[Horseczy]

O.k. I got my answers to the hot weather riding now I have another one. My girls are going to state 4-H show on Friday the 10 for gymkahna. I want to go camping and trail ride on Sunday and come home Tuesday. We leave for the state show on Thursday and they ride Friday morning. Do you think that they will be too tired? They are in great shape and I think that a lot of riding out of the arena would help keep their mind sharp and the muscles in shape. But I want to know if they should do more laying around the week before the big show??

[HIGHRIDER~25]

I wouldn't work them hard everyday before you leave. I would give them a break before you do. GOOD LUCK!

[Haas Horse Farm]

How are they going to be in shape to ride if they do not train before? I know for me not riding for two or three days will make a difference in how I ride the next day. I am a lot less sore if I ride every day. Stretching will also help them...

If nothing else they need 20 minutes a day to stay in shape both for themselves and their horses from an aerobic point of view. When it is very hot out I ride very early in the morning or later at night.

I would definitely go camping as that will do more good for the horses before the show. The horses will be fresher and more willing to work in the arena because they had a chance to do something different.

[Jekka_Lynn]

I wish I could go camping with my ponies Someday I want to but they need to learn a few things...like not to snap halters and leadropes when tied to anything other then a stall or crossties *Gives Shadow a very pointed, "I'm talking about you" look* lol after the first lead snapped they gave me a lead that was specialy made to hold draft horses....he snapped it... he is only 14 hands and he snapped a lead that was suppose to be able to hold a draft horse....I told the owners to go ask for their money back, lmao

[Haas Horse Farm]

Take a lariat rope and put it around his middle... pull the end through the legs so his body is roped where the saddle and cinch would sit. Tie him to the side of the trailer with a cheap lead rope that you would want him to brake. Take the end of the lariat and run it through the nose band of the halter under the chin and tie it to the trailer also about a foot longer than the lead rope. When the horse sucks back and breaks the lead this will hold the horse and the harder the horse pulls the more air the horse will loose. I have found this to be way more effective to stop this behavior completely than any non-oull back stuff you can buy. Ever horse I have ever had that pulled back would brake those non pull halters etc. Normally it only takes one of two applications of this for the horse to quit.

[Kiraral]

It depends on the horse, really. Some horses need a day or two off to ahve enough energy, but some haev endless energya nd can't focus if they get time off. I don't give my horse the day off before a show, but I also don't work him really, really hard.