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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
   
Location: Louisiana | 2014 was the first year I joined a rodeo association and actually hauled all year. I am proud of my main man, as we reached my goal of qualifying for the finals. As I looked around at the top 15 riders and horses, I realized a few are just flat out in better shape than T-Bo. He outran the top 5 horses Friday night, placing 4th in the round. Then he dropped off a little after that, where some of the horses got stronger each run. We ran Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday night.
I know he can run with those horses. I think (I know) he needs to be in better shape, though. I also need to be in better shape (note I didn't say lighter LOL, although that wouldn't hurt!) to ride him like I should.
So, you gals at the top of your game, what are you doing during the week?
I want T-Bo to be a lean, mean, running machine!! I need to focus on building his wind.
I was going to turn him out for a while after a different rodeo final this weekend. But my fiance reminded me we have a winter buckle series that kicks off in January and I want to hit that. So no down time!
I typically ride for 20-30 minutes which I'm thinking isn't long enough, or I'm not doing enough in that time. He is a seasoned horse that I don't do much barrel work on, although he can handle it when I do without getting ansty or hot. I focus on having a calm, happy horse.
Throw me some ideas and routines!! And feel free to share what you do to stay in shape as well. I know working out would make me a lot more confident rider. Thanks!!
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
 
Location: Kansas | Hills for him and core work for you.
In 2012, I had Chance in unbelieveable shape because we exercised in a pasture with HUGE hills. We'd trot up them, lope up them, sprint up them, etc., depending on the day. I don't live there anymore so I have to be a little more creative with my hill work and utilize the few shorter steeper hills we do have, but hills are an important part of my horses' workout routine.
I did the 30 day ab challenge from www.30dayfitnesschallenges.com this summer and it made a big difference. If I can finish kicking this stupid cough & cold, I will start it again because I can still get stronger. | |
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Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | rodeowithjoker - 2014-12-08 11:54 PM Hills for him and core work for you.
In 2012, I had Chance in unbelieveable shape because we exercised in a pasture with HUGE hills. We'd trot up them, lope up them, sprint up them, etc., depending on the day. I don't live there anymore so I have to be a little more creative with my hill work and utilize the few shorter steeper hills we do have, but hills are an important part of my horses' workout routine.
I did the 30 day ab challenge from www.30dayfitnesschallenges.com this summer and it made a big difference. If I can finish kicking this stupid cough & cold, I will start it again because I can still get stronger.
Hills, what are those?? Haha, I live in LA, we don't have very many hills around!
Mine and my fiance's place actually does have somewhat of a hill (one hill LOL) but it will be a while before I bring my horse. At my mom's we're doing good to have an "arena", no fence, to ride in. We do have good ground for doing some faster work when needed. Once I do get him moved I will definitely incorporate hill work into our daily routine. There are also trails with creeks and ditches to cross that are challenging and fun for a barrel horse not used to being "outside".
I think core work would really help my riding. A lot of the small issues I've been having are due to timing and balance, things I know can be improved with exercise. It's just getting motivated to work out. Heck, I just bought a wedding dress and I still haven't worked out!! I used to run and do different workout DVDs daily, lately I've just been stuffing my face. Geez I need to get it together!
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I've had horses in your state, and you're right, it's flat as a sheet of new paper! Maybe you could get him to a water treadmill? | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 639
Location: God's country...aka TEXAS | Swimming would be the best thing. It gets them in great shape without wearing on their joints. | |
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Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | dashnlotti - 2014-12-09 12:21 AM rodeowithjoker - 2014-12-08 11:54 PM Hills for him and core work for you.
In 2012, I had Chance in unbelieveable shape because we exercised in a pasture with HUGE hills. We'd trot up them, lope up them, sprint up them, etc., depending on the day. I don't live there anymore so I have to be a little more creative with my hill work and utilize the few shorter steeper hills we do have, but hills are an important part of my horses' workout routine.
I did the 30 day ab challenge from www.30dayfitnesschallenges.com this summer and it made a big difference. If I can finish kicking this stupid cough & cold, I will start it again because I can still get stronger. Hills, what are those?? Haha, I live in LA, we don't have very many hills around!
Mine and my fiance's place actually does have somewhat of a hill (one hill LOL) but it will be a while before I bring my horse. At my mom's we're doing good to have an "arena", no fence, to ride in. We do have good ground for doing some faster work when needed. Once I do get him moved I will definitely incorporate hill work into our daily routine. There are also trails with creeks and ditches to cross that are challenging and fun for a barrel horse not used to being "outside".
