Farrier-researcher Yogi Sharp (The Equine Documentalist, T.E.D.) and Dr. Carol Shwetz bring their expertise together for the first time. Using video footage and images taken from equine dissections, they discuss what defines a “young” or “developing” horse and the implications that different training methods have on them physically. Chronological age provides a convenient reference point, but it does not define sustainability or functional readiness. In practice, the horse’s body makes this distinction evident. Different systems - bone, muscle, connective tissue, and neuromotor coordination - mature on different timelines. As a result, what may appear externally as a physically mature athlete may still be undergoing significant internal development.
Introduction
