Re: Re: trotting on pavement

["Tamara Jane Habberley" <tamarahabberley@lineone.net>]

well as Im from the UK....

 

here in the UK there is not that much available ridign of road - even rural areas tend to be mainly private farms with no right of access so raod work is a neccessary evil. Its douable provided the rider uses common sense.

 

For many years hunters have been legged up by slow trotting on roads. The theory being that it hardens the legs and tendons.

 

Many top UK riders us road riding for fittness work. I know personally of one whose horse at 17 years old was UK and Scotisch Nat Champion and has been trained on tarmac for many years. He did a 50 miler at 19 last year easier than some of the youngsters. His owners secret is LOTS of SLOW STEADY work.

 

A lot of endurance riders used to be based in my area and use the roads a lot. the one thing that has caused a lot to move to more open countryside is the build up of traffic - FAR more dangerous to horses than tarmac!

 

Tamara

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Cheryl

To: ridecamp@endurance.net

Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 2:39 AM

Subject: RC: Re: trotting on pavement

Hi Kelsey, Laura and All -

 

I saw that on Horse TV, also. I'm not a competitor, I just do the miles. When I brought Bobby home, age 4 1/2 months (ten years ago already!!!), I gave him a couple weeks to hang out in the new digs, and get to know the other kids (Kit in particular, since she was going to help me train him). Then, when he started his trail training (at five months) we walked, then worked up to slow jogging then trotting, on the road bordering the farm, which went from being hard packed dirt, to cinders, to blacktop, and then to regular pavement. This took place over about five years, and it was if the town highway department actually worked on improving the road according to the level Bobby was at. Honest!! I was following Mr. McKay Smith, and Bobby has a great set of feet and legs now. I just went carefully with him (and Kit,  too). I don't trot them on pavement now, and I personally would never run them on pavement.

 

Ride Safe -

 

Cheryl in WNY

Horse Kids Kit, Bobby & Dani

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Hayes <mark@madbbs.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Monday, May 28, 2001 4:32 PM
Subject: RC: trotting on pavement

Hi!  Trotting on hard surfaces is not something you would want to do all the
time, but some riders consider it a part of training and certainly something
you can do during a race.  Dr. Matthew McKay Smith said years ago that small
amounts of trotting on hard surface actually strengthens legs in that it
creates concussion that causes small micro fractures in the bone that then
heal and create denser bone.  I train on the roads in the winter months
because of the snow and ice we get, and my horses are quite sound.  We have
alot of Amish here and they go hellity clatter up the roads day in and day
out with the same horses.  You do need to consider the slip factor of
pavement and macadam.  I use aluminum shoes and they grip better than steel.

Laura Hayes AERC#2741
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kelsey M" <appyhehehorses@yahoo.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 12:49 AM
Subject: RC: jogging/trotting on pavement


> Okay- I have a question. I was watching horse TV the
> other night and they showed the championship endurance
> ride that was in England in 1995 or 96 or sometime a
> few yrs ago. Anyway- as they showed the horses
> trotting on the beach- and then getting closer to
> town- they just jogged over the pavement like it was
> no big deal. and they did it for quite a distance.
>
> Please pardon my stupidity, but I was always taught
> not to trot your horse on pavement for long distances.
> Its not good for their legs, especially w/ the extra
> weight of the rider. Do you train for this? Am I
> overreacting?
>
> Just curious and wondering.
> Thanks!!
> Kelsey in Oregon
>
> =====
>