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Re: RC: Petite Mount



At 09:16 PM 5/14/00 -0700, Susan wrote:
This little mare is about 13.2hh, and is about 6 years old, she has grown about 1 inch in the last year.

The vets on this list would know more than me, but I would wonder if the mare is really 6, or if she should be doing much competition till she is truly mature, whether she is 6 or not.  You know, sort of if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it might as well be a duck.  If she looks like a yearling, I would treat her like she was a yearling. 

If this mare was mine, I'd follow the LSD (Long Slow Distance) method for a minimum of 2 or 3  years.  Generally you figure on it taking 3 years for bone to condition, 2 years for tendons & ligaments, and 1 year or less for the musculature & cardio-vascular system.  If you are in particular concerned about her bone, I'd definitely recommend taking the time.  You know that rule of thumb with horses (and if it isn't a rule of thumb, it SHOULD be):  The more time you take in the beginning, the more time you'll get out of your horse at the end.  In other words, take your time now & you won't shorten your mare's life because of injury, degenerative disease, etc.  Lif



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