Re: Conditioning young horse?

[Cyberpony <Cyberpony@aol.com>]

Kat~

In a message dated 98-04-12 13:45:33 EDT, you write:

> These babies NEED to be FIT, in addition, they spend the first years of
>  their lives romping around on 200 acres 

This is probably the best start a horse could have.  It is a natural type of
fitness.  This is good.  When I said :
> "Two year olds don't need to be "fit".  The training on a two year old
should
> be mostly mental."
I did not mean that young horses should be confined to a stall or padock.  I
meant that they don't need to be "trained" to be fit.

What I was trying to convey was that (like Heidi mentioned) forced work to
develop fitness is often detrimental.

I think you and I probably agree.  It's just that a different picture came to
mind (for each of us) when the phrase "conditioning a two year old" was used.
I'm all for giving them as much natural exercize as their little bodies crave
and giving them as much room as possible to do it in.  But when I round them
up and put a halter and or bridle on them I want them focused on me and what I
have to teach them about being a good and trusting companion animal.  I want
them to learn that I am the boss, I am a good guy, I will take care of them &
I won't ask them to do anything they aren't prepared for.

As far as conditioning goes, I think the brain is an important muscle.  A fit
horse without a good brain is like a fast car with a broken steering wheel ;-)
.

Just my 2 cents. Hope you find some truth in it :-)

~Nora
Ocoee, FL