GETTING HORSES FIT FOR ENDURANCE (some notes by Jo Chisholm)
There are a few factors that influence the amount and type of work that you need to do to get your horse fit for the level of endurance you are planning to compete in and they are:
I have taken a very good fittening programme from the following website and adjusted it slightly to suit the British way of life and confines of terrain and countryside that we have here. This is aimed at the top level of endurance but it applies to all levels…you just need to scale it down to your requirements! There are some very good ideas here and even if you don’t stick to it by the letter it is worth reading through and it may help you to build a programme that suits you, your horse and your lifestyle.
https://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/
There are also some very good endurance books for some reading matter:
Endurance Start to Finish, Marcy Pavord, J A Allen & Co Ltd, 1996
Endurance Riding , Clare Wilde, Kenilworth Press 1996
Go the Distance, Nancy Loving, Kenilworth Press, 1997
Starting Endurance Riding, Clare Wilde, Kenilworth Press 2006
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Conditioning: Working the horse to become strong enough to complete endurance rides without damage.
Hard work/ workout: This involves hard work where you ask the horse to put in a greater effort than he is accustomed to. Typically, 20 minutes after the workout the horse’s pulse will be higher than you are used to. That means you have stressed it.
Recovery day: On these days you allow the horse to recover from the stress. Exercises you can do are twenty minute lunge sessions (ring work) at a steady trot, schooling, a gentle hack, etc.
Rest day: Any day that suits you. No work at all.
Exercise: The level of work that does not stress the horse. It just maintains the fitness.
TIME SCALES
The beginning of a Long Slow Distance ride
The time it takes for various body tissues to adapt and condition, are as follows:
Heart and lungs 3 months
Muscles 3-6 months
Tendons and ligaments 6-12 months
Hooves 7 months
Bone 1-3 years
NB! A horse can be got fit enough to go fast in a relatively short period, but will not be conditioned to withstand injury. Only after 3 seasons of endurance (provided he had no serious tendon/ligament injuries) will he be thoroughly conditioned to be ridden hard and competitively.
PROGRAM
Begin with LSD (Long Slow Distance)
The goal is to build a broad foundation of stamina by riding long distances slowly. The different phases define the type of workouts that will be used. We recommend that through all the phases you lunge the horse at trot one day a week and school one day a week. Workouts are done on outrides.
PHASE 1 (WALKING) lasts 6 weeks (This would depend if the horse has had a considerable time off since the end of the season…or if it has been used as a riding horse before and already has this base fitness– this is where you need to adapt this depending on the 5 factors at the beginning)
Goal: To prepare the horse physically and psychologically for more intensive exercise. To start the conditioning of the legs and tendons. To build muscle. To make the horse calm and obedient. To accustom the horse to the open road. To teach the rider discipline!
4 or 5 workouts per week. Build up to 2-3 hours of active walk per session. (Again use your discretion with this again depending on the 5 factors- it is not always possible to fit this amount of time working your horse into a week, especially in a British winter and having to work!) The horse must walk with purpose and not lag. The horse must learn to walk properly and not jog. He must learn to walk on a loose rein with his head down and neck extended so that his back can swing freely to develop the back muscles. Use varied terrain – rough, stony tracks, off road bridleways, moorland, field margins and even road for limited distances. During the work sessions only walk – the horse can trot in the lunge ring, and trot and canter during schooling. But during the work sessions the horse may only walk, even up hills, just walk.
By walking uphill the horse builds strong muscle. After a few weeks you will see what I mean. (Tip: At the start of Phase 1, take a photo of the horse’s quarters from behind, pull the tail out of the way so you can see the inner thigh muscles too. After 6 weeks take another picture. Compare the muscling.)
In between, one day lunging, one day school.
Rest day optional. Because walking is low intensity work, a rest day is not essential, but it will certainly do no harm to have a day off.
If you don’t have enough time to ride that often, (this is probably all of us!) you can aim at riding a total of 48 hours of walking. The 48 hours is derived from 4 workouts x 2 hours x 6 weeks. In practise it will lengthen the period of the Walking Phase, but you will have the peace of mind that the horse has walked the requisite kilometres and time.
In the last 2 weeks of Phase 1 you can begin trotting short distances during the walking sessions in preparation for Phase 2.
PHASE 2 (Trotting) lasts 4 to 6 weeks.
Goal: to develop the horse’s stamina so that it can trot long distances rhythmically and at a constant pace. To develop the trotting muscles and teach the horse an energy-saving trot. To teach the horse not to just canter, but to stay in trot until asked to canter. To make the rider’s legs strong enough to ride long distances at the trot. To teach the rider self control. To prepare the horse physically for more intensive exercise.
