condtioning new driving gelding after this winter

[BBH]

Got an experienced driving gelding back in Nov and was able to drive until about Mid Dec......have only hooked a handful of times due to weather since then.....now with nice weather coming he needs some conditioning.....looking for suggestions on how you condition for driving/show season. I have limited areas for driivng....a local park when not two wet, some area near house but not perfectly flat, the road which I don't like to do too much due to traffic and wear and tear on hooves. Any comments wlecome. Thanks.

 

[RhineStone]

I know of trainers that start horses back in the spring and spend an entire month strictly walking. As long as the hills are not too strenuous, they are fine. There was just an article on conditioning the driving horse in the Jan./Feb. issue of Driving Digest. I think you can get back issues from divingdigest.com or coachmansdelight.com

 

[targetsmom]

We still have snow in a lot of our prime work areas, so we are longing and ground driving our driving minis whereever the ground is safe. We did have to fill in a huge sink hole today that wasn't there Friday! We were able to actually drive one day last week before it rained/snowed for the next 6 days. So you are not alone!!! We also use our hilly driveway for exercising minis (which is why it isn't paved).

 

[Minxiesmom]

I took mine out to a schooling show after not working all winter. He was ok, but not bullet proof!

Yesterday, I took him to a tree farm (close to home)where I am allowed to drive. The roads are smooth and not muddy, no traffic. We put in 4 miles, of which about half was trotting and half walking. I felt that was enough because he still has his winter coat so he sweats up a bit. (Head/neck, girth area clipped) He really could have gone farther but I didn't want to push it. His normal workout is 5 miles, mostly trotting, 1-2 times per week.

After the 4 miles, put the horses in the trailer and walked a mile!

Can't lunge at home yet...too muddy. When things dry up a bit more, he is lunged 2 times a week for 30 minutes. He jumps for 10 minutes of that lunging.

 

[Sandee]

I took mine out to a schooling show after not working all winter. He was ok, but not bullet proof!
Yesterday, I took him to a tree farm (close to home)where I am allowed to drive. The roads are smooth and not muddy, no traffic. We put in 4 miles, of which about half was trotting and half walking. I felt that was enough because he still has his winter coat so he sweats up a bit. (Head/neck, girth area clipped) He really could have gone farther but I didn't want to push it. His normal workout is 5 miles, mostly trotting, 1-2 times per week.

After the 4 miles, put the horses in the trailer and walked a mile!

Can't lunge at home yet...too muddy. When things dry up a bit more, he is lunged 2 times a week for 30 minutes. He jumps for 10 minutes of that lunging.

Wow, that's quite a work out! I wish [SIZE=14pt]I[/SIZE] were fit enough to go that far let alone my horses. I need you to come work mine. I'm worn out (huffing and puffing) in 10 minutes.

 

[mydaddysjag]

My horse hasnt been driven since atleast winter of 08' and we're going to start bringing him back to driving. He was just shown in hand last season, so he wasnt left completely go, but he is in by no means show shape, or conditioned. I am able to lunge him in an indoor arena, so we're going to strictly lunge for a few weeks first, then start driving one or two days a week, and build from there.

How long do you drive your horses at a walk and for how long, how long until you introduce trotting again, etc?

 

[Sandee]

My horse hasnt been driven since atleast winter of 08' and we're going to start bringing him back to driving. He was just shown in hand last season, so he wasnt left completely go, but he is in by no means show shape, or conditioned. I am able to lunge him in an indoor arena, so we're going to strictly lunge for a few weeks first, then start driving one or two days a week, and build from there.
How long do you drive your horses at a walk and for how long, how long until you introduce trotting again, etc?

Mine haven't been worked since last winter (so not as long as yours) but you have to know the horse and judge accordingly. My stallion is lazy and on the lunge line has to be forced to trot no matter when we start him and no matter how long (a little stretching then 5 minutes trot each way to start). He acts like he's totally forgotten everything he knew but put him in long lines and he will work willingly and easily. We have to work him to get his nose in everytime he's driven.

My mare - totally different. She lunges easily. I started her with a little warm up of walking then she went right to troting 5 minutes each way. I have to make her slow down and trot as if I let her she would be cantering on the lunge line. A couple days later in the long lines she immediately tucked her head and worked a full 10-15 minutes (mostly at a trot).

So bascially the stallion will need the most work. I want them to trot freely 5 minutes each way without a rest for about a week and we will do 5 days a week to start. The stallion will need to then go to 10 minutes each way with a little walk break between. He needs to build stamina. He's a bit overweight.

The mare will need to start hill work as she tends to work so hard that she will strain her muscles. She will need to strengthen her muscles up so she doesn't strain something later on. So far she has never been overweight.

We work up to troting at least 15 minutes each way with a walking break in between and try to do this 3 to 4 days a week during show season. The troting will eventually be broken up like one day with the cart, one day on a lunge line, one day over poles or jumps just to keep things from being boring for any of us.

 

[gatorbait4sure]

I've got to laugh at you all! As I am working the stallion who hasn't been worked in NINE years! Not even touched! EVER!.....

He is a good boy though, as he goes out in his bitting rig with a plastic bag tied to each side of the rig, and a haybag that flops to whichever side he isn't working. OOOOHHHH Scary!

I make him walk through all the mares then all the geldings, out to the round pen and back.......and then brought his fanny in and clipped his feet and legs. First time for that...only because my farrier bet me I'd have to tranquilize him to get it done! I win! Not even a twitch!

Now will he be bombproof for this year????? Maybe! We'll see.

dru