Trot Sets
Week 2, Day 3
Yes, my Hunter/Jumper friends, there is actually something more mind numbing than flat work. As I lay in bed this morning thinking about my day, I was very tempted to assign Landry the job of doing trot sets on Grail. But the fact is, I need the in-the-saddle fitness time more than the horse does. So I put on my "suck it up" britches and got on with it.
Ultimately, it was a good thing I did not send Landry out to do sets on Grail. He was in full race horse mode and despite doing many halt/rein backs, he did not actually get light in the bridle until about minute 14. There will be some tack adjustments prior to the next fitness set.
Twenty years ago, when I was preparing Edgar for the CCI** at Bromont we were doing three twenty minute trot sets on 5 day rotations and sprint days up the side of the mountains in Alabama. We would also shorten our stirrups 4-5 holes and two point the entire time, because we were young. I'll save that fun for next week. Bromont is extreme in the terrain on the cross country course and I was pleased to have Edgar cross the finish flags to be quickly released from the vet box and jigging all the way back to the barn. Things are a lot flatter here in Ocala, but there is still a small uphill pull at the back of the farm.
To continue the thought on my own fitness program, the first decision I made was that I would only use the golf cart in a time management crisis, which in 10 days has already resulted in a tighter tush. I am doing a lot of walking and closing all the fitness rings on my watch every day. Willow Run is a big place.