How did you all condition your horses for eventing?

I start with hacking out on the roads to tighten and strengthen tendons, always in walk, we can build up from 15 mins to 2 to 3 hrs a day in walk on the road.

I NEVER canter on the roads, the percussion of it is not good for thier legs. If I want to canter on hacks I pop them up onto a grass verge.

All my horses have perfectly clean legs, not a single lump, bump, or splint in sight.

And that is where having a very nicely surfaced track comes in :) I also don't have to worry about cars.

When I was showing/training full time, our upper level horses were worked twice a day. First thing in the morning, just after dawn, the horses would do an eight mile hack. It was done mostly at a very brisk trot with occasional gallops. The trots are the most beneficial. We were lucky to have dirt roads in our area that had both firm and soft areas. The road had some good steep hills. It didn't take long at that speed. When we got back to the farm, we stood the horses in a natural spring for 15 minutes to cool their legs. After proper cooling out, we both got our breakfasts.

Then, later in the day, we did our training. Mostly dressage with occasional jumping.

Gypsy, I disagree about galloping hills. You must do this and it is not that hard on conditioned horses.

The horses all had one day completely off.

If nothing else a good blat up a hill is a brilliant pipe opener that gets horses thinking forwards!!

True! But it is those gallops DOWN the hill that gets the juices flowing.

Just commenting/posting so I can keep track of this thread, as I am too trying to condition my Eventer, thanks!

Allison, I didnt mean you shouldnt canter/gallop hills, I just meant that for muscle building trotting hills is better for building muscle.

The Best for building/toning muscles is actualy a proper forwards, round walk works the muscles the most and is best for building topline

I think for local events and horse trials hacking is the best. I do lots of flat schooln on trails to. But if your getting ready for three days you got do more than just hacking.

I usally start months in advance if I know im aiming for a three day. I do hill work and hacking twice a week and then once a week I do straight gallop work at the begining of season I do 3x3minute gallops at 3/4 pace with 1 minute in between each gallop, every week I add 1 minute eg, week 2 wud be 1x3minute, then 1x4minute then 3minutes again. Just before a three day my horse would be doing 3x 6minutes gallops usally by then I woud be doing some of it at top speed. This works really well for me.

Thank you all for the great advice :) And does this apply in the winter too? Or does the cold limit your options.