Tips On Keeping A Horse Fit?

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Zoey3

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When do I need to start exercising my 7 month old colt? How much exercise? How often? I know I depends on the horse and other things, just give me some general tips. I do have a round pen and a lounge line. Right now he is getting 1/2 pound of grain and some hay twice a day. Plus I am turning him out to eat some grass every day or so.

Thanks!
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In no way would i work a 7 month old colt! My weanlings just eat..eat..eat..eat. Just put good nutrition in him, do NOT work him...weanlings in my opinion should not be worked. Good feeding is the key.

I do roundpen and work my yearlings...i have a large roundpen,,i start in like March of their yearling year if im going to show them. It seems like my yearlings mature fast with the exeption of a classic filly who is kind of taking her time, i think good feeding is the key with yearlings too but i also work them.

1/2 lb of grain (what kind of grain???) does not sound like enough of its just a regular grain (not a ration ballancer). My weanlings/yearling get more grain then the senior horses...what kind of grain?

It is SO important to keep good nutrition (i like higher protein, fat and fiber and then of course plenty of vitamins) in these junior horses.

Also, i think allot of people when they first get into showing make the mistake of trying to keep the horse skinny...show horses are not about keeping them skinny...its keeping them IN CONDITION...i think it takes a while to know what a CONDITIONED horse looks like and then agian...all horses need to be conditioned differently to get to that point.

I also think its important that foals have plenty of time outside, i dont think its healthy to keep babies in the stall 24/7.

Right now, just focus on feeding him good....working him should be the LAST thing on your mind at this time..
 
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Sorry to misinterpret you, but I am just planning ahead. I was not trying to say I was going to start exercising him now. I just wanted to now when to start and you answered my question saying as a yearling if I was going to show him. Yes he will be a yearling in March and I will be wanting to show him then.
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I would never let him get skinny, right now he is a little thin because I bought him wormy a week 1/2 ago. Plus he is getting much better grain then he did, Omelene 200(14%). I would SO rather him be a little fat then thin! Thats why I sure do NOT want to exercise him now.
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So my question is...in March, how much exercise and how often, in general?

Thanks!
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With my yearlings I spend ALOT of time walking them and jogging with them (not for to long though). Good excersise for me and great for them
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Gosh .. a yearling , like the post before , walking is great , and a little jogging. I have a yearling comming the day after tomorrow, and plan to show her this spring , she will be 2 then. I will do a little basic training this month and next month . Walking nicely in hand , backing up , a little trotting in hand, and basicaly building her confidence, and teaching her manners. then this winter she will have time to play with the others and be a baby, then in spring I will teach her to walk over things (tarp) do all the ground work and de spooking her, show her in whatever she is comfortable with , I think its important not to push them or they will rebel, or become confused and not trust you. I dont even use the round pen until they have mastered their basic ground work and trust me completely, and I wait until they are about 3 or 4 years old . You can do a lot with them without trying to condition them. Last show I went to they had a huge inflatable aligator under the bridge...I plan to show her all the scary things so its not a surprise to her at the show. Umbrellas, tarps , cones, pom poms, dogs , cats goats cows, etc...do the basic stuff first ,practice loading and unloading her into trailers of different sizes. This may sound crazy , but I practiced bandaging my horses legs , tail , put his feet in buckets of warm water , cold water , putting my fingers in his mouth to check his gums and teeth, anything I could think of that one day he might have to do for a vet. Maybe its just my horse ...but he is awsome , and so relaxed now, even working in hospitals with the children , and a great little driving horse. good luck , and remember its just an oppinion, and it worked for me , but might not for you.
 
For a weanling, all I'd ask him to do is for 5-10 mins learning the rules of leading, walking with me, stopping with me, standing still for up to 30 seconds, nothing major but rules of life stuff he needs to know anyway. As he gets a bit older you can add to that, standing for longer, trotting etc. nothing overly strenuous but enough that he gets the idea. I personally can't stand a horse that walks on me, drags me, or I have to drag them. I try not to overface the babies but I do ask them to focus on me for just a few minutes a day.

Karen
 
Rather than roundpenning young horses (including yearlings and even two-year-olds), I'd rather they play and move on their own, or if they don't have a buddy, encourage them to run in a large arena choosing their own course.

Tight circles are very hard on young legs/knees, and I want my horses to be sound for their life, so I play it safe.
 
Thanks Krissy, you have given me great ideas to do with my colt, Dakota Diago! I will be showing him in obsticle so he will need some basic training.
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Thanks jetiki, I will do so.

Susanne, my round pen is big, like for a Quarter horse. He would not have to turn very sharp, but yes I am not going to exercise him in it.

Just so everyone knows, I am not expecting to win and don't even care if I do. I want to do this for the fun of it only! But I want to be prepared for anything! I want to know what the experenced people do, even though I may not push my mini as much, just enough for him to do what I want him to do at home and at the shows, he sure does not have to be perfect. Just want to be aware of what others do and work around it for the good of my horse.

Thanks again!
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