• Short on time?  Climb some hills.

• Want to strengthen your horse’s thigh and gaskin muscles?  Trot uphill. Long and slow.

• Would you like to build muscle in your horse’s hindquarters and forearms? Climb some hills.

• Horse short on cardio strength?  Well…up we go!  Think steep!

• Would you like to improve your horse’s overall coordination?  Sideways on a hillside (both directions).
• Want to maximize without injury?  Easy and gradually increasing difficulty over time as fitness allows.

Source document: Conditioning Horses with Hill Work by Heather Smith Thomas | 1/9/2001 

Do not underestimate the conditioning potential of hills. Slow, fast, sideways, up and down.  Pick one day a week to utilize hill work in your horse’s conditioning regimen.