Fittening in harness

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
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Suffolk, UK
Suddenly I have lots of questions I feel I should have known the answers to before now :oops:

How do you go about fitness building in harness? is it much the same as under saddle? I've had Hank mostly walking with very short trots of 50 yards or so. I've not fittened anything in harness before just used a horse ready to trot miles, I'm not sure if lots of walking is much harder on them? Hank has both stifles that lock so need to be careful not to over-do things with him and keep it as easy as possible whilst building him up.
 
Hillwork :D Ive been making posy do some really good powerwalking up hills ! its easier for them to have a run up and trot up them, but sometimes I am a cruel mummy and make her put her back into it and do a good walk up them!
 
Hill work is harder for them. But im not sure if hill work has as any issues with regards to locking stifles. I would just build up like you do with riding. Distance wise walking and time trotting.
 
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The more hill work they do the more stable the stifle joint will become and driving is good as they are not carrying any extra weight
 
Yeah we are on the edge of the fens so hills are out of the question, well there is one small hill about 3 miles away :rolleyes: slopes is about as good as it gets here, its the one thing I really missed when I moved here from Herts, and thats not exactly hill country :p
 
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