Super Bowl - Super Training Tip

With temperatures nearing 50 degrees here in Paris, KY, it feels like spring is just around the corner. Many folks will be ready to ride before long. After horses are laid up for the winter months, it is important to go back and practice our foundation exercises and ground work. Reintroduce your horse to giving to the bit - flexing left, right, and vertically. Have your horse move his hind quarters, head & neck, shoulders & front feet. These exercises are good for your horse even if the weather won't allow you to leave the barn.

When you do decide that it's safe to ride, begin with the foundation exercises. Once the horse is mounted, it is important to practice these same exercises from the saddle. Do a lot of lateral moves. Move your horse's hind quarters then move his front end. When you ride off, do some small circles and some large circles to the right and then to then to the left. That should be enough exercise for the first ride back.

The teams playing in the Super Bowl today - the Cardinals and the Steelers - weren't ready to play at this level of competition at the beginning of spring training. Likewise, horses need conditioning and training in order to be in top physical shape. If you start reconditioning slowly by building on a strong foundation, you'll avoid injuries and help develop a strong atlhete.