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RE: [RC] [RC] "dont let my young horses canter" much until age 6! - Juli JakubI think it depends on the situation. I will start cantering my girl this summer. She will be four. But I also weigh in with saddle at about 112 pounds and I am a very balanced classical rider. Some people think I wait too long. Eventers often have their horses W/T/C, lead changes and small courses by the time they are as old as my baby is now. I have a friend who has the same breed horse, same age. He is W/T/C, simple changes jumping courses and conditioning for endurance! When we talk it is funny because although they are very similiar, they are far apart in mounted training. But I let her do things her way and I do things mine. No way is neccesarily better. Some break down....some keep going until they are twenty-five no matter whether they were started early or late. Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason to it! Others think I start them too early .But I think it depends on the horse, the rider, and the use. I prefer to wait longer than many, but I am light and sometimes I will start walking them under saddle at 3ish give or take six months depending on their maturity. Also when I start cantering her it will not be everyday. I start very slowly and work up to larger amounts. It makes no sense to decide to canter a horse and then go out and right away canter for 45 minutes, but I.ve seen plenty do that!! I also keep a very close eye on their attitude and their legs...any puffiness in the legs or bad attitude and I back off. My horses so far have lasted a long time ( except one that I just bought back from someone, but that is a story about people who should not own horses and if I had known when I sold her she would be sold on to these people I would never have sold her!! But I guess she is 14 and was my intermediate eventer for years...that puts some stress on them started early or not.) By the way my baby has cantered with me in excitement and she has two strong leads and no problems with coordination at all and has no trouble balancing with me up there. In fact she is amazingly strong and cooridinated at the canter.... and the trot.... and the walk.... ; ) Must be those hills she is pastured on!
Isn't this too extreme? Surely this "growth plate" issue,etc also applies to humans,or other critters. Young horses gallop in the pasture all the time. A horse that can't be cantered is pretty useless.If we have to wait six years... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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