>I'd like to hear from some of you that do some of your conditioning on the
>pavement. Unfortunately, I have no choice to do some of my weekly
>conditioning on pavement - I hate that but right now that's my only
>alternative in some places. What we actually trot on the pavement probably
>only amounts to about 5 - 8 miles a week but I hate every stride of it. Not
>only does it wear the living daylights out of metal shoes, I just cringe
>knowing the amount of concussion his legs must be taking. (I am getting my
>equithotics in this Friday - so part of that problem will soon be
>lessened.)
>Is this amount excessive? Does anyone else do this much or more on a
>regular basis?
A couple of years ago (1991) Becky Hart came and talked to our riding
club about various endurance topics. One of the things she talked
about was her conditioning program for an out of condition or obese
horse. She included walking about a 1/2 mile on pavement in the
beginning month. In the next months as work increased, she added a
little jog on pavement. My notes from her talk don't have any more
information on pavement.
I have a friend who rides her endurance horses down her paved
driveway, which is about 1 mile. She believes that a little pavement
work is good for them.
When I went to Ireland last summer, I was amazed at the amount of
riding we did on hard pavement. The horses did not seem to be
adversely affected by it, although I couldn't tell you how long a
horse lasts in Ireland. I think European horses do a LOT more
pavement work than we do here in the SF Bay Area of California.
Where I ride there isn't any pavement to deal with but in the
summertime there are some pretty hard packed dirt roads. I do a
little trotting on a short paved road in our park but it isn't really
a significant distance.
Judy Long and Nachi Sunshine (Warpaint)
Hayward, Ca.
longj@centigram.com