Training and Conditioning the Young Event Horse

Description

This is a subject that so many people have strong opinions on… with one end of the spectrum saying that we shouldn’t be working young horses until they have fully matured, and others saying that a certain amount of work in those formative years is important to build a truly strong athlete. As is often the case in the subject of horses... the middle ground is usually the best. Horses that are pushed too hard or too fast (at any age) can easily suffer negative physical and mental consequences. But young horses in particular require a careful program, as their internal support structures (bones, tendons, and ligaments) are rarely as developed as their muscular bodies might be suggesting.