3 or 4 workouts per week. Start out at the walk until the horse is thoroughly warmed up (15-20 minutes). Begin trotting slowly and alternate with periods of walking if the horse becomes tired or out of breath. Build up gradually until the horse can trot actively for 2 hours without a break. (Again this may not always be possible in the UK and you will have to adapt this the best you can in your circumstances). The younger or less experienced the horse is, the more gradual should be the increase in pace during the phase. The horse must learn to trot relaxed with head low, neck extended and back rounded. Only this way can he develop long powerful strides.
The powerful, ground-eating hundred miler trot takes years to perfect. Don’t push the horse into a faster trot. It will too easily throw him off balance and onto the forehand. A horse like that will hang on the reins, is hard to stop and turn and puts strain on his forelegs. (Does that sound familiar?) Rather keep him back a little and let him find his correct balance. As the horse becomes fitter, he will start pushing himself. Keep him in a rhythmic trot. (Count in your head: a thousand and one, a thousand and two, a thousand and three, … to find the rhythm.) Don’t let the horse fall into a canter. Horses that are allowed to canter when they want, will not develop their trotting muscles. The horse can canter in the school. Use different routes. Hills will be more intensive work than flat ground so give him a rest after that.
If time is limited, some of the trotting workouts can be replaced by a workout on the lunge. Up to 40 minutes maximum (5 minutes of warm up at the walk not included) of trotting in the ring at a rhythmic pace. 40 minutes lunging will replace 2 hours of trotting on the road. Ring work is harder work than the road because the horse has to keep his body bent laterally and that takes more energy. You can’t replace all roadwork with lunging because the horse has to be used to the rider’s weight and learn to balance himself at the trot.
In between, 2 recovery days: 1 day lunging, 1 day school.
A rest day is essential. At least one rest day per week. If the horse does not feel right, or begins his workout with low energy, give him a few days off. He might be sick or overtrained (not adjusted to the work he is doing).
NB: Horses differ greatly in their work ability. If the work load is too heavy for your horse, you can put in fewer workouts per week. Give those horses a longer time to condition before you go to an endurance ride.
PHASE 3 (Canter) lasts 2 weeks or longer
Goal: To make the horse’s heart and lungs fit. To teach the horse to canter rhythmically and a constant speed. To enjoy life.
2 sessions per week (or 5 sessions in 14 days). Warm up first. Start trotting and canter short distances. Alternate the canter with trotting to clear lactic acid from the muscles. Build up gradually until the horse can canter for a total of 1 hour per session interspersed with trot for a total of 2 hours. Longer rides can be attempted too. Teach the horse to ride at a controlled canter with other horses. Teach him to canter relaxed on a long rein at a constant speed (not easy with a hot horse). In the first season do not sprint the horse at full speed.
In between, 2 to 4 recovery days: 1 day lunging, 1 day school.
Rest days are absolutely essential. One to three rest days per week. If the horse does not feel right or starts his workout without energy, give him a few extra days off.
PHASE 4 (Building reserves/Tapering) lasts 1 week.
Building Reserves
One week before the endurance ride, let the horse recover with light work only. Remember to reduce his energy concentrates accordingly.
In short: It should take you 3 to 4 months to prepare for your first slow 80 km. You can enter for a 30 or 60 km before you attempt the first 80 km to get more experience or to make the horse used to long distances more gradually. With a novice horse you can take a leisurely 5 to 6 hours to complete the 80 km, depending on the terrain. For the novice rider it is a great achievement to complete 80 km. For the experienced rider on a novice horse it is a brick in the foundation of the horse’s career. Only in a horse’s third season of endurance can one really see what the horse is capable of, in terms of speed over distance.
PRINCIPLES
Build the horse up gradually to maximum work.
A stressful session must be followed by a day of recovery.
As you train faster and harder, you need to put in more recovery days. While you are just walking, no days for recovery are necessary, but you need to lunge and school to develop the horse properly.
Remember the principle of improvement is based on stress and recovery to a higher plane of fitness. If no recovery is allowed, you will break down what you have built up by causing injuries to the weakest parts.
No more than 2 of the hardest workouts per week.
1 complete rest day per week.
Don’t do hard workouts on consecutive days. (That is only for advanced horses, not novices)
Lunge one day a week (ring work) Slow rhythmic trot for +/- 20 minutes. Done right, it will improve obedience, suppleness and power. We seldom canter young horses in the ring because of the risk of injuries like overreach or slipping or ligament injuries.
One day a week school your horse to make him supple and obedient.
Keep Records!
