Training Program -- General
Start by conditioning your horse well in advance of the ride season. Many endurance riders condition year round. Most start training in February for the season ahead. Start with slow rides ... two or three times a week. Then add in strength days, interval days (on/offs) and short speed days if the horse has more than two years of training on it.
You can begin increasing the distance, speed, and number of times per week over a period of three months or so until the horse gradually reaches peak condition. Never increase speed and distance simultaneously.
It is a good idea to get a stethoscope and learn what your horse’s normal working and resting heart beat is. Find out how long it takes to recover after a strenuous workout. You should also listen and learn about gut sounds and respiration rates so you are familiar with the normal parameters for your horse.
Begin with a Fitness Test (for you and your horse)
Begin your training program with a fitness test to help determine your horse's current fitness level. It's easier to do this test with a heart rate monitor; however, you can use a stethoscope and stopwatch instead. Select a known distance and have your horse cover this distance at a comfortable pace (strong trot). The distance should be covered according to the work the horse has been doing, so if you've been frequently riding five miles at a time, that distance would work well. Time how long it takes to cover that distance. Next, get off and hand-walk your horse for the next 15 minutes. Take his heart rate at two minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes and jot down the corresponding numbers. Plot the heart-rate curve when you get home. At the beginning of each month perform the same fitness test and compare numbers. Your horse's rate of recovery should be faster indicating your aerobic work is taking effect.
Start by conditioning your horse well in advance of the ride season. Many endurance riders condition year round. Most start training in February for the season ahead. Start with slow rides ... two or three times a week. Then add in strength days, interval days (on/offs) and short speed days if the horse has more than two years of training on it.
You can begin increasing the distance, speed, and number of times per week over a period of three months or so until the horse gradually reaches peak condition. Never increase speed and distance simultaneously.
It is a good idea to get a stethoscope and learn what your horse’s normal working and resting heart beat is. Find out how long it takes to recover after a strenuous workout. You should also listen and learn about gut sounds and respiration rates so you are familiar with the normal parameters for your horse.
Begin with a Fitness Test (for you and your horse)
Begin your training program with a fitness test to help determine your horse's current fitness level. It's easier to do this test with a heart rate monitor; however, you can use a stethoscope and stopwatch instead. Select a known distance and have your horse cover this distance at a comfortable pace (strong trot). The distance should be covered according to the work the horse has been doing, so if you've been frequently riding five miles at a time, that distance would work well. Time how long it takes to cover that distance. Next, get off and hand-walk your horse for the next 15 minutes. Take his heart rate at two minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes and jot down the corresponding numbers. Plot the heart-rate curve when you get home. At the beginning of each month perform the same fitness test and compare numbers. Your horse's rate of recovery should be faster indicating your aerobic work is taking effect.