Last summer was the first time my gelding was
in pretty good condition (after several years of LSD, emphasis on the
sloooow). We did a 25 mile ECTRA CTR (required to average 6
mph) in September, and by mile 15 or so I was sorry I hadn't entered
the 35-miler because it was pretty effortless for him.
He was off work for much of the winter (stone
bruise, later a nasty cut, then mountains of snow), and our muddy,
sodden spring made for a slow start back into a good conditioning
routine.
We're routinely doing 20+ mile conditioning rides
now, but his wind is not as good as last year. Our rides (2X or 3X
weekly) consist of mostly trotting, with some walking and cantering, on
fairly hilly terrain. But if I have him trot up significant
hills, he'll eventually start to make a loud wheezing noise. There is
no evidence of respiratory problems, and he's not kept in dusty conditions or
fed dusty hay. The only time he ever made such a noise last year was one
very hot/humid day when I pushed him a bit too hard.
Would more cantering on appropriate
terrain improve his wind? Or should I just have him walk up the
steeper hills for the time being? Or both?
