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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
 
| Besides living in a perfect world and being able to ride your horse every day. What is the bare minimum amount that you find acceptable to ride your horse during the week while they are in barrel racing "season"? 3,4,5 times a week?? |
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Veteran
Posts: 276
| 3, minimum, not including the races. I'm a big believer in riding a lot to keep both their physique and mind sound. Even if it is just trail riding at a walk. I do not expect my horses to perform at their best ability if any less than that. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
 
Location: WI | I try to give 2 days/week off. So, 5 days riding or racing. I workout and need my 2 days off! I can't imagine going 6 or 7 days a week. BURNOUT!!! |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
 
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I ride every day..once in awhile weather gets me..mostly lightening stops me...3 at the moment.....and i have 2 more to add to that list before june.......M |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I try to ride 3-4 times a week and lunge 2. My horse doesn't get turned out, he just lives in a run, so even if I just take him out for a walk on the trail it's better than nothing. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | When I was running heavily and kept mine legged up 3 days was my minimum. I always warm up and run through drills and then after that I either ride in the pasture and work on him following his nose, or I un-saddle and ride him bareback. Just something to keep him from getting burned out. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I give at least 2 days off during the week, then I trail ride at least 2, usually lunge 1 and really exercise them 2 days. For a horse that is currently in shape, I feel this is enough to keep them where they're at. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | Once they are in shape, I try to work mine twice during the week if I'm going to run on the weekend. I'd like to work them 3 days during the week but a lot of times that is impossible with my work schedule and the weather. My horses are turned out 24/7 and luckily I got them all legged up early this year so now I'm just keeping them in shape.
My weeks generally look like this:
Monday - swamped at work, might if I'm lucky get a 90 minute break between 5 and 7 p.m. to run home and ride really quickly
Tuesday - swamped at work, might if I'm lucky get home before dark and manage to work 1-2 horses for a few minutes
Wednesday - unless the weather totally sucks all day, I ride at least 2 of my 4 and pony the others. This is my most free day so if I'm doing hard workouts, pattern work etc, it is on Wednesdays.
Thursdays - usually not a bad day - I tend to get everyone worked this day as well. This month I am producing barrel races in my hometown so I'm going to struggle to work horses unless they're running at the jackpot. I may have to haul extras to town and work after the jackpot under lights the next few weeks.
Fridays - sometimes I work a horse or two in the morning if I'm not substitute teaching, but usually they either run at a Friday night race or have the day off because we're traveling.
Saturday - usually they run or I'll work them.
Sunday - usually they run or I'll work them.
You can see that Mondays & Tuesdays are often their days off during the week. I was excited last night that I found time to ride Chance and pony the other 3 for 10-15 minutes, but I'm not sure I'll get anyone worked tonight due to work. :( |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Well last week, between the rain and work committments, I was only able to ride Red twice during the work week. However, the prior weekend we did an all-day barrel clinic Saturday and Sunday, so those were pretty long days. And then we did a race on Saturday. So if you add it up, he got ridden 4 times that week.
When they are already legged up and in shape, they seem to maintain pretty good. Plus, it probably helps that he's turned out in a 160 acre pasture with lots of big hills!
My goal is to ride every day, but between the weather and normal day-to-day life, I'm happy if they get ridden 2 or 3 times during Mon-Fri, and we race on the weekends! It hard to keep 2 horses legged up when you work 55 hours a week! I helped myself out this year by sending my good horse to a reining trainer to get legged up while I worked on the other one, when I didn't have very many daylight hours after work.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 628
Location: Missouri | Right now...NONE! It won't stop raining long enough for me to ride or for the ground to dry out. Luckily I am not going anywhere till June but I usually do like to ride 3 days a week if I am going to be hauling anywhere. They do get a 12 hour a day 15 acre turn out so that helps them a little bit to stay in shape. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| As little as my horses let me get by with....
But usually never enough LOL |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | I'm at 3 days a week now. I don't race much.
they are turned out for 8-12 hours with active pasture mates so they stay in relatively good shape anyway |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | linds - 2015-05-12 4:03 PM I try to give 2 days/week off. So, 5 days riding or racing. I workout and need my 2 days off! I can't imagine going 6 or 7 days a week. BURNOUT!!!
eta: My gelding is turned out in a 5 acre pasture, so he doesn't sit on his off days. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| linds - 2015-05-13 12:37 PM linds - 2015-05-12 4:03 PM I try to give 2 days/week off. So, 5 days riding or racing. I workout and need my 2 days off! I can't imagine going 6 or 7 days a week. BURNOUT!!! eta: My gelding is turned out in a 5 acre pasture, so he doesn't sit on his off days.
Usually just 2 days a week -long trot 15 minutes, walk 10 or so and repeat a couple of times with a little loping. Mine are out on 90 acres during the day, 10 acres at night, stalled only for weather. I just got back on them last week, they have not been ridden since mid March- they were not blowing or winded after a work out- guess they do stay in pretty good shape on their own if they have the room to move around. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I try to ride each horse 3 times a week. Weather sometimes interrupts that, but that also includes racing. With my work schedule, that is about all I can guarantee. However, my mare hasn't looked or felt better. It seems just about right for my 3 year old colt, because he needs ridden, but at his age I don't want to do too much until he grows up a little. Mine are also out on pasture...gorging themselves, LOL.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2015-05-13 12:53 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| IRunOnFaith - 2015-05-12 2:43 PM
When I was running heavily and kept mine legged up 3 days was my minimum. I always warm up and run through drills and then after that I either ride in the pasture and work on him following his nose, or I un-saddle and ride him bareback. Just something to keep him from getting burned out.
Once mine are finished horses they never see a barrel pattern or "Drills". THat is the perk of doing something right the first time I ask for it. Its a reward. THey only have to work about 34 seconds per week. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | I usually ride 3 days (sometimes 4), not including race day.
My horses are out on pasture 24/7 and that def helps keep their fitness level up.
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