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Re: Standardbreds in endurance



>Amanda Perez AmandaPerez@ureach.com
>I was just looking at an artical on "Breeds and Muscle Types" that showed
the muscle composition (fast-twitch/slow-trwitch)of top enduranc ehorses
and for various breeds.  I was interested to see that Standardbreds have
the same muscle composition as Arabians.  Are there many Standardbreds in
endurance competition?  How do they do?  
>
>Just curious.
>
>
Hi Amanda,
Aarene Storms (the one who wrote the "Billy and Blaze Adventure") has a
Standardbred mare who has been living in my barn for the last two years.
She got her off the track (actually nearly *off the meat wagon* as I
recall) and started riding her in the hills near her home for a short while
before she came here.  We've had Story in dressage basics schooling and
endurance conditioning since she arrived...and the difference in the horse
is tremendous!  I have some "before and after" pictures by the computer
here that I can scan and send to you if you're interested.  (I have to get
the scanner reprogrammed -- did the defrag (it took several hours (!)) and
now the scanner is choking.  Damned machines...percussive maintenance is
sooooo tempting!!)  

The pictures really show a body change over the two years.  Initially
you're dealing with a horse that has been trained to *pull* and never
canter.  You have to reverse that set-up and build the muscle structure a
bit differently.  Standardbreds are reputedly good natured and pretty
accepting...so don't be tempted to push too hard or go too fast.
Retraining and rebuilding is a slow process but well worth the time.  Story
had done about a half dozen LDs now and will be doing her first 50 in
September (the current plan.)  She's rock solid, carries herself well, has
great P&R (resting rate is something ridiculously low), bone, and feet, is
ridden in a halter-type sidepull but can come on to the bit now (French
link snaffle in the arena) very nicely, and can canter on both leads --
altho one is much better than the other. ;-) 

If you'd like to contact Aarene for more info from her perspective, her
email address is aarenex@earthlink.net -- she lurks on ridecamp but I'll cc
her this post since she's often a bit behind in her reading.

Sue


sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.



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