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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| I was just wondering how often do you guys run your horses a week. I am looking at my schedule and from now until December I have scheduled three day barrel races (running 3 times one time friday, one time saturday and one time Sunday) every week. (Yeah, I am chasing points). Is that too many? Thanks in advance for any replies and opinions. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
   
Location: South Georgia | For me, yes, it is too much. One a week is the most I'd schedule, but that's just me. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| we will be running only once each day. One time friday, one saturday and one on Sunday.
Edited by love2ridepre 2017-10-23 1:26 PM
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | If your horse is in good condition and and well cared for, 1 run per day for 4-5 days probably isn't a big deal at all. My daughter is running her gelding twice per day for 2 days this weekend and I really don't see a problem with it. What do you suppose the pro girls do? Keep in mind they are traveling a bunch between runs too... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | Sorry! I misunderstood. I think that it totally fine as long as they are in shape to do so. |
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 The Worst Seller Ever
Posts: 4138
Location: Oklahoma | I think you are good.. If it were me I would make sure to give Monday & Tuesday as rest days, light day on Wed (just cardio or light workout if there was an issue), then back to running Friday.
That was my schedule for June, July & August, except mine were rodeos.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| during the week we try to work outside the arena, either checking cattle or long trotting around the fields. Once in a while we will do arena work but not for very long. I would consider him in pretty good shape but I never run him more than once a week and for the next 6 weeks he is going to be run 3 times a week. I just want to make sure I do right by him as he is always doing right by me :-) |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Depends on the horse.
Some are fine - some, that is too much.
You know your horse the best. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Horses only have so many runs in them for a life time. Use them as fast or spread out as you wish. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | r_beau - 2017-10-23 2:41 PM Depends on the horse.
Some are fine - some, that is too much.
You know your horse the best.
^^^ what she said. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | That's a lot of runs every weekend for 2 months. I try not to do back-to-back 3 run weekends with my rodeo horses, but they're all 13-15 years old and I have 3 so I can spread the workload around.
I ran Chance and Cliff Saturday and Sunday this past weekend, and am debating whether or not Chance needs 2 runs this weekend when I am planning to run him Nov. 3, 4, and 5 at a year-end rodeo finals. He's felt good, but our timing hasn't been great and ground issues have kept us from really laying one down in a while.
During the summers, I typically don't run any of the 3 horses more than twice in a weekend. We do have to travel a lot, but I try to spread out the work by entering a pen for Chance and one for Fred in a weekend, then maybe a Cliff and a Fred the next weekend and a couple Chance pens after that. In late July, Chance ran Tuesday, Fred Wednesday, Chance and Fred Thursday, Chance twice Friday, Cliff Saturday and Chance Sunday. That was INSANITY. Then on Wednesday, Chance ran again. Fred ran Friday, Fred and Cliff ran Saturday, Cliff ran Sunday and then I think we all crashed! LOL.
My goal every year is to limit each horse's runs to a reasonable number. Chance's "goal number" used to be about 80 runs but now I try to keep it under 60, and I like to keep Fred about that same number and Cliff can make 10-15 more runs in a year. |
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Expert
Posts: 1446
Location: California | The pro's manage to put a hellacious amount of rides on their horses and use them for years. Provide top, optimal care and you should be okay. Listen to your horse, they'll tell you. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Many of these young futurity horses run three times in a weekend. There are a few futurities that run on one weekend after another. The main thing is to have your horse in top condition and I would have mine vetted before a group of three day weekends. Preventive medicine is essential to a happy horse.
I have a five year old making a couple of runs in a couple of days at the AQHA World Show. She will be headed to the vet this week for any maintenance she might need. She gets that regularly but especially before something important. It keeps her performing at the top of her game. It also keeps her happy. I think you will find that most of these girls that rodeo keep their horses in top form with preventative medicine. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | It all depends on your horse and what he can handle mentally and physically. My show season starts at the end of Feb (weather depending lol) and runs untill the middle of November. We have options just about every weekend. Most of the shows during the summer are 2-3 day shows and we run both barrels and poles so my horse will run twice a day at any given show. (Im a point chaser too) Plus the occasional rodeos we will enter. As long as you let them rest and take proper care of legs and body (before & after) runs, he should be fine! You know your horse best and when they need a break, just make sure you listen. Poultice/linament and rest is our best friend during the summer when were showing pretty hard. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 408
| Thanks you guys for all the replies! And I agree with what most of you say, to listen to my horse and I do. This is the first time that I am going to push him this hard and I am a bit anxious about it.
He goes to the vet/chiro every 8 weeks or whenever I feel he needs it. He is covered on Back on track before and after each run. And after running, he gets at least one to two days off (if we run saturday and Sunday he gets two days off for sure, if I get on him it will be just to go on a quiet hack around the fields checking cattle).
Last night I decided that for the next two weeks, I will run him during the week at a local jackpot and then one race on Saturdays . Then the second week in november is when we will be racing at a 3 day race every weekend for four weeks. Then big break until February!
He is in top shape but I will still watching like a hawk! |
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