When should I start working the horses again?

[shoeboxstables]

Hi all,

I was wondering when you all start working and preping your show horses again. Last year, I started my mare in early March for a May show, but my problem was coordinating workouts around the weather. I want to show my stallion and mare next year, but I'm worried about making it work. He's put on quite a bit of weight. I hope to continue to work him at least two times a week, but the weather makes it tough. So when should I start working the two of them to have them ready by the beginning of May? What's your late winter schedule? The mare drives, does jogs on the golf cart, lunges, ground drives, and will jump cross rails. We have paddocks that funciton as 'arenas' but no round pen. The stallion jumps medium-high courses (that's what we're working on now), and lunges. I hope to start ground driving him by Jan, and would like to have him hitched by Feb. What sort of excercises would you recommend? What can I do when there's snow on the ground? We get quite a bit! We have a barn isle-way that can be used for halter/showmanship schooling, but no real way to work the horses when there's snow on the ground. What can we do when we're snowed in?

As of right now, I keep both out on pasture 24/7. They are given ~1 cup of Omalene (200? Active Pleasure) grain once a day in the morning. The stallion is given about 3/4 a flake 2x a day, and is out in a fairly large pasture. It has grass in it, but that's fickle depending on the weather. The mare shares a paddock with a 2 mares and gelding, and they get 2-3 flakes 2x a day to split between them all. The mare is contained in a small lot 1/2 of the day, and roams in a large paddock the other half of the day. Again, there is grass, but that depends on weather. What changes should I make for their diet as show season approaches?

We do have stalls available. However, it's a bit of a pain to shuffle them all around, and my mom pretty much refuses to work with the stallion to get him outside for turnout. Should I stall them? For how long? Starting when? We don't have a true dry lot. How long should they be out on grass?

I do need to sweat both of their necks. The mare has always had a fat neck, but will not be showing much in halter (except for Youth Halter Mares). However, the stallion has put on quite a bit of weight, and NEEDS to be sweated. He will be shown in halter. I do not feel confortable leaving the sweats on in the paddocks, so how much should I sweat them? (I guess this goes hand in hand with the above question)

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!!!!!!

I know I'm asking a ton of questions but thank you so much!!

-Kaitlyn

 

[Alex]

IMO winter is a time for horses to be horses. Id start excercising him right when the snow melts. Id also start his show diet then.I know nodda about sweating so cant help ya.

 

[Jill]

I will start working the show horses here in March, and start working with my current Big City weanlings then as well to set up, etc. (they'll be yearlings then)

 

[skanzler]

Kaitlyn,

The most important thing in getting your horse ready for show season is consistancy. If your weather is not predictable and you could go days without being able to exercise and work the horses, there is no reason in starting.

Wait until you are able to work them at least 4-5 days a week. That way the work you are doing doesn't go to waste. Yes you can work with them on the smaller stuff. The in hand work of setting up for halter, showmanship and doing some ground pole work, ground driving etc.

When it comes to actually working them into condition, then you need good weather 90% of the time. At that time you will adjust them to the show program, for feeding and sweating.

When we transition the horses we bring the show string into the barn, put them on the feed program for conditioning, starting slowly and titrating them to the correct program for each horse. At the same time I do a head and neck clip so that I can start sweating. We have an indoor arena so we can work horses come rain, snow or shine. We clip the horses down between the front legs so that they cool faster after work outs. We are also prepared to blanket those that need it and to put hoods on them, since they are clipped.

We usually start in February for the first show in April. By then the horses have been in conditioning training for two months, with at least one body clip already done. That way by the April show they will be on at least their second if not third clip. That way the grey tone is almost completely out of thier hair.

I know this doesn't work for those that don't have an indoor arena, but the bottom line is the same. Unless you can work them consistantly you are wasting your time.

Edited to state for getting a horse into show condition.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

You have all said to wait until it can be consistent and good weather 90% of the time that makes it hard for us as even March is NOT consistent and we got our last snowstorm in April last year we also dont have an indoor arena but our shows start in May so it would seem that we have less time than most to do the conditioning needed for show. So are there things we can do prior to the snow leaving to help with the conditioning process?