There are a few factors that influence the amount and type of work that you need to do to get your horse fit for the level of endurance you are planning to compete in and they are:
- Breed/build of horse
- Age of horse
- Type of work/lifestyle the horse has encountered up to this point
- Your own circumstances – i.e. work/life balance; where you live; how your horses are kept
- Your riding area/facilities available to you/off road riding etc
I have taken a very good fittening programme from the following website and adjusted it slightly to suit the British way of life and confines of terrain and countryside that we have here. This is aimed at the top level of endurance but it applies to all levels…you just need to scale it down to your requirements! There are some very good ideas here and even if you don’t stick to it by the letter it is worth reading through and it may help you to build a programme that suits you, your horse and your lifestyle.
https://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/
There are also some very good endurance books for some reading matter:
Endurance Start to Finish, Marcy Pavord, J A Allen & Co Ltd, 1996
Endurance Riding , Clare Wilde, Kenilworth Press 1996
Go the Distance, Nancy Loving, Kenilworth Press, 1997
Starting Endurance Riding, Clare Wilde, Kenilworth Press 2006
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Conditioning: Working the horse to become strong enough to complete endurance rides without damage.
Hard work/ workout: This involves hard work where you ask the horse to put in a greater effort than he is accustomed to. Typically, 20 minutes after the workout the horse’s pulse will be higher than you are used to. That means you have stressed it.
Recovery day: On these days you allow the horse to recover from the stress. Exercises you can do are twenty minute lunge sessions (ring work) at a steady trot, schooling, a gentle hack, etc.
Rest day: Any day that suits you. No work at all.
Exercise: The level of work that does not stress the horse. It just maintains the fitness.
TIME SCALES
The beginning of a Long Slow Distance ride
The time it takes for various body tissues to adapt and condition, are as follows:
Heart and lungs 3 months
Muscles 3-6 months
Tendons and ligaments 6-12 months
Hooves 7 months
Bone 1-3 years
NB! A horse can be got fit enough to go fast in a relatively short period, but will not be conditioned to withstand injury. Only after 3 seasons of endurance (provided he had no serious tendon/ligament injuries) will he be thoroughly conditioned to be ridden hard and competitively.
PROGRAM
Begin with LSD (Long Slow Distance)
The goal is to build a broad foundation of stamina by riding long distances slowly. The different phases define the type of workouts that will be used. We recommend that through all the phases you lunge the horse at trot one day a week and school one day a week. Workouts are done on outrides.
PHASE 1 (WALKING) lasts 6 weeks (This would depend if the horse has had a considerable time off since the end of the season…or if it has been used as a riding horse before and already has this base fitness– this is where you need to adapt this depending on the 5 factors at the beginning)
Goal: To prepare the horse physically and psychologically for more intensive exercise. To start the conditioning of the legs and tendons. To build muscle. To make the horse calm and obedient. To accustom the horse to the open road. To teach the rider discipline!
4 or 5 workouts per week. Build up to 2-3 hours of active walk per session. (Again use your discretion with this again depending on the 5 factors- it is not always possible to fit this amount of time working your horse into a week, especially in a British winter and having to work!) The horse must walk with purpose and not lag. The horse must learn to walk properly and not jog. He must learn to walk on a loose rein with his head down and neck extended so that his back can swing freely to develop the back muscles. Use varied terrain – rough, stony tracks, off road bridleways, moorland, field margins and even road for limited distances. During the work sessions only walk – the horse can trot in the lunge ring, and trot and canter during schooling. But during the work sessions the horse may only walk, even up hills, just walk.
By walking uphill the horse builds strong muscle. After a few weeks you will see what I mean. (Tip: At the start of Phase 1, take a photo of the horse’s quarters from behind, pull the tail out of the way so you can see the inner thigh muscles too. After 6 weeks take another picture. Compare the muscling.)
In between, one day lunging, one day school.
Rest day optional. Because walking is low intensity work, a rest day is not essential, but it will certainly do no harm to have a day off.
If you don’t have enough time to ride that often, (this is probably all of us!) you can aim at riding a total of 48 hours of walking. The 48 hours is derived from 4 workouts x 2 hours x 6 weeks. In practise it will lengthen the period of the Walking Phase, but you will have the peace of mind that the horse has walked the requisite kilometres and time.
In the last 2 weeks of Phase 1 you can begin trotting short distances during the walking sessions in preparation for Phase 2.
PHASE 2 (Trotting) lasts 4 to 6 weeks.
Goal: to develop the horse’s stamina so that it can trot long distances rhythmically and at a constant pace. To develop the trotting muscles and teach the horse an energy-saving trot. To teach the horse not to just canter, but to stay in trot until asked to canter. To make the rider’s legs strong enough to ride long distances at the trot. To teach the rider self control. To prepare the horse physically for more intensive exercise.
