TRAIL HORSE FITNESS
Whether you just purchased your first trail horse, or you and your horse are seasoned veterans, don’t embark on an adventure without properly conditioning him first. Determining your primary trail spots will help you understand the level of fitness your horse needs to have a safe and fun ride. If you plan to take a hiatus from riding during the winter, you’ll want to spend time getting your horse fit again before you both head back out.
A younger horse with no trail experience doesn’t know how to effectively use his body on the trails, especially with the weight of a rider. This means that the same trail that’s easy for an experienced horse to do is more challenging for one with little experience. Ponying your inexperienced horse on a trail before riding him can help him figure out his footing without the added weight of a rider.
Even seasoned trail horses need time to build their fitness up before heading out. Flat trails might be like arena work, but hills are not. For this reason, I tend to ride out on flat trails and then back to the barn for the first few weeks. When I approach a decent-sized hill, I evaluate my horse’s breathing and general feel before deciding if I’m going to ask more of my horse.
As I condition my horse, I find that the elevation change is enough to increase his breathing. But as his fitness level increases, his heart rate and breathing begin to slow down.
This is when I’ll begin increasing my distances. I ride mostly at a walk on early rides, building up through the summer until I’m often riding the majority at the trot or lope, except down steeper hills. By the time my horse is fit for this, we have logged many base-building conditioning rides, and I can detect changes in my horse’s recovery from past experiences. Building your horse’s fitness level is a patience game. Self-control now will pay off in 3 to 4 weeks.
If you notice your horse has labored breathing as you begin riding him, don’t be afraid to get off and lead him during these stamina building rides. This is an underutilized skill for many trail riders. From a training perspective and a fitness perspective it’s great. Your horse gets the benefit of a short break. You get the benefit of stretching your legs and evaluating your horse from a different perspective. If you struggle with fear, dismounting frequently can help you release any tension you might be carrying.
RISK
Taking an unfit horse out for a challenging trail ride can pose some serious risks to his health and wellbeing. Horses are amazingly generous and will often keep going, especially in groups. On a trail ride this increases the chance of tripping, taking a misstep, or falling. If this doesn’t happen on the trail, there are the side effects that happen afterward of having an extremely sore body with an increased potential for injury.
I realize that many people don’t have easy access to trails, and it can be tempting to haul somewhere on the weekend and go for a long ride. If you choose this, please factor in the hills and the fitness level.