Conditioning Young Horses

[Wendy Milner <wendy@wendy.cnd.hp.com>]

Anastasia Hurley <ahurley@cncx.com> asked:

>I have a question about the early conditioning of my new young horse -
>Bingo . He will be 4 in June. I have been riding him on wide fireroad
>type trails - dirt road  2 - 3x (usually 2x) a week at the WALK - 3
>miles round trip. There is a lot going on as there are cows, uneven
>ground, mud, water to cross and some small hills. Am I asking too much
>physically of a  young horse?

This is a good foundation for the young horse.  You are introducing
him to all the obsticals that present themselves at rides. 
Is you horse in pasture when you are not riding, or in a stall?
This can make a big difference in your training program.

I like to see my youngsters in a ring for 6 weeks before taking them
out.  This is more for the controlled environment than for any other
reason.  In the ring, you can teach them how to behave before they
get out to see the scarey side of life:-)

Two to three times a week of easy riding for a few months will get
their muscles started.  They learn how to carry weight, begin to
build strength, begin to understand the work ahead of them.
You can also use your wide roads to teach things like leg yeilding,
turning around a bush, stopping exactly at that rock, etc.  Make
up fun exercises.

After the first few months, it really depends on the horse.  I have
one that at 5 is still a baby in his own mind.  So, I have to take
things very slow with him.  But, at 4.5 years, you should be able
to increase the time you are out riding, or the distance, which ever
way you think about it.  And on alternate weeks/months, increase the speed 
a little.  Here's a *general* guide.

3 months - walking for 3 miles  (since this is where you are starting)
1 month  - walk 4 miles
1 month  - walk and trot 4 miles (same distance as last month, only
				  now, trot for 25% of the distance)
1 month  - walk and trot 5 miles
1 month  - walk and trot 5 miles, plus a little cantering (maybe only
				  a quarter of a mile to start)
1 month  - walk and trot 7 miles, plus same distance cantering
1 month  - walk and trot 9 miles, a little more cantering if needed

So, set a pace for a month or so. The next month increase the
distance.  The following month increase the pace.  The next month
increase the distance.  etc.  

Look for recovery times, windpuffs, stress levels to determine if
you are doing too much work.

Your recovery time is the time from which you stop the work to
when the horse's pulse and respiration is about normal. 
Take the horse's pulse prior to the start of your ride.
Let's say it is 40 (30-45 would be normal.  I use 40 since it
is so easy to divide by 4:-)  You ride your 3 miles, come back
untack, and take the pulse again.  The pulse is 50.  You are
OK.  If the pulse is 40, you are more than ready to increase the
work a little.  If the pulse is 60, you need to slack off a bit.

If the horse develops any type of swelling in the legs, then you 
are over working the horse.  Many times this happens to people who 
are riding on hard or uneven ground.  It takes up to 5 years to
develop the legs of a horse - bones, tendons and ligaments.  Take
it easy.

Other stress indicators would be an unwillingness to continue,
resenting being saddled (check for saddle fit too), bad attitude.
You have to be the horseperson here to know the difference between
being lazy and being over worked.

The AERC says that a 4 year old can be entered into a 25 mile limited
distance ride - no racing.  My preference is to wait till they are
at least 4.5 years.  Other people have had no problems with the
younger age.  Some wait till the horse is 5 and start as 50 mile
horses.  The big consideration is the preparation you give to the
horse.

Always slow and easy with the youngsters.

--
Wendy

                    \|/
          /\        -O-         
         /**\       /|\         
        /****\   /\            
       /      \ /**\   Here there be dragons
      /  /\    /    \        /\    /\  /\      /\            /\/\/\  /\
     /  /  \  /      \      /  \/\/  \/  \  /\/  \/\  /\  /\/ / /  \/  \
    /  /    \/ /\     \    /    \ \  /    \/ /   /  \/  \/  \  /    \   \
   /  /      \/  \/\   \  /      \    /   /    \
__/__/_______/___/__\___\__________________________________________________

 Wendy Milner                     HPDesk:   wendy_milner@hp4000
 Hewlett-Packard Company          e-mail:   wendy@fc.hp.com
 Mail Stop A2-5UB3                Telnet:   898-2182 
 3404 E. Harmony Rd.              AT&T:     (970) 898-2182
 Fort Collins, CO, 80528-9599     FAX:      (970) 898-2038