It’s not recommended you start a horse young. You should be waiting till they are at least four years old which is about when horses finish growing. Otherwise, starting them too young can cause damage to their skeletal structure and weakens their muscles and ligaments. It’s also a deterrent to some horse buyers who are aware of the damage it causes.

However if you feel you can’t wait, there are ways of reducing the damage. Make sure your horse is going through long straight lines in his or her workouts as this will help to keep muscles and ligaments straight. This should be done before you move into more heavy training and/or into faster speeds. Also run cold water over your youngster following your rides and training as it will help with swelling and inflammation. This will help to reduce long term damage.

As I said, I don’t recommend starting a horse too young. It will benefit your horse for the best if you wait. But if you’re going to do it anyway, try these tips to keep your horse as healthy and fit as possible.