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[RC] starting and older mare - Tracey SmithMy mare Amira is 9 now ans was 8 when I started her. I got her as a rescue, so had to wait until she was healthy (and heavy) enough to ride. I had been told she was broke and upon my first saddling of her and bridling her had no problems at all. Worked her in the round pen many times before actually mounting her.
When I first got on she had no objections to me mounting, but clearly did not have a clue what to do from there! So, we started from scratch and she's doing great. As someone else mentioned spookieness was a HUGE problem at first, but she's now very bold and confident and rarely spooks at all.
I took it very slowly with her and when we started her on the trails started with short slow rides, gradually increasing pace and distance. We had our challenges along the way (she hated hills at first, and water was an issue too) but I picked out one thing to work on at a time and just rode her as often as I could.
She's now been under saddle for about 18 months and just completed her first season of Competitive Trail. I planned for her to be a distance horse from the start, but did not want to start her in endurance as I did not want her to think she had to race all the time (not that all endurance horses do, I know you really pace them) and I think the year of CTR really helped her. I can measure her progress from her first ride in March to her most recent one in October and several of my friends have commented she's a different mare!
We've now really upped her speed and distance and will be starting 25's in 2005 and probably moving up to 50's as soon as I feel she's ready. She loves the trail and loves to trot. Funny thing about this girl is she seems to do her best when the terrain and / or conditions are toughest and can sometimes get lazy if a ride is "too easy".
I think her year in CTR gave her a very solid foundation and next year plan to do a 50/50 mix of CTR and endurance.
So, moral of the story with your older mare is GO FOR IT...take it slow and easy she will do fine.
~*~ Tracey ~*~ You can ask a Stallion... You can tell a Gelding... But you have to discuss it with a mare!
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