Can I get ready for Prelim riding 4 days a week?

[AUeventer]

I'm really thinking about Champagne Run. It would be my second prelim and my horse's third. Our first prelim together was at the end of March. He is boarded an hour away and as of right now I can only get there 4 days a week. Is it possible to get him fit enough to safely compete in a July event riding 4 days a week? I can ride him for as long as I want on these 4 days, but I just can't afford to drive any more than I already do, unless I get more work. I currently ride and train at least 6 horses a day (on these 4 days that I ride), so my own riding fitness is probably not an issue. My gelding is an 8 year old TB, and not super heat tolerant. I am trying to sell him and I think having another prelim under his belt would help. I'm going up there anyway to take a client's horse BN, so it would be convenient. Thoughts???

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I'd say nope...on the facts you have given. Not fair to the horse (esp. one not heat tolerant....one that tolerated the heat well and was really naturally fit...possibly ok but not ideal) and green to the level. Can you get someone to hack him out (or pony him off another horse) for you 2 days....or throw him on a lunge line with side reins? They wouldn't need to work him hard those 2 days....but do a bit.

[deltawave]

I competed two years at Preliminary riding 4 days a week, RARELY five. When I decided to go for a CCI* I had to move heaven and earth to change that to 5 days a week, RARELY six. It worked out OK *but* I was riding a very, very seasoned horse who'd been there and done that. I was the inexperienced one. We worked really hard during the rides we had, and I also had another horse (a greenie) to ride to keep me somewhat fitter, although I rode her less often.

Fitness wasn't as much of a worry for me (I'm pretty fit and was younger at the time, LOL) as just feeling READY. It was OK, and we did fine and I don't think we scared too many people ;) but I considered it, for us, a very bare minimum and any time I could swing an extra ride a week I tried to do so. I also had people ride my mare to keep her fit and supple (she was older). I hated to jump her too often but when we first moved up together I made sure we made the most of every jumping session and did a lot of tricky, trappy stuff just to make sure we were clicking. Not a lot of needless grids or 'round and 'round--she didn't need it--but really trying to get all the questions answered with a minimum of pounding.

Champagne Run was always a pretty stiff Prelim back in the day, but I'm not sure how it stacks up now. That's something else to consider.

Can you have a trainer ride the horse 2 days a week to keep him sharp and making progress?

[subk]

It depends. Is he fit enough to run Prelim today and you are just maintaining or are you still trying to build fitness? How fit has he been in the past? Horses that have been very fit in the past (i.e. former race horses who have been racing fit and horses that have already done a 3-day/higher level) tend to be much easier to get fit.

Four days a week is far from ideal, however I do think it is doable if you are maintaining fitness and you have an easy to get fit TB. I had no problem with my Prelim horse getting fit and running Prelim within the time with 5 days a week. I would not however try to make time on 4 days and I would be very careful about managing the heat. I also wouldn't try it unless you feel pretty confirmed at the level.

[secretariat]

Four days is adequate tho probably not optimum; I've seen it done with less. Much of it depends on the specific horse, his breeding, and his underlying physical condition. You need a good program and a good understanding of exercise physiology, plus how your horse responds to work/exercise. Ideally, your horse is already on 24 hour turnout, then your workouts can add the edge/training you need. Long, slow is the best tool you have and turnout jump starts that tool. We also use events to put the final fitness on a horse, much like a work on the track - do a couple of trainings at prelim speed before you move up to see how he handles the extra effort. For your first prelim out on this program, DO NOT go for time - run training speed. Rate your horse to his fitness level and you should be fine. If this doesn't make sense to you, get professional help/advice.

[AUeventer]

He is on 24 hour turnout. He was at optimum condition for the March event but since then he's been ridden maybe 3x a week until about two weeks ago where he's been ridden 4x. I wouldn't really go for time due to the heat, but I just want to make sure this isn't unfair to him anyway. He's the current love of my life, a good boy all the time, so he doesn't deserve to be pushed past his limit. However, this may be my last event with him because I am supposed to start grad school this fall and then I highly doubt I will have time to ride him at all. That's why he is for sale. I considered going Training level but we ran sooo many Trainings that its almost boring to us, so if I'm going to spend my money its Prelim or nothing.

Edited to add: I was an Animal Science major, took Equine Exercise Phys, so I have a pretty solid understanding of conditioning.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

He is on 24 hour turnout. He was at optimum condition for the March event but since then he's been ridden maybe 3x a week until about two weeks ago where he's been ridden 4x. I wouldn't really go for time due to the heat, but I just want to make sure this isn't unfair to him anyway. He's the current love of my life, a good boy all the time, so he doesn't deserve to be pushed past his limit. However, this may be my last event with him because I am supposed to start grad school this fall and then I highly doubt I will have time to ride him at all. That's why he is for sale. I considered going Training level but we ran sooo many Trainings that its almost boring to us, so if I'm going to spend my money its Prelim or nothing.


