Newbie's corner: The Training Hill

Nobody can debate the value of hill training for getting the most bang for your time when conditioning your horse.  Especially after the LSD (long slow distance) base of work has been put on your horse.  The hard part is finding "the hill."  A nice long gradual grade of at least a half mile with good footing.  In the beginning you may only be able to walk, trot up it, gradually the horse will become able to trot up the entire thing.  As training progresses you will add repetitions, and when that is working well, later graduate to cantering upward.  It is important to start slow (see link here).  When doing this work I keep my session to about an hour of intermittent work, but in the beginning was doing way less.  We use our downhill walk as a cool down period between hill climbing sets.  A hill training session once of twice a week really builds up every system of the horse.  It is great cardio work, muscles them up nicely, and the sessions are short, so easier to fit into a busy schedule.  Just find that perfect hill!