The Training Plan

Although the actual dates have not yet been set for the ride, it looks as if it will be in the summer hols. Therefore I am planning to begin serious training, on the horse, from the 1st of Jan 2012.

Week 1: Jan 1st 2012 - Jan 7th 2012
0.5 hours walking, once a day. Two days rest.
Week 2: Jan 8th 2012- Jan 14th 2012
0.75 hours walking, once a day. Two days rest.
Week 3: Jan 15th 2012- Jan 21th 2012
1 hour walking, once a day. Two days rest.
Week 4: Jan 22nd 2012- Jan 28th 2012
1.25 hours walking, five days a week.
Week 5: Jan 29th 2012- Feb 4th 2012
1.5 hours walking, five days a week.
Week 6: Feb 5th 2012- Feb 11th 2012
2 hours walking, five days a week.

At this point both the horses and myself will be becoming accustomed to several hours in the saddle each day. Now we will start to incorporate some trot work, for a few minutes at a time and gradually building it up. The first stretches of trot work we will do will be on a soft surface, such as grass or sand and in a straight line.

Once a week each horse will go into the sand school and practise circles and turns.

updated 21/02/12
The horses now have a strong base of fitness, both coping very well with an hour- two hours of slow work a day. Now is the time for me to start introducing lots of variety into their training, this includes short periods of faster work including, more schooling, lungeing, trotting poles, small courses of jumps and grids. Longer canters on the flat and short canters up hills. I will also aim to ride and lead out on a hack once or twice a week.
Sample weekly routine:

                          COGNAC                            HARRY
Mon:      1hr hack                                             1 hr hack
Tues:      20 min lunge                                       2hr hack
Weds      2 hr hack                                           20 min school including pole work
Thurs      30 min schooling session                    1/2 ride and lead with both horses
Fri          1/2 hr ride and lead with both horses   1/2 hr jump session
Sat          1 hr hack                                           1 hr hack
Sun  -------------------- Day Off ------------------------------

Updated 11/04/12

Cognac and I are now up to two 25 miles rides on consecutive days. It's much more fun if we stay away for a night in the middle as we can travel further from home and explore new bridleways.
The following weeks training looks like so...

week beginning 16th- two day training ride staying at Gumber Farm, Slindon.
week beginning 23rd- three day training ride    
week beginning 30th- mon, tues, weds RDRC adult camp         sun 6th -EGB Rudgewick ride
week beginning 7th- three day training ride