3 or 4 workouts per week. Start out at the walk until the horse is thoroughly warmed up (15-20 minutes). Begin trotting slowly and alternate with periods of walking if the horse becomes tired or out of breath. Build up gradually until the horse can trot actively for 2 hours without a break. (Again this may not always be possible in the UK and you will have to adapt this the best you can in your circumstances). The younger or less experienced the horse is, the more gradual should be the increase in pace during the phase. The horse must learn to trot relaxed with head low, neck extended and back rounded. Only this way can he develop long powerful strides.
The powerful, ground-eating hundred miler trot takes years to perfect. Don’t push the horse into a faster trot. It will too easily throw him off balance and onto the forehand. A horse like that will hang on the reins, is hard to stop and turn and puts strain on his forelegs. (Does that sound familiar?) Rather keep him back a little and let him find his correct balance. As the horse becomes fitter, he will start pushing himself. Keep him in a rhythmic trot. (Count in your head: a thousand and one, a thousand and two, a thousand and three, … to find the rhythm.) Don’t let the horse fall into a canter. Horses that are allowed to canter when they want, will not develop their trotting muscles. The horse can canter in the school. Use different routes. Hills will be more intensive work than flat ground so give him a rest after that.
If time is limited, some of the trotting workouts can be replaced by a workout on the lunge. Up to 40 minutes maximum (5 minutes of warm up at the walk not included) of trotting in the ring at a rhythmic pace. 40 minutes lunging will replace 2 hours of trotting on the road. Ring work is harder work than the road because the horse has to keep his body bent laterally and that takes more energy. You can’t replace all roadwork with lunging because the horse has to be used to the rider’s weight and learn to balance himself at the trot.
In between, 2 recovery days: 1 day lunging, 1 day school.
A rest day is essential. At least one rest day per week. If the horse does not feel right, or begins his workout with low energy, give him a few days off. He might be sick or overtrained (not adjusted to the work he is doing).
NB: Horses differ greatly in their work ability. If the work load is too heavy for your horse, you can put in fewer workouts per week. Give those horses a longer time to condition before you go to an endurance ride.
PHASE 3 (Canter) lasts 2 weeks or longer
Goal: To make the horse’s heart and lungs fit. To teach the horse to canter rhythmically and a constant speed. To enjoy life.
2 sessions per week (or 5 sessions in 14 days). Warm up first. Start trotting and canter short distances. Alternate the canter with trotting to clear lactic acid from the muscles. Build up gradually until the horse can canter for a total of 1 hour per session interspersed with trot for a total of 2 hours. Longer rides can be attempted too. Teach the horse to ride at a controlled canter with other horses. Teach him to canter relaxed on a long rein at a constant speed (not easy with a hot horse). In the first season do not sprint the horse at full speed.
In between, 2 to 4 recovery days: 1 day lunging, 1 day school.
Rest days are absolutely essential. One to three rest days per week. If the horse does not feel right or starts his workout without energy, give him a few extra days off.
PHASE 4 (Building reserves/Tapering) lasts 1 week.
Building Reserves
One week before the endurance ride, let the horse recover with light work only. Remember to reduce his energy concentrates accordingly.
In short: It should take you 3 to 4 months to prepare for your first slow 80 km. You can enter for a 30 or 60 km before you attempt the first 80 km to get more experience or to make the horse used to long distances more gradually. With a novice horse you can take a leisurely 5 to 6 hours to complete the 80 km, depending on the terrain. For the novice rider it is a great achievement to complete 80 km. For the experienced rider on a novice horse it is a brick in the foundation of the horse’s career. Only in a horse’s third season of endurance can one really see what the horse is capable of, in terms of speed over distance.
PRINCIPLES
Build the horse up gradually to maximum work.
A stressful session must be followed by a day of recovery.
As you train faster and harder, you need to put in more recovery days. While you are just walking, no days for recovery are necessary, but you need to lunge and school to develop the horse properly.
Remember the principle of improvement is based on stress and recovery to a higher plane of fitness. If no recovery is allowed, you will break down what you have built up by causing injuries to the weakest parts.
No more than 2 of the hardest workouts per week.
1 complete rest day per week.
Don’t do hard workouts on consecutive days. (That is only for advanced horses, not novices)
Lunge one day a week (ring work) Slow rhythmic trot for +/- 20 minutes. Done right, it will improve obedience, suppleness and power. We seldom canter young horses in the ring because of the risk of injuries like overreach or slipping or ligament injuries.
One day a week school your horse to make him supple and obedient.
Keep Records!