# Would 8 miles be too much?



## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Hello I have a question I would like to ask...

Could a regular Quarter horse that is of fairly good conformation and fitness travel 8 miles at a fast trot in one hour? As in 8miles per hour? Would that be too much to travel that distance, rest for an hour or two, and travel at the same gait back/or another 8-9miles?
 Obviously 8 miles is hardly anything to travel for a horse, but can it travel that, at a fast trot slow canter to get the 8-9 miles per hour in? 

Thanks!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

If the horse is in good condition, sure, he could. A trot is typically 8-10mph, so the speed wouldn't be the problem, he would just need to be conditioned for it.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

equiniphile said:


> If the horse is in good condition, sure, he could. A trot is typically 8-10mph, so the speed wouldn't be the problem, he would just need to be conditioned for it.


Ok, another question, Could a horse canter that distance without taking a breather? I personally haven't a clue what the normal is for horses as in how long a fit horse can go at each gait for how long.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I always think of QH's as more of sprinters, or trail horses , but not long , nonstop trotters.


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## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

Yeah no reason why you shouldn't be able to! Just be aware of the heat (if it's hot in your area).. 

My mom's a runner, and about once a week, she runs along side me riding Putts. We go 10-12 miles at a medium-paced trot. It's fun!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^Exactly (to Equiniphile's post). I wouldn't want to try it on a horse that had been turned out and not ridden for a few months because they would be out of shape and they might have problems.

However, if the horse is relatively fit, I don't see a problem with it. I'll often ride my horses for several hours at a trot/lope with only a little bit of walking in there and they do just fine.

Just remember to be aware of your horse. If he starts struggling, then slow it down. If he's going great guns with pep in his step, he could probably manage to go a bit faster for a while.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I always think of QH's as more of sprinters, or trail horses , but not long , nonstop trotters.


 Hmm:think: I always thought that was what they where for.. You know miles and miles of fence line that ranchers needed checked.. And miles of work at a trot with a cattle herd...

At any rate our horse has a bouncy lazy trot.Something that needs working on, and he's getting a little chubby...

Yeah I pay attention to their breathing and pace. I just didn't know what normal fairly fit Quarter horses could take.

Thanks for the replies!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

EmilyJoy said:


> Ok, another question, Could a horse canter that distance without taking a breather? I personally haven't a clue what the normal is for horses as in how long a fit horse can go at each gait for how long.


My answer to how far they can go at a given gait is 'until they start to struggle a bit'. It greatly depends on the individual horse. I've ridden horses that, when fit, still couldn't lope for a solid hour without needing to slow down and cool off a bit. On the other hand, I've rode horses that I could ride at a lope for hours and they would barely be breathing hard. You just have to learn to read your horse, recognize how he feels and react to it.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Yup I know what you mean by that! Gotta pay attention to them! If they're huffing and puffing they need a little breather...


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

EmilyJoy said:


> Hello I have a question I would like to ask...
> 
> Could a regular Quarter horse that is of fairly good conformation and fitness travel 8 miles at a fast trot in one hour? As in 8miles per hour? Would that be too much to travel that distance, rest for an hour or two, and travel at the same gait back/or another 8-9miles?
> Obviously 8 miles is hardly anything to travel for a horse, but can it travel that, at a fast trot slow canter to get the 8-9 miles per hour in?
> ...



This question is strangely specific


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I was told by my friend that a trot is much more "economical" than a canter, and they can trot for much longer than they can canter, and that's why a lot of endurance people do trot. 

So I'd think you'd have better luck trotting for an hour than cantering.

I don't know if its true, but it's always made sense to me.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Yes, that was what I was thinking too, but it might be such that a person could do a bit of both and get him fit for it.

Copperhead, Yes it was specific.. I got a job offer 8 miles away on a dairy farm and I was just curious as to if the horse would be a suitable "vehicle"... I am not doing the job... At least not this year I was just wondering...


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

That would be an awesome way to save gas and keep your horse in shape at the same time .


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Yup! The thing is I don't want to get up way early to get there... Say they want me there at 6:00. If it took me 1 hour to get there, I'd have to get up at 5:00...Not bad, but I have animal chores I would have to do beforehand and those take me about an hour...so we're talking 4:00??????!


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## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

EmilyJoy said:


> Yup! The thing is I don't want to get up way early to get there... Say they want me there at 6:00. If it took me 1 hour to get there, I'd have to get up at 5:00...Not bad, but I have animal chores I would have to do beforehand and those take me about an hour...so we're talking 4:00??????!


 It would take you longer the firse week or so, but as your horse gets more fit, you can make him go faster and faster (as long as it's still safe). 
I think it's a great idea! I'd SO ride my horse to a job if I could.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Yup! It'd be very fun... I would only hope though that if I ride that early, I wouldn't come across drunk drivers or weirdos! Ahh well I'll see what happens next year or when I get a little less busy!

Maybe if I do get the job sometime, I should invest in those reflectors for the legs of the horse http://www.sleezybarbhorsewear.com/legreflectives.htm 
They look pretty cool...
http://www.sleezybarbhorsewear.com/legreflectives.htm


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## Joidigm (May 8, 2012)

I rode a QH for 2 hours, we spent most of it trotting, or fighting to trot, and when I let her go when she wished, we cantered/hand galloped 6 or 7 times. She sweated herself soaking wet (which I know is more due to her fighting me at the first part of the trail than actual working, she is very high energy), but she wasn't tired or even blowing hard until the very end of the ride. I know her owner likes to gallop her in open fields, so I am sure she was conditioned for it to an extent. It was astonishing to ride a horse that could gallop across several acres, slow down to a spunky trot, whip around, gallop back across those acres, come to a stop, and not even blow. I was worn out way before she was.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Our hackney pony is like that...But our Quarter horse???I think not!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Trotting on tarmacced roads is very different to trotting on earth - much more concussion on your horses legs. So if you were doing this theoretical commute to work on roads, you'd have to condition your horses legs to the surface as well as the distance. It's possible of course, and preparation is the key.

Hmmm you'd get through a lot of shoes....:lol:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Rosie, I've heard that in England, there isn't much grass or space to either side of the road that would give you room to ride. I don't know how true that is, but seeing as how space is limited there, it would make sense.

In most places, that isn't the situation here in the US. It is a very rare thing to see a road that _doesn't_ have a fairly sizable ditch beside the road to ride the horse in. Most of the roads in my area have no less than about 15 feet to either side of the road that is nothing but grass and dirt.

Sorry this picture is so blurry, I was loping at the time, but you get the idea. There is a fence about 5 feet to our right and the road was farther than that away from our left.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Also I do have an option of going back roads which is gravel... And the roads are fairly wide in places here in Iowa, specially where we are, having Amish around.

And if something is too close there is always the ditch option! :lol:


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

The type of terrain that you're traveling over can make a difference too.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Blue said:


> The type of terrain that you're traveling over can make a difference too.


 Well it would probably be fine pebbles/small rocks/grass on the side of the paved roads and gravel on the gravel roads with grass/pebbles on the sides...With of course ditches on either sides of gravel/paved surfaces...


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