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 Veteran
Posts: 224
Location: Southern OK aka God's Country | dhdqhllc - 2013-12-30 2:07 PM
some of this kinda makes me laugh.......if you warm them up, making a run or two or whatever is no big deal......heck, many times they take off racing around and bucking and what not in way more dangerous environment and ground conditions than an arena for longer than 20 seconds.....are they at there peak performance doing that..??? no way.......but they may not necessarily be far off..... as far as healthy horses go....which are most....
I'm with you--they do more in the pasture than the 15 (ok 17-18) seconds I put on him in the arena. I don't get to ride but on the weekends in the winter because it's dark when I go to work and dark when I get home. And I hate cold, and I'm not riding by headlamp and I don't have lights in my arena. My horse that I have now is not 1D, he will never be 1D (although we did run 1D one time with 17 entries, go us!!). He is solid enough now on the pattern to pull him out of the pasture in the winter, go make a run after a decent warm up, and be fine for what I need at this point. Maybe in a couple years when my prospects are up and going will I worry about conditioning in the winter and what-not, but for now, I'm perfectly satisfied being a weekend warrior and he is in good enough shape for that because he is alive and young and healthy (and somewhat overweight). |
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I Will Not Keep Silent
Posts: 1922
 
Location: GA | I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going.
I did a prepurchase exam on a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally.
Edited again to remove an offensive comment and clarify a statement.
Edited by *robin* 2013-12-31 9:38 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 224
Location: Southern OK aka God's Country | *robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM
I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going.
I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally.
Not agreeing with someone does not equate to them being "stupid." This kind of demeaning attitude is why there are so many threads that become so hateful so quickly. It is possible to politely disagree with point/counter-point. |
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 Another Barbossa
Posts: 2187
 
Location: Central Iowa, surrounded by corn! | There is a fine line between fit and fatigued! Some people don't seem to know the difference! Doesn't matter if a horse is race horse fit if you go and lope them for an hour, have them lathered, blowing, and do 10 warm-ups! Then wonder why they slow down running home in competition!  |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | *robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going. I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally.
With as strong as your feelings are about the subject, why did you buy the "train wreck"?? The kind of statement you just made makes me  |
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I Will Not Keep Silent
Posts: 1922
Location: GA | SoonerLawyer - 2013-12-31 10:15 AM
*robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM
I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going.
I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally.
Not agreeing with someone does not equate to them being "stupid." This kind of demeaning attitude is why there are so many threads that become so hateful so quickly. It is possible to politely disagree with point/counter-point.
You are correct. I will edit. |
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I Will Not Keep Silent
Posts: 1922
Location: GA | LMS - 2013-12-31 10:30 AM
*robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going. I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally.
With as strong as your feelings are about the subject, why did you buy the "train wreck"?? The kind of statement you just made makes me
I "pre" purchased the horse, I did not buy the horse. I also apologize for my demeaning comments.
Ok edit to get the misunderstanding. I did a prepurchase exam.
Edited by *robin* 2013-12-31 9:34 AM
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | *robin* - 2013-12-31 9:32 AM LMS - 2013-12-31 10:30 AM *robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going. I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally. With as strong as your feelings are about the subject, why did you buy the "train wreck"?? The kind of statement you just made makes me I "pre" purchased the horse, I did not buy the horse. I also apologize for my demeaning comments. Ok edit to get the misunderstanding. I did a prepurchase exam.
Thanks for the explanation, just seemed lopsided to me :) |
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I Will Not Keep Silent
Posts: 1922
Location: GA | LMS - 2013-12-31 10:41 AM
*robin* - 2013-12-31 9:32 AM LMS - 2013-12-31 10:30 AM *robin* - 2013-12-31 9:04 AM I hear this all the time like it is suppose to impress someone. My thoughts are really and what kind of stupid are you? Running around willy nilly in the pasture does not equate to being ran with weight on its back, harnessed under tack and modifying the horses natural way of going. I prepurchased a horse that was ran this way for years. He was a train wreck physically before his prime not to mention mentally. With as strong as your feelings are about the subject, why did you buy the "train wreck"?? The kind of statement you just made makes me I "pre" purchased the horse, I did not buy the horse. I also apologize for my demeaning comments. Ok edit to get the misunderstanding. I did a prepurchase exam.
No problem. I speak in short hand sometimes. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | fatchance - 2013-12-30 3:29 PM I have and will never pull one out and go make a run on them.
Don't care what the discipline is, but as BHW teaches us, different strokes for different folks. 
