Now is the time to think about getting your horse in shape. A few questions we need to go over are:
1 How long does it take to get my horse in shape?
2.How long should I ride each day?
3.What kind of exercises?
4.What should I feed?
5.Shoud I give my horse vitimans or other supplements?
6. What about vet checks?
The answers to these questions are what I basically do when I haul. My World Champion Barrel Racing Stallion, Maudies's Joak, which is the only barrel horse stallion to ever win the WPRA World Championship, always ran a low bloodcount. I kept up with his bloodwork every 6 months and had him checked when he ran a little bit off. My next NFR barrel racing horse, TJ, a little 14.1 hand 3/4 throughbred horse was hot, he did not need to many vitimans or anything hot. So you have to know your horse. The other NFR horse I trained, I did not run him, but my friend Sandy Jones owned him he was a 14 hand tall horse and stayed solid with very few supplements. Heart and desire and a horse having fun running barrels makes a big difference!
Now let's answer the questions:
1. 60 to 90 days after a rest is what I always used as a guideline to get a horse in running shape. I had two kids, so not only did I need that much time, but so did my horses. With my horse's being turned out for 5 months during that time period, this is the program I used. Being turned out from August to January, I had to get ready for Houston which is always one tough rodeo. By the time I ran at Houston, not only did I win money, but I won the short go and 3rd in the average. Pretty neat for just having a baby 2 months earlier.
2. How long do I ride each day?
You don't have to ride them a mile or two miles, I do more of an intermix exercise. For example:
Day 1 - 3 minute walk, 2 minute trot, 2 minute lope
3 minute walk
Day 2 - Add to your minutes each day so in 30 days you get up to a 30 minute workout.
In 30 days you should be up to 30 minutes with this workout:
5 minute walk, 5 minute trot, 2 minute long trot (not to much of this, hollows out back), 5 minutes loping, 3 minutes fast loping, 30 second straight gallop
30 second straight run, 3 minutes regular lope
3 minutes trot, 3 minute walk
This is a great 30 minute work out and you can keep your horse off the barrels. Remember this is a getting a horse in shape regimen.
This is a workout just like a workout for us with a warm up and cool down. Do this about 3 times a week to keep your horse in great shape without soring them up. To much of the wrong riding will sore a horse up quick. You want soft yet effective programs for your horse.
The other 2 days just ride your horse, trail ride, work cattle, have fun! After competition runs give your horse a day off. I ride a finished horse about 3 times a week, since we are getting runs during the week.
Tune up on the barrels when you feel your runs are off. Don't be scared to tune your horse up, that is the only way you get better.
Make a practice run the day before you haul so you know what is going on, then do slow tune ups where you feel off in the run.
3. What kind of exercises should you do?
Always stick to the basics. My mom taught me that. What are basics? Straight stops, straight backs, breaking in the poll, turnarounds, sidepass, front-forehand turns, circles, squares, balancing exercises, lead changes front and back and two tracking. Make sure your horse gives in the face left and right and responds from your leg and hand cues as well as transitions.
4,5,6. What should you feed? What about vitimans? What about my vet check?
Know your horse. Look at their haircoat, eyes & gums. A healthy horse has a shiny haircoat, good solid hooves, a sparkle in their eye with an eagle eye look, their gums should be pink not white in color. Take them to the vet for a checkup in the spring and fall. Other than that they should be fine. Always get bloodwork done, this tells you a lot. Your vet can explain this to you. Get their teeth checked, ears which can have mites or ticks in them or even an infections.
Your vet will tell you what type vitimans to use if you need any. Some horses might need a lower content vitiman, others may need something stronger. Healthy Coat is great for their digestive system, hooves and hair. Ask your vet about the worming program you need in your area. I feed oats with a small amout of sweet feed, grass hay, keep salt blocks out for them when they want it and lots of fresh water.
When you brush your horse always rub them with your fingers, follow the muscles, check for knots or sore spots and softly massage them. My mom always did this to Joak and he ran smooth and soft. She did massage's before anyone else even knew what they were!
Good luck this year, use common sense, listen to your horse and you will go along way.
Connie Combs
