Czarko's Training plan

This is the training plan I have put together for Czarko between the Selections at Wimpole and the day we leave for France.

16^th June – Wimpole 80km

23^rd/24^th June – Lunge

25^th June – Ride (1-2 hours)

28^th June – Ride (1-2 hours)/gallops

3^rd July – Ride (2-3 hours)

6^th/7^th July – Long ride (3+ hours)

11^th July – Lunge

15^th/16^th – Gallops/Long ride

19^th – Lunge/short ride

22^nd – Lunge/short ride

I don't religiously stick to this but I use it to remind myself what exercise he needs to be doing each day. I find this useful to keep on top of his training other wise it starts to get difficult juggling full-time work as well as my commitments to Czarko's fitness. It is also good motivation - it is easier for me to stick to a plan rather than take each day as it comes (I'm very good at putting things off until the next day when coming home from work tired) If I went on this basis, Czarko and I would never have achieved what we have so far.

I have already strayed slightly from this plan...it is now the 5th July and Czarko has been lightly exercised every day for the past three days. Today will be his day off and we will be going to the gallops tomorrow for some respiration training. Another thing I have to consider is that we are due to have a heat wave this week - this is perfect preparation for France. I'm now having to think carefully about how to train in the heat to build up Czarko's tolerance. As long as I don't exercise him too hard straight away and just build him up slowly to get him used to it, I can then be confident he won't be out of his comfort zone on race day in temperatures we have been told may reach 40 degrees.