I think core work would really help my riding. A lot of the small issues I've been having are due to timing and balance, things I know can be improved with exercise. It's just getting motivated to work out. Heck, I just bought a wedding dress and I still haven't worked out!! I used to run and do different workout DVDs daily, lately I've just been stuffing my face. Geez I need to get it together!
Deep ground would be other really good thing to get one in top shape. That's what a friend of mine uses.....her 60X80 arena with DEEP DEEP SAND. Matt lunges his horses in smaller circles and thinks that's great for building up muscles. I have a lot of room to ride in long straight linse so I don't do many small circles and honestly I have a lot less joint issues than he does so I think a combination of both methods would be best. When I work horses at his place, I go up & down the hills rather than stay in the "arena" and lope circles, but they have some monster hills and I like to take advantage of that!
When I did the 30 day ab challenge, my best friend from college did it too and we texted each other daily to stay accountable. She had a baby last August and wanted/needed motivation to get through the workouts though they aren't long, and I needed someone to keep me on task. Worked great and we didn't have to clutter Facebook with our workout stuff. :) | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | To build stamina or "wind" we would do lots of long trotting. If you post be sure to switch diagonals periodically. I do my long trotting out on trail as I get bored in 2 minutes in an arena going in circles!
To really condition I would do intervals of long trotting for a mile or so...then canter a 1/2 mile...back down to the long trot etc and repeat. May have to start at shorter intervals and work up.
And yes...if you have access to a place with an aqua tred or to swim him...that's definitely helpful. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| bumping for lunch crowd - I'm interested in more ideas too!  | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 212
| I think long trotting is good for wind, but am always surprised that more people dont fast lope or sprint them a few times a week. A human sprint track runner wouldnt train by doing distance every day. Wind for distance is different than wind for a 15 second sprint. I alternate both, like one day I will long trot 25 mins and do hills and then fast lope several arena laps, then the next day maybe trot 15, do a pasture long sprint, walk and trot some, do another sprint. My horses got .2-.4 faster as well as recovered more quickly from runs after starting to do sprints a couple times a week. | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 164
| This is helping me a lot with my horse too...thanks for starting this thread! | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| alp341 - 2014-12-09 12:39 PM
I think long trotting is good for wind, but am always surprised that more people dont fast lope or sprint them a few times a week. A human sprint track runner wouldnt train by doing distance every day. Wind for distance is different than wind for a 15 second sprint. I alternate both, like one day I will long trot 25 mins and do hills and then fast lope several arena laps, then the next day maybe trot 15, do a pasture long sprint, walk and trot some, do another sprint. My horses got .2-.4 faster as well as recovered more quickly from runs after starting to do sprints a couple times a week.
Me too! Everyone's always yelling long trot, but they need to be breezed often. I'll breeze a couple times a week, one is three 5-10sec sprints back to back(no rest in-between), and the other is a nice long 18-20 sec sprint. Good slow foundation work once a week, and then some long distance work, long trotting to loping in each lead, back to long trotting and then walking the rest out(about four miles) the other days. mix it up, keep it fresh so they don't get bored. | |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | long trot.long trot.long trot...................i sprint maybe once or twice a month...............................but my sprints are only about 10 strides...........................i am surrounded by hills so thats a plus and i forgot to mention that 8 months out of the we are ass deep in snow...lol
m
Edited by mruggles 2014-12-09 1:43 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| I usually do quite a bit of long trotting in the beginning to build their wind, mixed in with lots of transitions to a lope then back down to a trot, so on and so forth. Once I think they're ready, I'll start working them once a week, maybe twice a week. I also do a lot of trotting over poles, working on collection, anything I can do to make their back stronger. You wouldn't believe the difference a stronger back will make in your runs. As for me, I do a LOT of yoga, mixed in with running every other day (if I have time). I feel much more relaxed and surprisingly much stronger; I feel like I'm able to stay with my horse better than I did before for sure! | |
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  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Unfit horse I do a lot of walking to get the muscles stretching.when I can feel like they want more I pick up the trot.i only keep going till they tell me to turn around.i walk out to where I want to go pick up the left lead and go as far as the trail will let me turn around pick up the right lead back to starting point.when the horse is recuperating faster I start picking up the pace.I try to breeze often depending on location and weather.hills are awesome pastures are good. Deep ground is ok on the straight.The next part is feeding right.great hay / free choice .multi vitamins. They all work if they reach the stomach. Proper balanced shoeing on schedule.A good routine will keep a horse up there. | |
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