for anyone working out, working muscle in your routine first (after a 5 min gentle warm-up), then wrapping up with cardio will always be more effective.
muscle burns calories - more so freshly worked ones!


trot work has always gotten our horses into shape quickly - even better that you have hills! by trot work i mean walk a mile, trot a mile, walk a mile, trot a mile. one square mile might take a 20 - 30 mins. our countryside is broken up by a grid of roads 1 mile apart. get out and hit the road. jog beside her, whatever.

i don't have any after pics yet, but the transformation in my hubby's draft cross after one week of daily riding through deep snow (we don't have hills) is fantastic! gone is any sign of his winter hay belly!

as you get more progressive in your equine workouts, transitioning some of that hay feed to a formulated protein diet like complete feed will yeild you better results. protein = muscle. sugar (grain) = fat.

that said, our horses are all on a hay-only diet right now. when they get too bulky, i just cut their portions back. their caloric intake must equal or be close to their output. i don't gauge this by counting calories, i just watch their weight.