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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 8:34:22 PM
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What are peoples opinions on cantering on roads? I get the impression that most are against it but can people explain their reasons? Does it damage the horses legs? and if it does cause damage then trotting must cause damage aswel right? but everyone trots on roads?
I have a mare who won't canter for me in a sand school or field etc but is happy to canter on the road and on grass verges. Im wondering if i let her canterif im causing any damage to her? Obviously i know the obvious dangers such as cars etc but her canter is slower than most horses trot and it seems to be the only way to get her to move without fighting with me. (some of you might say that i should find out the reason why she wont canter but i already know why she wont but its a long story that i have explained before and dont want to bore you guys with the details again)
thanks for answers in advance
Holly xx
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 8:43:54 PM
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canter is a less concussive gait then trotting therefore in theory cantering on roads is preferable to trotting. That said how fast you go and for how long definitely matters.
When my 7yr old was 4-5 he would try and escape trotting up our 10-15% hill by cantering. canter is also a more efficient gait energetically.
Personally when cantering on verges with tarmac entrances interrupting them I would rather carry on cantering then break the rhythm.
There is the debate that the road surface is actually safer then the grass verge as it is smooth and you can see exactly what you are riding over ie no rabbit holes broken bottles hiding in the grass.
Food for thought.
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Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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Kora
Silver Member
England
459 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 8:54:31 PM
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| Holly, I used to frown when I saw people cantering on the roads in endurance until I like you questioned it as I was concerned for the horses legs. The answer I received was that infact cantering has less concussion on the legs than trot as the legs are more 'elevated' and the beat is 3 time instead of two if you know what I mean. A controlled relaxed canter is easier on the joints than perhaps a fast trot. I think it all depends on the individual horse as well, as long as the rider and horse are correctly balanced together . I am not a brilliant rider nor by any means an expert , I feel quite 'novicey' at times reading the wonderful knowledge people share on this forum but I also allow my own horse at times to dictate to me what he feels more comfortable doing. There are times he will just naturally break into a quiet canter on a country lane , I don't ask him to but for some reason he may prefer to do it. I certainly wouldn't canter fast on a road, I think that may be too dangerous in more ways than one. I hope this helps, I am sure others may disagree and I welcome other opinions that I too may learn from. |
  
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Asima
Bronze Member
Wales
176 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 8:54:51 PM
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Apparently cantering is better than trotting on roads. There's an explanation about it in one of this months horse magazines I can't remember which one though.
PBA I ride is very footsore after trotting on tarmac but not after cantering I don't encourage her to canter but occasionally she gets quite strong and does it on her own. Sometimes I allow just to get rid of the excess energy and it's done her no harm. |
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Joto
Gold Member
855 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 9:01:37 PM
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I think much depends on if the horse is shod or barefoot. I canter on tarmac when my horse is unshod in the winter but when shes shod I try not to in case she slips. I used to do endurance and was told that in France they canter in preferance to trotting on roads, but I dont know how true that is generally. |
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Jumanji
Bronze Member
Scotland
173 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 9:05:36 PM
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| My boy chooses his own gait,depending on the terrain and will always prefer a lovely in hand canter on tarmac ,in preference to a gear up from a slow trot.Hes 19 now and strange tho it may sound hes always looked after himself.I did not allow him to canter on tarmac when he was younger,but weve been cantering on tarmac now for 10+ years and he has perfect legs. |
Edited by - Jumanji on 20 Jan 2009 9:10:30 PM |
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Helen Newton
Gold Member
England
692 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 9:11:21 PM
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My horses are barefoot and we canter on the road on a regular basis, the smoother the tarmac the better I can see why you wouldn't want to do this on shod horses for fear of slipping, also there is less concussion transmitted to the legs from an unshod hoof where the natural shock absorbing action of the frog and heel bulbs is allowed to take place. |
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loosefur
Gold Member
584 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 9:12:28 PM
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| I agree with the OPs - cantering is less concussive than trotting. However I wouldn't choose to canter on the roads with a shod horse because of the risk of slipping - you're going faster so the chances of recovering from a slip are reduced. |
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Roseanne
Moderator
United Kingdom
6708 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2009 : 9:15:03 PM
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I was one of the old school, taught never to canter on tarmac. But since my 'renaissance' I don't trot on roads unless I have to - and only for a short distance if I do. I keep trot and canter for the school all year round, and off-road riding (and I don't trot or canter off-road if it's too hard in the summer!).
I think many people have been taught the 'it's-ok-to-trot-on-roads-but-not-canter' brigade as many riders I know think if it's flattish, trot for as far as you like. My belief now is that you get far more damage from concussion by trotting on hard surfaces.
Theoretically I agree, it's probably better to canter than trot. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it! |
Roseanne |
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Helen Newton
Gold Member
England
692 Posts |
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 09:46:15 AM
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with regards to shod horses and cantering on roads it really does depend how they are shod. If I had Ollovs, Slypners or Apples on my horses feet then I would far rather canter on the road then on wet grass. These are all plastic/rubber shoes with a metal insert or base.
All of these shoes have comparable or better concussion 'readings' as bare foot horses do in all the paces. They grip far better on roads and are much lighter.
