However, there are a few things that I have found that are important to
understand before you start trotting or cantering down hill (or uphill
for that matter). Mostly, the ability of a horse to safely negotiate
hills at speed, depend upon its balance and, consequently, its
engagement behind. If a horse does not engage behind and shift its
weight to its hindquarters on the flat, it is not ready for trotting
down hill. Until a horse can trot with balance down hill, it is not
ready for cantering down hill. And no matter how well balanced a horse
may be, it is not going to be balanced trotting down hill, unless the
rider is also able to maintain his balance.
It is also extremely important to be paying attention while you are
doing this. When going down hill at speed, slight shifts in the rider's
weight can significantly alter the horse's balance, and as the degree of
slope changes, the horse must change its balance. A skilled rider can
use his own weight to help the horse shift its balance in preparation
for changes in slope. (As I mentioned, at Santa Anita, horses regularly
gallop down hill at the start of the turf course. Most accidents that
happen on this track do not occur while galloping down hill, but rather
when the horses get to the bottom of the hill, it levels out, and they
have to cross the dirt track.)
That said, I have found that there is no exercise better designed for
developing balance in both horse and rider than trotting down hill (if
it is done properly, and when horse and rider are ready for it). If
anybody is interested in some step by step exercises that will develop
both horse and rider so they can safely trot and canter down hill.
Additionally, since there is very little conditioning benefit to going
down hill at speed; after the horse and rider have developed the balance
to do this, there is no longer any reason to practice it (at least not
regularly). After my horses have developed this balance, conditioning
rides are limited to running up hill, walking down. While at a race I
will walk up and run down. However, if you are planning to use this
strategy at a race, be sure that you have practiced it before.
When it comes to running up hills....Cardiovascularly, this is LOTS of
work for the horse (hence you can get tons of metabolic conditioning out
of very few miles with very little stress on the legs, especially if the
footing is reasonable soft without being deep). It is much easier,
muscularly, for a horse to run up a hill than to walk, as the horse can
use its own inertia to counteract the pull of gravity.
A great way to build muscles behind is to make your horse walk up steep
hills; assuming, of course, that you make the horse walk properly
(driving off its back end pushing itself up the hill instead of pulling
itself up the hill with its front legs...don't let your horse hang on
his forehand when walking up hill).
When it comes to getting of and walking/jogging with your horse.....
I tail my horse up hill to give myself a boost. Not only is the horse
carrying itself up the hill, but also pulling me up (this is more work
for the horse than it would be if I were to walk up the hill without
grabbing my horse's tail, but we can make better time as my horse can
walk faster up hill than I can, and I appreciate the help). I don't
need any help from my horse to pull me going down so there is absolutely
no reason to tail a horse on the way down. I have gravity to pull me
instead.
I do, however, get off my horse when going down hill especially if it is
steep. We can make much better time if I run along with it. And I run
(or if it is really rocky, walk) in front of it.
Which brings me to my final point. As endurance riders we need to do
more than condition our horses, we need to train them as well (this is
one of my pet topics). The reason I can walk/run in front of my horses
going down hills (or up hill, or any where) is that I have taught them
not to run over me when I am in front of them. They have to pay
attention to where I am and what I am doing. I consider it one of the
essential things for a trail horse to learn, and any horse that spends
any time on my property becomes immediately familiar with the concept
"don't walk on top of me" when I am in front of it. As they develop
better and better balance for going down hill, they are more capable of
keeping themselves off of me...so green horses first learn this concept
at the walk (and the hills can't be too steep to start with).
All of these things have one thing in common...teach your horse to shift
his weight onto his hind quarters. Since this is also one of the big
objectives of dressage, taking some time to 'dress' your horse is time
well spent (and I am not talking about choosing your tack).
As and aside: because of the importance of getting your horse onto its
hindquarters when negotiating hills, a well conformed hip is a BIG
advantage in an endurance horse. That is one of the reasons I like my
horses to stand under a little bit (some people call this sickle hocks),
it is much easier for them to engage behind; however, it is even more
important to have proper angulation of the pelvis. That table top back
end of the 'typey' Arabian should be considered a _serious_
conformational flaw if the flat croup is combined with a flat pelvis.
kat
Orange County, Calif.