Too many horses? Too little time? While we’re firm believers in the fact that you can never have too many horses, keeping multiple horses fit at the same time can be a challenge. We’ve come up with some great tips to help you save time while keeping your horses conditioned and exercised.
Turn Horses Out in Large Pastures
Don’t forget that you can rely on large pastures to keep your horses moving about naturally. The more acreage that you can provide your horses with, the better. By locating your horse’s feed in various areas throughout his pasture, and by turning horses out together in herds, you can encourage them to move about naturally.
Pony a Horse
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Consider ponying a horse while riding another. Ponying a horse is an effective way to put mileage on two horses when you only have the time to ride one. Ponying is great for working younger horses not yet started under saddle, but it’s also a good way to bring an older horse back into work or into an improved condition.
When ponying a horse, start in an arena and ride a horse who you have ponied off of before. Remember to stay safe and take things slow until both horses are accustomed to the process.
Lease Out a Horse
If you’re truly having a hard time keeping all of your horses exercised, then consider leasing out one of your horses. Leasing a horse out, either for a partial or full lease, will take much of the responsibility for that horse’s conditioning off of your plate. Leasing out a horse can be a big timesaver, and you can even bring in some extra income from the lease.
Enlist a Working Student
If you have many horses to be ridden, and much work to be done around the barn, then enlisting the help of a working student may be an ideal situation for you. The caveat: Working students generally are paid low wages, if they receive any at all. Because of this, you should be able to provide the working student with quality instruction and rides on good horses to make the position worthwhile. If this won’t work for you, then consider paying someone to come ride your horses or offering up free rides to quality riders.
