 It is that time of year again: when we are starting to do more riding and get ready for a busy summer of shows. There are some important things to consider about our horse at this time. Make sure your horse has all his vaccinations up to date. These include Rabies, Tetanus, WEE, EEE (Western & Eastern Equine Encephalitis - vets please forgive my spelling! :) ), Strangles (in some areas), Equine Influenza (flu) and any other required shots for your region. Some shows also require a negative Coggins test, so be sure to have that ready. Another thing to do is to get your horse's feet trimmed and/or shod. During the winter, he may not have had shoes and will need them for showing. Make sure to go lightly on the work when your horse has new shoes as his feet may be prone to bruising. When bringing your horse back into work, his diet must change. He needs more energy and less bulk than when he is out of work and at grass. Remember to introduce concentrates (grain) VERY GRADUALLY or you invite colic and other problems. The ration of concentrates to bulk must gradually increase as the workload increases. Also remember to deworm at this time! When conditioning a horse for work, start out with walk work and suppling exercises, then by the 3rd week, he should be doing some trot exercises for about an hour at a time. Hacking outdoors once in a while helps harden the legs and gives the horse a mental break provided you and he are relaxed on the trail! Practice taking short hacks at the end of a work session and gradually increase the distance. This especially helps horses that may be a little 'hot' on the trail. It is also a good idea to hack with an older, quieter horse. Petra Sieg
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