Working yearlings

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I am working a yearling (in may) on lounging and getting ready for his first show the 1st.... how long should I work him? I am tring to get some of the grass belly off of him..... what are other ways to work him other then round pen work.... swimming?[/SIZE]

April

 

[Miniv]

We always just free longed our youngsters but we had a space to do it in. Started with just 5 minutes each direction and gradually worked up to 15 minutes each direction.

We rarely pushed them past a total of 30 minutes, but the horse will actually tell you. Just check under the "arm-pit" to see if there's sweat.

MA

 

[Aubrey715]

I work mine in a round pen or i will tie them to the John Deere gator and run them through the pastures where there is hills. I rotate how i exercise them everyday. I work them in 3 different speeds, walk, trot and run. I work them half the time in one direction and then reverse and exercise them in the other direction. You should only exercise them 15-20 minutes a day.

You can use swimming as a type of exercise but you have to know what you are doing because it can be very dangerous. I don't think you are suppose to work them over 5-8 minutes swimming. But whatever you do you can't let their nose go under. It works all of their muscles. I have never personally swam a horse but i have seen it done by Lee Crutchfield of Aloha Training Center. It works very well but you just have to know what you are doing.

 

[Jill]

I am lunging DunIT, who was born 02/20/05, for 15-20 minutes every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I am happy with how his body condition is looking. He has extensive turn out with my show geldings and they do "work" each other daily

In this picture he (Ericas Gone and DunIT) has only been being worked about 4 weeks as indicated above.

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]Ok thanks guys... I was lounging him for 10 minutes first time and had it up to 15...... I guess 15 will be ok for now?? At just lounging? I dont have a Gater or anything like that to use. I cant seem to get him to break a fast trot to a gallop. I figure a fast paced trot will do him a lot of good. As for swimming.... all I have is a deep ended pond to use. you are not allowed to have horses on the rivers here. I always thought that walking or trotting in chest high water was the best for them.......[/SIZE]

April

 

[susanne]

I'd be cautious about lunging a yearling on a line (and even free lunging in too small of a pen) -- that's a lot of pressure on young legs. Free-lunging in a larger area gives them more freedom of movement, as long as the round pen/workout area is large.

Another approach would be to move with them in a large arena or open area, running them in more of an oval or long arcs to lessen the strain of constant turning.

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I dont have any other pen but my round pen to lounge in....... the reason I have kept the line on is that he had never been lounged before. he didnt have a clue what I wanted from him..... what else can I do to work him other then the round pen??? Dont have the gater so I cant run him out in the fields... unless I sat in the back of a truck and pulled him behind......[/SIZE]

April

 

[susanne]

I certainly understand having limited options, April...I only have a large dry lot in which to work our guys -- while the other two are in it! That's one reason I like the idea of moving with him while he's on a lunge line as opposed to free lunging...I can keep him moving (instead of having him duck into a corner or run behind the others).

Can you work him on a line out in the field? Again, not criticizing...I'm just the designated worrier!

(Even with this, my two-year-old wants to run along when I lunge our older gelding...he also wants to jump along with him, even though he's too young!)

 

[Miniv]

Trotting in a round pen is what I was talking about. Trotting uses more muscles than anything. My big concern is making sure the horse is cooled down to a walk before turnd out or stalled.........If the horse is not cooled down they can chill and also their muscles will bind up, which can cause other problems.........

MA

 

[Minimor]

I don't work yearlings in small circles, not in a round pen nor on the line. Ours get worked free in a large corral, 60'x120'. I just don't like all the circle work on young legs.

But, if they must be worked in the round pen I wouldn't go so much for a fast trot--just a good working trot where the horse is using himself. That is the best way to tone them up & ut some muscling on the hindquarters. I'm not sure, of course, just what you call a fast trot but I know some people that have their horses just scurrying around the the circle--the horse is trotting fast but not using himself at all--and then they wonder why they don't see the horse getting into the condition they were hoping for.

 

[frekles93]

[SIZE=14pt]I can most definantly lounge in the field!!! I would move the round pen but NOT... that sucker is heavy... each panel was a pain to connect..... I dread the day I HAVE to move it LOL.... All my round pen is is apart aof the dry lot.... it is a big pen in the middle of the dry lot LOL[/SIZE]

BTW here is a pic of my round pen.......

April