I confess I have a thing about trotting on the roads and only do so up hills to get there heart rates working as it is more like galloping on the flat. competing however is a different matter especially if I am in an ER. |
Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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Edited by - Dot on 21 Jan 2009 09:46:38 AM |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 09:53:27 AM
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I was drummed in from the age of about 10 to NEVER canter on roads, as this caused concussion and so bringing on things like Navicular.My mother would go MAD if she thought id been cantering on the road.And to this day its still a NO NO.But maybe im just old school.When i did my race training years ago we would trot for HOURS with timed breaks..................as it was necessary,i just did what i was told to do by someone at the time was racing with good results so they must have known. |
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 10:46:46 AM
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My experience of racing ( I grew up in Newmarket.) is they are as open minded to change as a mountain is likely to up sticks and walk to a new location. Generally they do what every other trainer has been doing for the last 200 years.
If you dared to mention you could train a race horse to win without oats in there diet they would look at you like you were a looney.
There are some the Pipes, Aiden O'Brian and Godolphin that are open to scientific methods and there results speak for themselves...
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Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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FelicityR
Bronze Member
England
121 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 10:52:55 AM
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| Well..even though Im realitively young I must be 'old school'. I have always been told to not canter on roads, even though as been stated did think to myself trot is 2 beats canter 3 so surely the horses legs come into contact with the ground less.. I always thought the jarring 'concussion' to the joints/cartillage caused to much damage on roads.. but listening to peoples reasoning on hear my views are firmly changed, you learn something new everyday! |
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Dot
Gold Member
England
669 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 10:59:37 AM
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If you had the right type of meter you would be able to read the number of decibels a horse makes when it trots on the road and canters on the road and then compare the two.
From my by ear judgments, trot makes more noise. Now a little bassic physics....
there are 8 types of energy
sound
movement/kinetic
gravitational/potential
heat
electrical
chemical
elastic
Sound = energy
so the louder the sound the more energy is being transmitted through the leg to the surface.
I also use this rule ear to asses how hard the ground is when riding. |
Dot
www.threelowsfarm.com
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Edited by - Dot on 21 Jan 2009 11:00:35 AM |
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Helen Newton
Gold Member
England
692 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 1:31:11 PM
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[
Sound = energy
so the louder the sound the more energy is being transmitted through the leg to the surface.
[/right]
Barefoot horses make much less sound than shod horses on tarmac and other hard surface . My horses get quite alarmed sometimes when they hear shod horses clattering on the road . |
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Sarah_Jane
Bronze Member
England
72 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 1:48:55 PM
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This is really interesting, in theory it all makes sense. However I'm with Roseanne - I dont think I could bring myself to it!!!  |
      Mid Cornwall |
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zaminda1
Bronze Member
177 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 4:21:45 PM
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| I used to work for a trainer who would teach everything to canter on the road as it is a slippier surface and they are less likely to mess around if they think they are going to fall over.Seemed to work well for him. |
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s.jade
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2401 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 7:44:35 PM
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I was always told never to canter on roads.
I walk on roads  barefoot or shod, even if they are tiny vountry lanes, roadwork for my gang is all in walk unless absolutely neccessary - like when I've been out on my dity little mare and a massive artic lorry is coming down the road - we then trot for the nearest gap in the hedge through neccessity rather than end up plastered to said lorry!! |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2009 : 9:35:10 PM
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| Me too, I just would not be able to bring myself to do it. But then I won't trot either if I can possible help it, even with road nails. |
    
Hampshire |
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Helen Newton
Gold Member
England
692 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 09:51:46 AM
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I would never canter on the roads and only trot up hills for fittening purposes when I had shod horses - too much concussion and the worry about slipping and tripping. None of this bothers me now, it's much nicer being barefoot |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 8:59:06 PM
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Well very interesting comments from all of you and it has allowed me to look at it in a different perspective. I think i will carry on letting my mare canter on the road when she wants to if safe to do so as its hard enough to get her to go forward at the best of times so when she chooses to i don't want to stop her.
thanks for all the replys
xxxx |
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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2009 : 5:08:10 PM
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Hello,
I had a chat with my vet about trotting on roads some time ago as I have always believed it to be a no-no and he agreed and actually stated that no horse should ever do it because of the negative effects of concussion etc. He is German and says that in his country this is very much considered best practice. Walking on roads however is considered valuable. I was curious why it was then that horses pulling carts seem to get away with it with no ill effects and he said that this was becasue the balance in a ridden horse will naturally shift to accomodate the rider and it is this shift (comparatively more weight on forehand - even when horse is ridden correctly) which causes undue pressure on the front limbs when ridden on an unforgiving surface. I know this has not addressed the original question about cantering, but I would be very reluctant to do this, a) because of the concussion and b) the possibility of the horse slipping and falling.
Peg |
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loosefur
Gold Member
584 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2009 : 5:55:18 PM
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| Interesting but trotting on roads is unavoidable for most of us who have little off road riding. I'd never get my horses fit without trotting on roads. I keep it steady and always make sure the horse is warmed up first but definitely do trot on roads. In fact I'd rather do a steady trot on the road than on a grass verge (unlevel surface, unseen holes, litter), a very rocky path (again unlevel surface), slippy grass or deep holding going. At least the road is smooth and has no hidden hazards. I'd rather risk concussion than tendon or ligament damage. Gedenski my 21 year old has done plenty of trotting on roads throughout his life and is still going strong so it certainly hasn't done him any harm. |
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Mad arab rider
Silver Member
England
483 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jan 2009 : 6:29:42 PM
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When I had Mia on loan, she'd often break into a lovely hand cantor on the roads. It was very nice and slow, and she perfered it to trotting. It also meant that I wasn't having to fight her all the time, as she was better behaved.
Cherie |
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