Spring Conditioning
By Curt Pate
With springtime here we are all ready to ride. We need to research all the proper things to do health wise as well getting our equipment ready for the good times.
Another thing that I think is very important is how we condition our horses.
My grandfather Ed Pate, was a barrel horse trainer. When he would condition a horse, we would work the horse in a trot or lope and just as the horse began to sweat, he would always back off and cool the horse out. We never worked to a sweat. His horses were noted for being calm.
The reason I think this happens, is when the horse is over exerting itself, no matter if man-made or predator made, when the horse is getting tired to the point of exhaustion, a burst of adrenaline is released into the system. When this happens it stays for several hours. When this happens repeatedly I think it becomes a habit and can be triggered by entering the arena or the roping box or whatever.
I don’t know if my grandfather thought about all this or not. All I know is that if slowly condition the horse a little at a time and keep them from a foamy sweat, they will stay relaxed and calm and you won’t need to go to the time and trouble to get them fixed, and that means more good riding time.
This would apply in the Priefert (my word for roundpen), arena, or on the trail or cattle pens. I think a relaxed, balanced horse should always be the number one priority.
