[jedy]

you don't need horse in a muck of sweat for the blanket to be wet (ish)
BTW, unintentionally, you guys actually made me feel better. My horse definitely learns more when he has actual job in hand, than going around in arena- keeps his mind on straight and narrow. I'm glad someone said it's ok to approach it that way

[spinandslide]

Ditto what everyone else is saying..it means actually riding your horse..logging time, miles and experiences on them.

Wet Saddle Blankets make good horses.

[Luvs Phin]

In the sense I think the OP is talking, no.
The best training sessions normally end with a horse that isn't sweated up at all.
I do not believe in running the horse until it is too tired to do anything but submit. I do not believe in driving the horse into the ground.

In the more traditional sense of the phrase, I would say yes, a few wet saddle blankets is a great thing.

[KristinJ]

My horse is submissive in 5 minutes and my saddle pad ain't wet haha.

But I think the phrase needs to be looked at more loosely. Not running them into the ground but give them a GOOD workout. =)

[SunBun]

Originally Posted by kbranch

Wet saddel blankets make a horse. Not working them into the ground but ridding them. Take your horse out of the arena and make them do a honest days work. A very respectable horseman told me "90% of the problems with horses these days comes from over feeding and not enough work"

AGREED!!!!

Some of the absolute BEST horses I've ever ridden were "ranch" horses that did an honest day's work on a regular basis. These horses were just such a pleasure to ride.

When I think of the wet blanket theory, that's what I think of not just running around doing random things until your horse is dripping sweat.

Similar concept as what my 89 year old (incredible active) grandfather says when people ask him what his "secret" is to staying so youthful: "Every day, do something that makes you break a little sweat."

[amor2429]

Larry Trocha had a stallion when he was young that he did wet saddle blanket riding with because he was evil tempered. and he claimes that the stallion turned into such a good horse just because he worked him so much.
Everyone i know around here says that a tired horse is a good horse.
I once rode my horse on a 6 hour ride that made him go greyhound(tucked up) and he was still jumping with energy.

[KristinJ]

Originally Posted by amor2429

Larry Trocha had a stallion when he was young that he did wet saddle blanket riding with because he was evil tempered. and he claimes that the stallion turned into such a good horse just because he worked him so much.
Everyone i know around here says that a tired horse is a good horse.
I once rode my horse on a 6 hour ride that made him go greyhound(tucked up) and he was still jumping with energy.

I think it totally depends on the horse. There is this one horse I work with (they are broke to drive but wet harness pad could work haha). Well anyway all of our horses are jogged 4-5 miles so most of them are wet by then, but going with the jist of this 'saying' we have one horse, the longer you exercise him the WORSE he gets. You think he would get tired after the 4th of 5th mile, NOPE this horse is the energizer bunny and runs like a mad man!! lol