Best way to condition a yearling stallion

[minimule]

I sold one of my boys last year. He is well taken care of and they would like to show him. Problem is, he has no conditioning at all. He's in good weight but could probably stand a little more. They have no girls around so he doesn't know he's a "real" boy.

They would like to show him next spring so I have a few months to work with him and them to get him ready.

What's the best way to do it? Mine here all get a lot of running around and playing so they build up muscles on their own. Mouse is a little timid and doesn't do a lot of running around even though he has the room do it in.

 

[Katiean]

Horses we can't drive we take for walks. Long walks that are good for the horses and for us. We have hills we go up into and we usually walk for an hour or so 3-5 times a week. We will aosl just walk on the streets if time is short.

 

[wildoak]

Shawna, I use a golf cart a lot for conditioning - takes a little bit for some of the youngsters to catch on but most have no problem coming along with it and I think it's so much easier on legs/joints to do straight line work. We lap the hay field, cross the creek, etc and they get a change of scenery as well. If that's not an option and he won't play enough on his own then you are pretty much left with long walks and round penning. I really try to minimize the round pen on young horses but some of my yearlings are going in there about 3 times a week now for 15 - 20 minutes. The only problem I've had with it was when we let the ground get hard.

Jan

 

[^T-bird89^]

Well, to condition Austin when I got him I took him for walks all the time. We went up and down the hill in my backyard a lot, and I would take him for jogs with me too. I even had a little one seater cart that was really light weight that I would have him pull empty at a walk to help build muscle too.

A golf cart sounds like a great idea!

 

[mizbeth]

To fit a horse for showing, I do the following:

I use my round and provide disciplined conditioning in each direction. I trot them or lope them depending on what needs to be accomplished with the execise. I start with 15-20 and build them up. It is best to work them in sand, this helps builds the muscles. Trotting is the best exercise and they must trot consistantly, not stopping or turning and at a reasonably fast trot. If they stop or break the trot I start over with them. They learn to whoa on command as well. I will tie them to a fence or the round pen as part of their training to teach them patience and to stand. I will also let them know I have treats and each time I walk by them, may or may not give them treats, but make them look to me for them.

When I am fitting a horse for show, I will work them each day for five days and let them off two. Some others recommend every other day. I think either one will work well.

I have some horses I do roll backs with and others I back up for many yards trying to build gaskin and butt muscles. It willl depend on the horse and what you are trying accomplish.

I think exercising should be dedicated and intense but not rough. It should done at a consistant speed at the trot or lope for a specific amount of time.

Have fun!

 

[Minimor]

I don't believe in round penning yearlings; mine get worked in a 60x120' corral where they have more straight line work and less turning, and even then that's only once or twice a week--otherwise I take them jogging. I am not a jogger, but do lots of running during show season--not down the road, just out in the big side pasture.

 

[minimule]

Well my golf cart is almost running! I'll have to borrow him for a while to get him shaped up I think. My friend is a OB/GYN nurse and works nights. She isn't much on running either. I'll talk to her and let her know what to try for sure.

If the show is next spring, should we start now or wait until Jan? I kind of think if we start now it won't be so hard on him next year.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I cannot even do walking anymore, so even the jog round the ring is taxing these days, nearly fell over quite a few times at the last show!!

Just a word to the wise, I am sure your friend already knows this, or you have told her, but conditioning is useless and pointless without a good balanced feed regime that suits the horse.

I too am against over conditioning yearlings, and the one I showed this year got into shape slowly and was still a bit immature at the beginning of the year.

I can get straight peas and beans (cattle feedstuffs, really) and full fat soya, here, and I added these to his feed, which gave him a lot of energy, no, really, a LOT!!!

So when I turned him out he did a lot of running and jumping on his own, but was still free to stop and graze when he wanted.

He has really made up well, and I was surprised at the number of people who told me how mature he was at our last show!!

 

[Miniv]

We've always TAUGHT our show horses how to longe on a lead, but for a YEARLING we've preferred to make them run (trot) for certain periods of time OFF THE LEAD. It's called "free longe."

At our old place we had a dressage sized covered arena which was great to turn our young show kids out into. Pop the longe whip and watch them run and buck and play! Then, you need to make sure they change directions occasionally.

Now we have an outdoor round pen. It's not as big as the arena, but we use it in a similar way. We also have old square wood corral on the place which we've used the same way.

Teaching even your yearling show horse how to longe on a longe lead is a good idea, in my opinion.......Because when you get to the show that may be the ONLY way you can exercise them and allow them to stretch their legs!

 

[midnight star stables]

To fit a horse for showing, I do the following:
I use my round and provide disciplined conditioning in each direction. I trot them or lope them depending on what needs to be accomplished with the execise. I start with 15-20 and build them up. It is best to work them in sand, this helps builds the muscles. Trotting is the best exercise and they must trot consistantly, not stopping or turning and at a reasonably fast trot. If they stop or break the trot I start over with them. They learn to whoa on command as well. I will tie them to a fence or the round pen as part of their training to teach them patience and to stand. I will also let them know I have treats and each time I walk by them, may or may not give them treats, but make them look to me for them.

When I am fitting a horse for show, I will work them each day for five days and let them off two. Some others recommend every other day. I think either one will work well.

I have some horses I do roll backs with and others I back up for many yards trying to build gaskin and butt muscles. It willl depend on the horse and what you are trying accomplish.

I think exercising should be dedicated and intense but not rough. It should done at a consistant speed at the trot or lope for a specific amount of time.

Have fun!

Thanks for the wonderful tips!

 

[kaykay]

If the show is next spring, should we start now or wait until Jan? I kind of think if we start now it won't be so hard on him next year.

Proper feed is a big deal for a show horse. Start him on "show feed" now and continue all winter. If you dont you will be trying to play catch up next year and it never works. Remember its much easier to condition a horse that is a little heavy then one that is thin.

Around here we really dont have any shows until May/June so we start conditioning in March (due to weather) But if they are kept on a good show feed program all winter its not a problem.