Another Prelim will only help sell him if you do well. I'm sure it can be done....but it's not ideal or even really a good idea with a green to the level horse who doesn't do well in the heat.

As for time for him in grad school...I rode horses 7 days a week and competed at Prelim while in law school (graduated near the top of my class at a very good school). So yes, it can be done...but you need them closer to home. I commuted a little over an hour to law school but the horse was 15 minutes from where I lived.....my view was I only needed to be at school 5 days a week but since I was doing self care on the horse...I needed to be there 7 days a week (twice a day sometimes--another person and I split the work most days though)

[Xanthoria]

If he was in optimum condition in March and on 24/7 turnout since, I doubt he's lost much fitness.

"They" say that horses maintain fitness far better than humans, to the extrent that you could lock a horse in a stall for 2 months before seeing much decline in fitness.

[deltawave]

so if I'm going to spend my money its Prelim or nothing

You sort of lost me there. If you don't feel right about Prelim and have a last chance to have a good time at a good show with the love of your life, you'd choose nothing? I wouldn't. :) I'd have a blast at Training level and finish with a big grin. :D

[LisaB]

If you horse isn't naturally fit (i.e. an OTTB) then no, don't do it. There's nothing worse than trying to take an unfit horse on x-c. It causes more damage to them.

[RMC]

For your info Champagne Run has a P/T division you may want to consider. If you are not sure you'll have the XC fitness you can at least get the prelim dressage and stadium.

[KSevnter]

Just as an FYI, Champagne Run can be hot, hot, hot. I have run the prelim and intermediate (back when they offered it) several times and it was hot and the ground was hard. So keep the ground in mind as well when conditioning. Not sure if they aerate now or not.

[RiverBendPol]

The answer to the basic question, in my mind, is yes, one can get ready for Prelim on a 4 day week. The 4 days just cannot all be consecutive. I would do, for instance, Monday long hack-walk a total of 45 minutes, trot a total of 25, canter (400-500 mpm) total 25 minutes. Break these times into sets. Stay off your horse's back, bridge your reins and let him move under you. Practice transitions within the gaits using body, not hands. Good for your own muscle and wind building too.
Wednesday Dressage-30 minutes serious with 10 warm up/cool down stretching followed by a 20-30 minute walk/trot hack. One of my favorite exercises is again to bridge the reins and let him trot through the woods, quickly, having to choose his own footing and pace. Really helps them learn to keep their thinking and feet quick. Thursday or Friday short jump school: 4 cross rails, 8-15 jumps over prelim height, follow with 'gallops'. Total of roughly 40 minutes, 3-5 minutes at 500 mpm with short sprints of 600 thrown in, with 5 minute, 220 mpm trot breaks and 7 minute walks. Friday or Saturday, another 30 minute dressage school with long walk to follow. If you compete on the weekend, use Saturday as your gallop.
I don't know your horse, obviously, so cannot speak to him specifically. If he suffers in the heat, if the ground is like cement, if you feel he isn't fit, if the Prelim will over tax him, if you only want to do it bc it could be your last or he'll sell better with another P under his belt then I'd say forget it, you're trying to go for all the wrong reasons.

[Carol Ames]

Do you have hills to work up?They are IMHO the best :yes:way to gt a horse fit; start checking p & R, and recovery time; that will give a better;) idea about his fitness; are you talking prelim horse trials, not 3 day in the south?, you are correct fitness will be very important; does he have a fan to stand in front of?What is his fitness level now?If you do 45 minutes of good dressage, trot and canter WORK/ day; that will help. too, a solid 45 minutes of working trot / canter will go a long way toward fitness; I agree about finding someone else to ride him as well; even if it is just to walk, with a brief trot around a field.a hilly field would be:lol: best ; if he would not "take off" on the rider.be sure they they are comfortable riding a fit teventer in the:eek: open.

[Carol Ames]

8-15 jumps over prelim height, follow with 'gallops'. I tried to avoid galloping and jumping on the same day:yes:

[Hony]

8-15 jumps over prelim height, follow with 'gallops'. I tried to avoid galloping and jumping on the same day:yes:

How do you manage that at a horse trial ;)

[Mach Two]

I'm saying no.
Champaigne run cam be hot and humid. If you got this horse overheated, or he hurt himself because he was hot and fatigued, you'd feel awful, and have a damaged horse to try to sell.
6 days a week....and a really good recovery rate, for a horse that is not heat tolerant...or keep him at training. :yes:

[deltawave]

I guess my concern is more on the "readiness/preparedness" aspect than the "fitness" aspect. One doesn't have to push to make time at ANY level, but one *does* have to jump the jumps correctly and safely. :) This is an 8yo TB we're talking about, after all. But yes, it is usually pretty hot and humid in Ky. in July. :dead:

[asterix]

Why can't you get someone to do hacks/basic fitness work on 2 days a week, and then you can do 4 "training" days-- that would be just about right anyway. 1 day someone can do a long walk hack and another day someone can do trot or canter sets, or hill work.