Agree.. athletes need conditioning.. I considered my horses athletes.. they also have their downtime mentally .. Hacking out, swimming etc.. days off..but thats just me as well. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| I used to be super strict about that. However, now that I work a minimum 12.5 hour day of physical labor and have three kids and one more on the way, I'm happy to work my colt twice a week (only two so we don't do the pattern) and my older broke mare twice a week. I only haul locally very occasionally right now and when I do, I am realistic about it. No pushing to first, and just concentrating on making a clean run. Fast will come back when I have time for it. |
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 Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
Location: WA | I am with you Nannette. If they aren't getting worked 3-4 days a week for at least 2 weeks prior to the race, I won't go. And this is assuming they were getting kept up with before that. If they aren't fit AND tuned, I don't want to waste my time and money going. I have a hard enough time getting out of the crack, that I don't want to hurt my chances any more than necessary. My husband doesn't get nearly the time to ride that I do, he can pull his gelding out of the pasture, warm him up really good to get the buck out of him, and be good to go for a day of gaming. Horse never gotten hurt from it. My way works for me, his way works for him. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Heres the deal, my little mare is/was fit and I was planning on going to a race today and tomorrow on her. I caretake for my mom who has dementia, the weekend before Christmas my fiancé and I took off for the weekend just to get some us time together so I didn't ride that weekend, got to ride Monday however, than rode Christmas day. That night my mom had a stroke and we spent the next 3 days in the hospital, obviously didn't ride. So basically my mare has been only ridden 2 times in the last week and a half. She is my mare that survived a serious stifle injury 3 years ago. I've already made the decision not to run but thank all of you for sharing your views.
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I refuse to run any of mine without having them in shape.....mine have been off since oct and I plan on having them ready to go for mid march so to me that means I better be on them jan 1st.......M |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I haven't read all the replies BUT I don't think you can override a horse. Tune too much and sour one, absolutely. Horses are built to travel at least 35 miles a day. Their bodies are also made to startle and run away wide open from stimuli without warming up.
They are not made to bury their butt in the ground and run 25 mph around a barrel. That's a human invention. It's hard on joints and ligaments and brains.
I crippled my good mare last fall. I did. I didn't condition her well enough and entered her on deep ground, then asked for her life. Boom, out with suspensory injury for 9 months. Go me!
Now everybody is ridden or ponied 1/2 mile warm up, 1 mile trot, 1 mile lope/gallop, 1 mile walk/cool out. Everyday. I ride in the dark a lot. At first, we all of us hated life. We just weren't legged up. Now it's routine, and the horses love getting to go out and play and cut up the whole way. I feel like the babysitter most days, and they meet me at the gate!! They see barrels once or twice a week for about 15 minutes on top of their regular work out.
You can't avoid injuries all the time, but I at least want to know that a horse in pain was NOT my fault!!! |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | If you're being absolutely honest....How many of you get yourselves fit before asking your horse to haul you around the pattern?
Someone very close to me is the worst about exaggerating how long they are actually exercising their horse...and it's evident when that person couldn't last that long in the saddle to work a horse that long. If you're not fit you aren't doing your horse any favors. |
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Veteran
Posts: 224
Location: Southern OK aka God's Country | rachellyn80 - 2013-12-31 12:24 PM
If you're being absolutely honest....How many of you get yourselves fit before asking your horse to haul you around the pattern?
Someone very close to me is the worst about exaggerating how long they are actually exercising their horse...and it's evident when that person couldn't last that long in the saddle to work a horse that long. If you're not fit you aren't doing your horse any favors.
I struggle with this--how can I ask my horse to go on a diet and be fit when I can't even make myself?? So we are both a little pudgy and out of shape. What's good for the goose is good for the gelding, I always say :) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 713
Location: PA | Haha, I'm scared to death to hurt them while riding and conditioning. As much as I would like to keep them in padded stall and pull them out in tip top shape I know it's not gonna happen. This last season my mare wasnt being 'ran' just hauled and cruising, but now this new season she is going to be conditioned more. My one gelding I was running was very lazy and hated work in general, so I thought letting him alone and then running him would help, but it doesnt. He couldnt work good being unable to hold his self correctly. So I guess I do agree with you, but I don't think I will get too crazy with my mares workouts.... Oh and on the subject of keeping themselves shaped up in pasture, it depends entirely on the horse. The gelding mentioned above is a fat plug on pasture but my mare who is always ripping and running (and scaring the crap out of me) never gets chunky on pasture and even stays pretty toned up but not to the extent on being running ready. |
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 I'm not opinionated
Posts: 4597
Location: Online | Years ago I thought I didn't have to ride every day and keep my horse in shape because he was out in the pasture 24/7. He could exercise himself and stay in great shape, right? Wrong. I laid him off for a couple of months when things slowed down one winter and decided to start to ride again to get the fresh off him for an upcoming rodeo. I got on him in the barn and just took off without a good warm up in the round pen and he spooked and scattered and pulled the muscles in his back. He was out of commission for 3 months. So to say they will stay in shape when turned out is not always true.
I always have mine in the best condition possible before I run them and ride them every day no less than 5 days a week. |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | rachellyn80 - 2014-01-01 11:24 AM
If you're being absolutely honest....How many of you get yourselves fit before asking your horse to haul you around the pattern?
Someone very close to me is the worst about exaggerating how long they are actually exercising their horse...and it's evident when that person couldn't last that long in the saddle to work a horse that long. If you're not fit you aren't doing your horse any favors.
I agree.....what I started to do is I jog the first 1/4 mile leading my horse and then I ride and I walk the last 1/4 mile leading......I have noticed a big differenceM |
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