 

[JourneysEnd]

If I have to wait for consistant weather in Houston my guys will never get worked.

 

[mininik]

What skanzler means about waiting for consistent weather is that there's no point in starting your horse on a conditioning program one day if you'll have to take the next three days off for bad weather before being able to work another day or two after that and taking the next day off, etc. Changing your horse's feed and some training can be done while the weather is iffy, but the key to conditioning is consistency. If you don't have a way of sticking to a schedule (such as access to an indoor arena or covered roundpen), it's best to wait.

 

[Miniequine]

Kaitlyn

Hi

Well, if it was me, and I had a horse that needs to lose quite

a bit, I'd start now. I would use your paddock like a round pen.

If he needs to lose that much weight, I would try to get it off gradually.

Slowly work up his work time.

I work mine in ANY weather, including snow. Snow is a GREAT workout.

It might wreck your paddock if it is muddy, but I would, if that is all I had.

You have a golf cart? That is perfect for ponying.

2 times a week is not going to make any real difference.

Ice is the only thing that stops the workouts. Being consistant is all important, but missing a few days because of ice is ok. I'm in Virginia. We get ice, but it usually doesnt stay that long.

I would work up to 20 minutes 5 days a week.

I also feed oats & beet pulp to my working fatties, instead of sweet feed, but I would

ask a trainer about feeding.

Good Luck!

~Sandy

 

[skanzler]

Thank you mininiki for clarifying that. You can do several things. Walking up and down hills with your mini on a daily basis, if you can handle the weather.... Changing your feed program can be done, but if you start bumping up the feed and not following through with some type of conditioning program, you will only have heavy out of condition horses. If there were an indoor arena you could use, that would be nice. But if one is not available you are stuck with working them when you can, weather permitting and using the not so bad days to just walking or jogging with them.

The thing to remember is having a general work out schedule planned for each horse and sticking to it, as best you can.

It would be like you joining the gym to get yourself into condition after the winter and only going a couple of time and then not going back for a week and then only for a day and then off for three days....... as you can see you will not get much benefit from this type of work out.

I hope you are able to find something that will work for you and your minis.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

If I have to wait for consistant weather in Houston my guys will never get worked.

Ditto! *LOL* I used to wait for dry days...needless to say, living in WA that meant I didn't drive much.

Not anymore!

My horse got so bored sitting in his pasture over the first two winters I had him that it was ridiculous. Last year I got him out and started conditioning in January for an April CDE and it still wasn't quite enough although he looked great. By June he was tough and ready to go. This year my first CDE isn't until June but I've got breed shows starting in April so he'll be getting ground-work all winter and will start back into driving lessons after the holidays. Starting in late February or early March he'll go back into full conditioning work in the cart but I think the fact I never let him get out of shape this year will help tremendously. I always take the winter to bond with my horse and do things they enjoy as much as I do. Between that and a lot of work on the little things we don't have time for in the summer like manners and the fine points of showmanship, etc., they come into show season alert and interested and ready to work with you.

My program is a little different from a lot of people though as I don't stall my horses during show season and Kody actually prefers to get out and drive. I'm sure if he was part of an active herd or had a different personality that might not be the case, but for us those couple of months off after the last show at the end of September are enough. We're ready to get going again by late December!

Bored, bored, bored....

Leia

 

[skanzler]

The only thing I would say about those types of conditions is use extreme caution. Nothing will put a stop to the show season is an injury, like a pulled ligament and bowed tendon from slipping on icey or slick surfaces..... I would hold off as long a possible til you have fairly good weather. Doesn't have to be perfect, but at least not slick... just my opinion. Trying to get ahead may just set you back.

The other thing is, careful of getting them too sweaty in cold weather. Making your horse sick isn't going to help either. It takes a long time to cool a horse down in the cold weather and even after they are cooled down they still need to dry thoroughly. That is why we don't start until February.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Slick = baaaaaad. If you've got deep soft snow or thick mud and feel you must work them, make sure you take your horse for a brief warm-up walk first then do some stretches to help prevent injury. Done regularly stretches can help make your horse more flexible, balanced, and powerful, just like they do for a human athlete.

