Re: RC: hill work and mud

[Wayne/Elaine Delbeke <delbekew@sprynet.com>]

Hi Deanna

You'll get lots of good advice from ride campers.  I'd like to mention
the wearing of protective boots.  I believe if a horse doesn't need em,
don't use em.  Unless it's necessary to protect them from interfering,
trying to keep them clean and sand free during a ride is one of the
biggest pains imaginable.  My feeling is they'll get stronger and stay
sound longer if we don't get carried away with protecting them.  Same
goes for stalling horses at night.  We live where it goes down to -35
(Alberta, Canada) and our horses don't even use the run in sheds unless
we put food in them.

Remember endurance horses and tough and love it that way.  There is no
better feeling than having to get out of the way when we go to load
horses for a ride.  They can't wait to get there!  Don't baby them and
turn them into softies (you know - like [shhhhh] show horses).

Have fun, relax and remember it's speed that does damage, not chugging
up and down hills.  Trotting UP hills is great for them (in moderation
of course for a 4 year old).

elaine


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