Where balance, agility, and muscle development for sound healthy horses are our focus.

 

We are a breeder of fine Dutch Warmblood horses registered with KWPN of North America.

HORSE MOUNTAIN
-FARM-
Bell Buckle, TN
931-394-4900

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~HAPPY HORSES = WILLING HORSES~

Where balance, agility, and muscle development for sound healthy horses are our focus.

Our horses live on the hills - literally. We've all read many times about how important hill work is and this is only common sense. Hill work not only improves muscle tone and development, but it also increases the limberness - especially within the shoulders. Have you ever watched a horse travel down hill and noticed the lowering of the croup and the reach and stretch of the shoulders? This becomes just part of daily life for the horses - and yes, us too!

We raise our babies on these same hills. They learn from day one to balance their bodies on inclines running up and down.

"Preventing Injuries" discusses EARLY DEVELOPMENT:

Early Development

The manner in which a young horse is raised has an influence on strength and future soundness. A study of Dutch Warmblood foals from birth to 11 months of age found that the musculoskeletal system underwent rapid and profound changes that were influenced by exercise (van Weeren, et al. Proceedings Am Assoc Equine Practnr 2000;46:29-35). Foals were evaluated under 3 different exercise regimes from 1 week of age until weaning at 5 months. The first group was confined to a stall. The second group was also maintained in box stalls, but was trained with increasing gallop sprints in a 48 × 15 m enclosure. The third group was maintained at pasture during the entire study. From 5 to 11 months of age, all foals were housed in a large stall with free access to a small paddock. Tendon, muscle, cartilage and bone were analyzed at 5 and 11 months of age.

Continuous turn-out in pasture was superior to the other exercise regimes. The box stall-confined group had retarded development of some tissue components, particularly cartilage. The trained group of foals had increased bone density compared to pasture and box stall groups at 5 months, but tissue quality parameters for cartilage, bone and tendon were less in this group at 11 months compared to the other groups.

Another study determined that appropriate exercise in young horses may lead to lower incidence of tendon injuries in adults (Smith, et al. Equine Vet J Suppl 1999;30:201-209). A protein thought to influence development of tendon strength (COMP) is present at higher levels in tendons of horses less than 2 years old compared with older horses.

These studies have made us aware of the rapid changes that occur in foals during early development. Some day, when we better understand the process, we will be able to manipulate exercise of growing youngsters to better prepare them for their athletic endeavors. Overprotective housing scenarios may not be in a foal's best interest. Access to turn out in terrain that is safe but that challenges the growing foal's level of condition may be best.