[playgirls-marie]

my yearling playgirls marie is very smart and ive been long reighning her for a week every other day she has it down pat whats next? red_hors

[Dawn]

I would just stick with long reining. There are a whole lot of things (just about everything) that you can teach doing that. Plus the fact that I seriously doubt she has it completely down after a week. Almost 100% of the time that you teach a horse something new, he'll do great for a period of time, then he'll regress. Usually because he's testing you to make sure he's doing it right.

[spyro1]

well, I would also stick with the long reining for awhile longer. I long reined Spy for about 1 month before I got on him. You can also (I am only saying this because we are approaching the new year and I am assuming that your filly will be turning 2 soon)start lunging her in the saddle to get her used to it. Despite what many might say, it is perfectly acceptable to get on a 2 year old horse, AS LONG AS YOU TAKE IT SLOW. So, get her used to the saddle, keep long lining her for a bit longer, I wouldn't long line with teh saddle until she shows that she is perfectly comfortable with it while lunging her.

[Dawn]

What breed is she? I will agree that it is acceptable with some breeds. However, many and most breeds, it is not. Have you had her joints x-rayed yet?

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

i have read a lot of topics about horses in training(including my own) but i'm always hearing about joints being x-rayed. does every horse need this?

running_ Tiny running_

[Dawn]

Well once you get to a certain age (differs within each breed) you'll be fairly certain that they're closed. For instance, if you have a 4-5 year old qh, they'll most likely be closed. If you have a 8-10 year old warmblood, they'll most likely be closed. Tb's 3-4. Now, you can ride lightly before they're completely closed. Your vet can look at the x-rays and tell you if they're closed enough to start riding. And you don't want to do any serious work until they are completely closed. That includes the back. It closes last, but so many people don't take that into consideration. You can do a little guessing game with it, but I'd rather know 100% for certain as there can be a huge variation even within a breed.

[playgirls-marie]

she will be 2 march 6th and shes american quarter horse shes stockey and short beacuse shes a cutting reaining working cow horse breed if you know freckles playboy that her grangpa.

[Dawn]

I would stick with long reining for at least a month or two. You can teach her everything doing that that you'll need to teach her under saddle. So it will safe you a lot of time once she is ready to back.

[playgirls-marie]

no i have not had her joints ex rayed i did check them ther in good condition we bought her from a proforamnce horse sale which world champion trainers mostly cow horse trainers to buy there stock.

[Dawn]

Well you'll want to get them x-rayed before you start riding her at least.