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Re: [RC] Thinkin' about trail training - heidiChris, you REALLY covered most of the good points in your post, but I will add that I think it is really important that a young horse either have turnout in rough terrain, or be taken out on a rugged trail from an early age, both being ponied and running loose following. This is essential for developing a riding animal that has a good feel for the ground and where it's feet are. A horse that is not surefooted, and does not figure it out over time is NOT one I am going to keep I'd have to add genetics to the list. Some of the most agile horses I've EVER ridden spent most of their lives on flat land or in confinement prior to my getting them, but they had the natural athleticism to just go out and do it. You can take a "pretty good" horse and improve on him with turnout, but it is even better to start with one that has that ability bred in. One of the most agile horses on our place is a stallion that was living in a box stall doing nothing but breeding mares when we got him at age 15. He has the ability to cover virtually any terrain at any speed with a rider on board and do it smoothly with always a foot under him, no matter how rocky, how brushy, or how perpendicular. But then given his breeding, I would have expected something like that. Heidi ============================================================ They're athletes! This is a partnership between horse and rider - we don't have any jockeys out there, just pals and partners. We'd allow a rider with a broken foot, a sore back and a nasty cold to compete - but we would never let a horse in a similiar condition hit the trail. ~ Dr. Barney Flemming DVM ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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