Starting young horses

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Well, I see my earlier post didn't go out earlier before I left for my
ride...sorry.  But I just had to write in and share our day.  I have been
enjoying reading what other people are doing with their young horses. 
Though we have been out on the trail several times, Malik has never really
gone any significant distance (usually 8-10 miles, a couple of 12 mile
rides).   Today we did about 20 and included some hill work (we rode to the
infamous Ol' Baldy) and sand work.  When I thought he would poop out after
Ol' Baldy which is a pretty steep hill about 10 miles out, he did just the
opposite and perked right up.  He recovered to 68 in about 5 minutes.  This
hill is a workout, so steep they need to really dig in and hoof it up in a
hurry...that is how they prefer it anyway.  We used the HRM today and
except for spooks never hit above 120 at a trot or a lope. He walks at
60-70.  I did let him out for a couple of brief sprints (which he thinks is
great fun!) and then he hit about 170.  The few times I did spot checks
after a brisk trot he recovered to 68 with one minute!  His resting heart
rate is a whopping 30....makes me ill.  He's going to be my hubby's horse!!
 Anyway,  he really didn't spook much today.  We even passed the horse
eating sheep.  They got up and baaed at us and Malik stood there, very
intrigued and tried to go toward them.  Fence got in the way!  He would
have loved to walk among them and smell them, I think.  When we got to the
really tough part of the trail where it was rocky and steep and lots of
sticks in the trail and rough spots, he just LOVED it.  I was so amazed. 
He wanted to go FASTER instead of slow down.  This is the same horse who
sulked and would hardly go at a walk when we tried to video him for a
prospective mare the other day!  Telling him it was a "get the chicks"
video didn't help!  He didn't care!  But today, he was the horse that I can
envision going down the trail and flying by the competition (oops, he's
only going to be doing 25s at first....better not fantasize about passing
anybody or I'll have to get my hotsuit on!!).  I guess we'll have to use a
"hidden video" camera next time!  Right now, I am pretty jealous of all you
guys who get to ride all winter and GO to rides all winter!  I keep
thinking pretty soon, it'll be the first day of winter at which time the
days will start to get LONGER again!  Until then, I guess I'll have to make
do.  Keep those ride stories coming, even the ones that generate some HEAT!
 BIG GRIN here!  (But I can't stick up for you anymore, Howard!  Nina
Gibson is getting on my case so I have to be semi good now!).  I think we
have one more day of Indian summer coming tomorrow which I will surely take
advantage of so happy trails everybody!   

Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
McBain, Michigan
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=