Re: RE: conditioning mares with foals

["Joan Ruprecht" <ruprecht@tidepool.com>]

I have taken numerous of of our foals training and joy riding with their
moms and have never had a problem, yes they make some mistakes like falling
down inclines trying to recoup a wrong decision, but they get very trail
wise.  The foal will tell you when she needs to nurse by getting pushy with
her mom,  She will also tell you when she is tired, by getting grumpy.

These babes were born ready to travel with mom and the herd.  They were not
meant to sit in a stall, or hole up in a paddock.

I've also had lots of good results with "paddock horse's "  That is older
horses who had not had any "real world" experiences.  They are just like
foals, they learn with experience if given half a chance.

Joan-No. California I saw one metier (shooting star)(can't even find it in
spell check!), then the clouds came back.
-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Sullivan <greymare@jps.net>
To: 'Paula C Gentry' <pgentry@U.Arizona.EDU>; ridecamp@endurance.net
<ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 1999 6:02 PM
Subject: RC: RE: conditioning mares with foals


>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Paula C Gentry [SMTP:pgentry@U.Arizona.EDU]
>Hi all--
>
>a question. I have a running QH-type mare that I'm conditioning to start
>doing LD. My question is not so much about what she can handle, but what
>the foal by her side can handle. She has an 8-week old filly by her side
> I pony the baby until we're away from the barn then let her run
>loose. Where I ride is rough and has a lot of deep sand. I've been going
>out for maybe 45-60 minutes at a time, ~3 days a week.
>
>----------------------
>Paula C Gentry, PhD
>pgentry@U.Arizona.EDU
>
>[Karen Sullivan]  I asked the same thing of my vet-how much to do with a 5
month-old filly, running loose on the trail. She said she should be able to
walk an hour, so I reduced the initial trail rides to 1/2 that at first,
since there were some hills.  My vet seemed to think that most folks
under-exercise babies; that they can take, and need plenty of running and
exercise.
>
>My baby had run with other foals in a pasture, but at first, at my place;
was in a large paddock.  She either had pasture turnout every day, or
>a short trail ride. I varied it from short rides with hills and rougher
terrain and puddles, to road walking, where she would occasionally trot or
canter to catch up.
>
>Don't know about an 8 week one, though.....would watch her carefully and if
she seems depressed or tired then you know you are doing too much.  I am as
much concerned with feeding, and not to overfeed-don't want to stuff her
gullet with high-protein and high carb feed and contribute to epiphysitis
(sp.).  She is on a variety of hay (alfalfa, oat and grass), some grazing,
and 1/2 the bag-reccomended amount of foal pellets.
>
>No problems to far.....It's a GREAT way to get your foal trail-smart,
surefooted and balanced before you get on it's back!
>
>Mine is getting hauled out 2 to 3 times a week, already she ties and hauls
confidently and this is also invaluable!
>
>Since so many foals seem to just sit around the first 3 years of their
life, you are on the right track, just sounds a tad hard to me, if the going
is rough.
>
>
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>Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
>


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