So You Want To Show Halter

Part Two - Conditioning The Halter Horse

Before we start I want to stress one thing. Consistency will be the key to everything you do in the conditioning and training portions of this entire process. Consistency in feeding, schedules, and exercise.

I won't assume anything as we progress through the process and that process begins with feed. My assumption would be that you feed Southern States feeds and with that I prefer the higher fat feeds for halter. I used to use the 6% fat feed and I supplemented it with rice bran pellets but the new feed in the Legends line – Legends® Performance has the Legends® Pelleted Rice Bran added right in. Every horse is different and this is especially true in halter. I have had horses that will get fat on air and others that look like they lose weight walking to the work pen.  What this means is that you have to develop a feeding plan that works for your horse. I realize that there are many variables depending on the region in which you live and dare I say the availability of hay! It's like a dirty word around my farm right now, that and fuel! I digress. Feed the best feed you can afford in conjunction with the best hay you can get/afford. I prefer alfalfa hay but if you can't get your hands on a good quality alfalfa, go with the best grass hay you can get and supplement your hay with alfalfa cubes. Triple Crown® Alfalfa cubes are high quality and comparable to baled hay in price. The best part is you can get them anytime at your Southern States store.

Now my feed expert from my favorite feed company will cringe at the thought, but you will probably need to supplement. I know the guy said this is a complete feed and it has everything you need to maintain your horse. That is exactly right, but I don't want to maintain my horse, I want to enhance the horse I already have. As I said before one thing you can supplement with for fat is Legends Rice Bran Pellets. There are literally thousands of things out there that claim to make your horse muscle up over night and at the risk of over simplifying the choices I recommend Direct Action products or DAC. Depending on what you need, you can get just about everything for your halter horse from the one source. I use a coat supplement, a fat supplement, and an over all conditioner. The bottom line is the Halter Horse needs to be a little heavier, a little shinier, and a little prettier overall than your average horse. Again, every horse is going to be different so you will have to adjust your feeding program so that you get the desired results. It is very important to feed on as strict a schedule as possible. Horses that are late being fed tend to burn up their fat reserves when they fret. Feed on a schedule and if possible keep hay in front of your horse at all times. Most horses will eat throughout the day if hay is available. You can also feed throughout the day three or four times using a smaller ration if that is an option. Once you start what you think is going to work, give it time. Changing amounts, changing supplements just disrupts the whole process. Keep good records of what you are doing. Measure progress with a weight tape, check your progress monthly and adjust slowly so that you can tell what works and what doesn't.

I've spent a great deal of time on the feeding program because it is the foundation of our Halter Horse but without a good conditioning plan all you get is a fat horse. Again, consistency is going to be important. I like to schedule my halter horse workouts during the morning hours because they show in the mornings and I feel like it keeps the horse's schedule the same through the week as on the weekend. When I was working another job I worked them right after work but always at the same time as the day before. Horses are creatures of habit and like a set routine so try to schedule your workouts so that you can be successful in keeping to the plan. Mornings and evenings also work best because you are avoiding the hottest part of the day in the summer which helps keep your horse from sweating off all the weight you are trying to gain.

The workout area is a much debated issue in the halter industry - straight lines or circles, jogging or loping, deep sand or hard ground, flat or elevated. I've heard all the arguments for each one and I have to say that I've seen good horses that are well prepared from each side. I would say this, “Make the best of what is available to you.” I use this “conditioning” time as a big part of my “training” time. The time you spend conditioning is likely the most time you will spend with your horse so I never was much for the ponying off a horse or a golf cart simply because it’s a minimal contact process for the handler. It is very time effective and you can do a bunch of horses in short period of time but it does not help you learn to handle your horse. If you work to support your horse hobby you need to spend every bit of time with your teammate as possible "on the end of the lead". Again, use what you have available. If all you have is a round pen, then that's what you've got. The larger the circle the easier it’s going to be on the horses legs. A 60’ or larger pen seems to work best for me. I am fortunate to have a sand based soil that is easy on the legs and I added some sand just to create resistance. Avoid lounging on slick surfaces like clay or grass. The last thing you want to do is injur your horse.

The routine seems to be something that most agree on with little variation. I use neck sweats and depending on the temperature and climate, a sweating lotion. I put these on before I start to work and let them warm up a few minutes before I begin. After I have wrapped my horse’s legs and put on my sweats I trot my horses at a brisk pace for three to ten minutes in each direction depending on the age and fitness level of the animal. Three minutes may not seem like a long time but for a weanling it will be about all they can handle in the beginning. Remember we have other things to do also and weanlings for example, don't have the longest attention span. A sample workout for a weanling might consist of:

• Hand walking for two minutes in each direction - stop for setting up practice before you start, after you change directions, and before you lounge
• Lounge three minutes in each direction
• Hand walking for 2 minutes in each direction with a stop in the middle and at the end for setup practice.

Variations of the same routine work for older horses. I usually increase my time for lounging by about one to two minutes for each year of age. I keep the hand walking before and after about the same as well as the setup practice for all ages. There are some variations to your routine that may be required to address certain weaknesses in your individual. I always assume that we are working on a limited budget so there are some variations that don't require added equipment like treadmills or hot walkers to get the job done.  If my horse needs more fitting in the back, rear end, or hips and stifle area I back my horses in straight lines for one to three minutes instead of hand walking at the beginning of my workout. If my horse needs work on the chest or forearms I trot my horses up and down a small incline near my workout area. Now keep in mind if you have hot walkers, treadmills, or a farm hand that can take your place then take a seat and watch the fun. Once you have finished the workout tie the horse up to cool with sweats on. I don't like leaving them tied up for long periods of time so what I recommend is leave them tied until they are cool enough to drink then remove the sweats, clean them up being careful to remove all sweat and dirt, and turn them lose.

A few additional thoughts on conditioning. Haircoat is key so as a part of the daily routine brush the horse thoroughly before and after the workout and if possible before you put sheets, blankets and other covers on for the night. A horse is only as good as his feet so I always use some type of hoof conditioner at least three times per week after I clean the horse up for the evening.

Last but not least, I want to go back to the importance of consistency in your program. A well thought out plan for conditioning performed on a consistent basis will yield success for you and your halter winner.