Training with a resistance cart

We've been looking into how to train your horse with a resistance cart, based on a scientific article written by the Finnish veterinarian Antero Tupamäki

Since its invention in the 1980s, the resistance cart has become widely used in the training of trotting horses. Starting in the Nordic countries but now also widely used across the Atlantic, professional and amateur trainers alike are using resistance carts to train warmbloods and draft horses of both young and older ages. A resistance cart is a 2-wheeled training cart equipped with two hydraulic pumps, one on each wheel, allowing the trainer to determine the pressure and thus how hard the horse must work. In short, this feature allows you to train your horse "fast, but slowly". When applied, it simulates an uphill climb for the horse.

Like all other training methods, no research is 100% certain in showing whether this method is right or wrong, but this training method has been proven to provide a rapid and substantial boost to aerobic capacity. Aerobic endurance is the ability to work at a relatively high intensity over a long period of time.

It can be difficult to know how to start training your horse with a resistance cart: how often and for how long, with how much pressure, etc. The renowned Finnish veterinarian Antero Tupamäki has addressed this in an article which we present here, but first we will look at some of the findings from other articles about training with resistance carts as it is always a good idea to check multiple sources to see if they have reached similar conclusions. We found several common denominators in the various texts:

*Most resistance cart training should be implemented gradually, which also reduces the possibility of injuries. Note: It is not the speed that determines the load, but the pressure.

*Training at high speeds can increase the risk of injury, so training with resistance carts can be good for horses that are susceptible to these types of injuries

*Resistance cart training should be accompanied by a heart rate monitor. When working with resistance at low speeds, it is important to keep an eye on the horse's heart rate.

*Always keep in mind that training with a resistance cart is the same as training on a hill. The pressure determines the incline, and the coach determines the duration.

*Resistance cart training works fast-twitch muscle fibres, but when combined with variations in speed and resistance you can also work the slow-twitch muscle fibres. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are used in endurance work, whilst fast-twitch muscle fibres have explosive power: muscles work quickly, but also quickly tire due to the formation of lactic acid.

*Use caution when training young horses with a resistance cart. Apply less pressure and train for shorter durations.

*The horse should not wear a headcheck whilst being trained with a resistance cart.

In the article by Antero Tupamäki below you will find tips on how to start resistance cart training with your trotting horse.
Antero Tupamäki, Animagi Horse Clinic, Laukaa, Finland

Resistance cart training for trotters

Maximum strength is the maximum force that can be voluntarily exerted by a muscle or group of muscles. In horse training, for example in pull strength tests for draft horses, maximum strength is rarely exerted. Maximum strength training consists of few repetitions and the performance duration is short. This type of training is not normally used for training trotters.

Quick force is the muscle’s ability to contract as quickly as possible with great force. In equestrian sports this might be hard to achieve with a resistance cart.  Examples of quick force training include jumping training for jumping horses, short uphill intervals, circular starting training for trotters, and short fast intervals with a resistance cart. Quick force training requires a good fitness level and strength, and should not be tried with young or untrained horses. Working at this speed exposes the horse to the possibility of injury. Solid ground is necessary so that the horse will not slip.

Example 1: Quick force training

Cart resistance 50–70 bar, accelerate trot for a short pull of 50–100 m, rest period 2–4 min. before the next pull. 5–6 pulls per set. Start with one set and increase the number of sets later.

Example 2: Quick force training

Gallop or trot on a steep uphill incline briefly at high speed, close to maximum speed.

Rest period 2–4 min. after each pull, 5–6 pulls per set.

Quick force exercises are hard and risky to execute in the training of trotters.

Endurance strength is the force needed to withstand fatigue during long and demanding work. Endurance training is the most important strength-gaining method for trotters. It improves the muscle blood circulation and capillaries, adds muscular strength, improves motor skills and increases momentum without significantly bulking up the horse.

Increasing endurance strength with a resistance cart

With resistance cart training, the intensity can be adjusted to fit various training goals. Long, slow exercise with modest resistance improves aerobic capacity, a few minutes of pulls in trot with light resistance raises the anaerobic threshold, whilst fast, short pulls (with or without resistance) increase lactate tolerance.

Training target	Pull duration	Repetitions (number of pulls)	Rest period between pulls	Lactate (mmol/L)	Heart rate (bpm)
Aerobic endurance	30 min.	1–2	<2 min.	2–3	<170
Anaerobic threshold	1–7 min.	4–6	5–15 min.	3–5	180–210
Lactate tolerance	0.5–2 min.	6–8	5–10 min.	6–20	<190 (max)

Here’s an example of how to start resistance cart training with an adult horse:

*Warm-up in trot and walk, resistance 0–30 bar, 10–20 min.

*500–700 metre pulls in fast trot, resistance 50–70 bar, heart rate 180–200 bpm.

*Rest period 5–15 min.

Start with 3 pulls in one training; after a few weeks increase the pulls to 6 repetitions (or even 8). The rest period can be shortened based on the horse's training and fitness level. Do not start the next pull until heart rate reaches under 100 bpm. Allow 10 minutes of cooling down time after training. Resistance cart training can be done twice a week.

For trotters ages 2–3 years: familiarise the horse with the resistance cart whilst training in walk and slow trot, using low resistance and few repetitions.

For example:

*Warm-up in walk, slow trot 10–20 min.

*500 m fast trot, resistance 30–50 bar

*Rest period 5 min. without resistance.

Up to 2–3 pulls in one session. After a few weeks the repetitions may be increased to up to 4–6 pulls  per training session. Repeat once or twice a week. Cooling down time 10 min.

Convalescent training

Sport horses often experience leg injuries which require convalescence. Resistance cart training can be an important part of rehabilitation. In the event of a tendon or suspensory ligament injury, exercise during the first months of recovery should consist of walking, with a low heart rate and long pulls. For example, walk 2 x 30 min., resistance 70 bar. Low-intensity resistance cart training for rehabilitation purposes can be done 3–4 times a week. Reduce this to twice a week as the intensity and speed increase.