.5 hours). This summer was all about learning terrain, hills, in and out of trees, water, tall grass, etc. As much exposure as I could safely manage. I’d go longer, but there are two loops that are about this long and they are just so convenient.

Next year we will hopefully have a day of trot sets and a day of walking as we build fitness to get out and show. The winter is very hard for incorporating walk work, as we are mostly limited to indoor work. As long as there is good snow for riding in, I do like to work in the snow, as I find it to be very good exercise, but very tiring!