I subscribe to The Horse.com Lameness weekly email newsletter. This week, as I scanned the headlines, something caught my eye: An article claiming that exercise in young horses (we are talking 3 weeks- 18months) is safe and may actually prevent joint injury in the future. Now, they haven't prescribed an optimum amount of exercise for these young horses, but the research did prove that some work was more beneficial to joints than being kept on pasture for the first year and a half. This is a new concept for me and it is certainly interesting.
Opinions? Thoughts?
Hmm...I don't know. Phoenix didn't get started until he was almost 5 (PO kept meaning to break him, but didn't get around to it) but even with that late start date I have always been very careful not to push him too hard. I try and only ride 4 days a week (sometimes I do more) and I also try to make sure at least one of those days is a fun trail ride or something else equally light. I also gave him two months off this winter (well...not having a saddle gave him 2 months off, but still). At the same time, I am all about baby horses being OUT! They need to run and play.
ReplyDeleteoh...and fyi I just voted for you and will try to remember to do so everyday so you can get to WEGs!