How Do You Train A Thoroughbred Horse For Hurdling?
Training your Thoroughbred horse for hurdling is no easy task. Jumping is not a horse’s first natural instinct when it encounters an obstacle, so learning to jump is always somewhat of a challenge. Keeping a few tips in mind, however, will make your task just a little easier. Begin to train your horse by walking around the obstacle course. This lets the horse familiarize itself with the course, and should cut down on your final run times, since the horse has developed a mental map of the area to help him get through the race. Place the hurdles low initially since the horse needs to build up slowly to the extremely high jumps in hurdling. Just one slat on each jump will do nicely. Build up the hurdles by placing the next boards on the jump once the horse and you are comfortable with the lowest jump. This starts the challenge all over again, but the horse has already done the hard part of clearing the ground at all. Train the horse to jump slowly and gently. If the horse has a difficult
