How to Condition Your Horse for Endurance Riding

1
Assess how fit your horse actually is. Does he start puffing when you take him up a short slope?

2
Once you have assessed your horse, slot him in at the relevant level.


3
Starting with the very unfit horse lunge them for 5 - 10 minutes each side every other day for a week, then increase to 10 - 15 minutes each side for another week.Be careful you aren't stressing your horse as lunging can be stressful for your horse's joints.

4
After two weeks start riding your horse - Start slowly. You may want to alternate riding and lunging for a while. Work on transitions and circles.

5
School for about 20 - 30 minutes in an arena, then take him out for a light hack.Start with basic roadwork at walk with a small amount of trot.

6
Slowly increase the exercise over the new couple of weeks until your horse doesn't get tired when trotting for 15 minuets straight.

7
Experienced endurance trainers who have consistently had horses winning "best condition" give the horses a day off between rides, and when training for greater distances only ride three days per week. Plenty of rest between provides the tendons, joints, and equine physiology a good chance for healing and strengthening and also provides a refreshing mental reprieve and has proven positive physiologically and psychologically.

8
Start introducing slopes - only slight ones at first and walk up them. After a few days start gently trotting part way up. Keep increasing until your horse can trot all the way up without getting too tired. You can then increase the speed of trot.

9
Work a little on canter. Gradually extend your canter time until your horse is no longer huffing and puffing. It is VERY important that you go slow at this stage. Then you can start cantering up small to moderate hills. Next, you will be able to gallop. Don't gallop by yourself and make sure you always have a helmet and a safety vest on. I would advise gloves too, to protect your hands. Start with only a few strides, then increase.

10
Find some good trail rides locally and see how long they are. Start on the shorter ones and see how you and your horse cope with it - don't go hell for leather and charge round.

11
Keep increasing your horse's work level - you will see a difference in him.Keep slowly increasing until he is fit enough to go for a long distance at any gait, with breaks every so often.

12
As your horse gets fitter start timing yourself over distances.




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