Also be sure you listen to your horse. If they are acting strained or tired quit or at least give them a break. A tired horse is one who's likely to get injured. If they want to frolic that's one thing, if you're pushing them past when they want to go in bad footing that's another.

Leia

 

[MiniHunterHorseFan]

I work mine all year round. The weather is usually pretty good here but I have been known to be out training in the cold and rain. During the winter there is less light so I give my boys more days off. But I never really quit training.

 

[susanne]

Annette and Syndi,

Can I ask what you feed when conditioning and showing your taller B minis and mini shetlands? And what do you feed during the off season?

For my show horses, I'm feeding LMF Showtime (4 cups 2x daily for my 18-month-old Shetland filly, 2-3 cups 2x daily for my 38" gelding), beet pulp, BOSS, and either orchard grass hay or local grass hay supplemented by orchard grass pellets. They're on dry lot other than occasional grazing for very brief mental health breaks.

Starting mid-February, I free lunge them in a large corral for 30 minutes, 3-4 days per week. (I don't work the filly in a round pen or on lunge line).

So far, so good, but I'm always looking to improve.

 

[skanzler]

Susanne,

When my horses are "off season" I turn them all outside to be horses. I slowly wean them of the show feed and just give them a handful of grain with thier supplements and salt and up their grass "roughage".

I didn't do any training this winter. My horses and I took this one off. We will start bringing the show horses in about the first of February. December and January are too cold. We get down in to the 20's and sometimes down into the single digits.... BRRR. As we talked about earlier, consistancy is important. And since I am not able to be consistant with their conditioning, we don't start until Feb.

When we bring them in we start introducing Strategy Alfalfa formula, this is formulated for diets that primarily consist of alfalfa. We feed orchard grass, but I like the Alfalfa formula as it has less protien, at 12%. We also start the them on rolled oats, beet pulp and NW supplement. Those horses that are on daily wormer remain on it. Others are put on our regular worming program.

Of course as you know it depends on the horse, age, activity level, size etc. But most of my horse over the age of 1 yr usually get about 1-1 1/2 cups strategy, 1 cup rolled oats, 1 - 1 1/2 cups beet pulp, free choice salt, 1 scoop NW supplement twice daily. This is slowly introduced over the first week to 10 days. It is refined as the conditioning program progresses and changed depending on the horse. We feed orchard grass three times a day. Usually about 1/4 lb up to 2 lbs per horses, again depending on the horses age, size activity level etc. The noon feeding is more of a snack, as most horses go out on pasture for thier third meal. If they are easy keepers, then they go in a dry lot with about a 1/4 to 1/2 lb hay.

Again this is just works for us and our conditioning program and our area of the country. It is based on the quality of our feed etc.

We start working the horses about a week after they arrive. This gives me time to evaluate each horse as to overall condition, metal status and gets them used to the barn activities and program. We then start exercising. We start at a 2 min warm up then 5-7 min work out and then a 2-3 min cool down. We have them head and neck clipped, down and between thier front legs. This allows them to cool out quicker. We also start putting on thier sweats at this time. The will of course start wearing neck covers to keep them warm. We slowly, over the next few weeks working the horses up to about a 20-30 min work out. We do alot of long trotting. We start with 3 days a week and then work up to 5 days a week.

I hope this helps.

 

[susanne]

Thank you, Syndi! That is extremely helpful!

 

[shoeboxstables]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. But after reading another post about a mare with a broken crest, I'm freaking out. I know I let him go this summer, but now I'm really afraid that it could happen to my stallion. Can you all please advise me about what I can do for/with him? I took these pictures of him in mid-november. Since then he's lost a bit of weight- we've been working over jumps and such. What can I do??

He's 36" and will be 3 in May.

Edited to add- obviously these are not posed pictures where he is 'using' his neck

Edited again to add- it feels firm, but can jiggle a bit if I move it back and forth. I mean, I look at my mare, and she has a MUCH bigger neck. Her's is much looser, but less 'fatty' if that makes sense. Her's feels fairly similar to his, just less tight. And she carries that neck fine no matter what weight.