RE: long term conditioning.

[Karen Sullivan <greymare@jps.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From:	Dot Wiggins [SMTP:dotwgns@ruralnetwork.net]
If foals are born in the open and can move around immediately after birth,
rather than in a stall or small pen, they have already started that
conditioning.
Furthermore, if they can be allowed to run in "BIG"   "ROUGH" pastures at
least most of the time, until they are three or more,  two thirds of that
five year conditioning program is already done.
I'd like to hear some pros and cons on this,  as I am aware that the
opportunity to bring up horses this way is disappearing.   What  are any of
you doing to compensate?


[Karen Sullivan]  When I brought home a weanling, my vet stressed the importance of exercise. I was already intending to do this, but she gave me some good guidelines.  The baby has been out in the field with                                                6 other horses, learning to be a horse.  they run and kick; basically flat, a total of 9 acres.  

Since the week we brought her home, I have been loading her in the trailer, and hauling her out to the trails. She follows another filly and the mare I ride.....the one I ride is an old trouper and goes over and through anything.  We do a lot of short rides with hills and tough terrain, and look for anything different to take them through.  Several weeks ago I took the mare (Ashley) through a corrugated pipe under a road, with about a foot of water flowing through it.  After contemplaing it briefly, the babies followed her into it.  

Everytime I haul her out I handle her head and feet, leading and stopping.  I find that otherwise, I don't or can't take the time on a daily basis to go out specifically to work with her.  But seems to be working.....she hauls with 4 other horses; waits patiently at the gas station and ties. I have hauled her to the fairgrounds and left her tied to the trailer to watch the commotion.

I am hoping by the time she is ready to ride, the hauling and handling will be old hat, and she will be more fit, balanced, surefooted and 

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