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Re: [RC] getting the horse fit - Heidi Smithon 2/4/03 7:30 AM, Barbara McCrary at bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:Melanie, I'm conditioning a 6 1/2 year old Arab right now. He was a virtual flat-lander in his previous home. Young horses have trouble coming downhill, because it takes a lot of strength in the hindquarters to make a smooth and relaxed descent. It takes months, perhaps years if the horse is started on the trail at, say, 4 years old. As I remember from trail training several young Arabs over the years that a horse is nearly 7 before he is a GOOD downhill horse (unless, I suppose, he was raised on hills). Actually, a lot of it is genetics and conformation. I've dealt with entire families that, even when not raised on hills, can go downhill smoothly and correctly (and at a working trot or faster!) as soon as they've had enough time under saddle (a handful of rides) to have adjusted to balancing with a rider. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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