Fitness training

Off to Woolgar's Farm today with Monty.  Worked out the distances round all the tracks and took my new stopwatch so I could do some training and get some idea of what 150 and 200mpm feels like.

We started by doing 2400m in about 10.5mins which is a little fast (have got 12mins to do that far at the champs) but it was basically a mix of trot and canter and we did have a walk break in the middle (not timed - I got lost!) and there was prob more hill work than there will be at the champs.  Then had a bit of a detour as I got lost again so we walked for quite a while before we got to the 1km gallop stretch.  In reality he'll only get a 1minute break in time to put stirrups up and catch breath.

Didn't quite manage the gallop in good enough time.  It took 2mins30secs to do the 1000m (only 400mpm) when it should only take 2mins but it was significantly uphill as in really pretty steep so I think he'll manage it on the flat ok.  We then did 27mins of 150mpm which is basically a good working trot.  We had plenty of time to have a good few mins walking after the gallop, trotted for a bit had a couple of short, very steady hand canters and another few mins walking.  A lot of it up and down hills as well so again should be easier at the champs.

Got off for my 10min box and he had his breath back in about 4mins and was nicely chilled out ready to go again.  Then I picked up a good XC canter and we did a few jumps to finish off (prob about half a XC course in length, right speed with much smaller jumps.  He was obviously tired though - he was sticking in short strides and climbing over a few.  Will have to remember to give him a serious wake-up on the day.  There is no warmup fence after the 10min box so I will really have to wake him up and get him thinking about jumping before setting off on the XC.  Hopefully he wont be so tired on the day as wont have done a load of hill work first and we've still got another couple of wks to push on with fitness.

Next week gonna book the gallops at Littleton Manor and make sure we can get that gallop speed on the flat.  Will also try and fit in another long hack this week.  He has BD on Wed evening, dr and SJ lessons on Sat so plenty to do!  Still loads to sort out and only 11days to go!