Re: RC: How to improve Ridecamp..........

[DreamWeaver <dreamweaver@gbis.com>]

At 07:44 AM 10/20/2000 -0700, you wrote:
> As a very, very
> experienced, high mileage endurance rider recently pointed out (quite
> pointedly) that some of us are so new to the sport we have no business
> giving advice, I ask, why are those of you who DO have the experience not
> posting to "help" out the newbies? 

Because of flaming, likely.  At least that is why I don't post a lot
of times, or if I do, I reply privately.  I'm certainly not that
experienced compared to many members on RC and don't feel qualified to be
giving advice on lots of things.  Usually I just share what works
with me, and the link to my ridephotos page. 

I also have questions that I would like to ask, but usually
refrain.  Either nobody with any real experience answers, or else I
get flamed.  Actually, sometimes it's pretty funny. 
:+D    

> 1:  How do you
> start young horses with conditioning?

Slowly.  I am working with Susan G's 4 year old Anglo right
now.  I just got a Suunto altimeter watch and have been recording
his workouts.  It'll record the HR and altitude gain, and I'm
keeping that all tracked in a spreadsheet.  I wish I could have had
this technology when I was starting my two horses.  What it'll show
me, I don't know, it may not really be helpful at all.  But at least
it'll be interesting to see how we progress.  This 4 year old has
better recoveries than my two 3000 mile horses do, so I am really
interested in seeing what happens to him when he gets to be 5 and 6 and
how he does on the trail.  Obviously, he's not very fit at this
stage so easy to understand why some people think their horses are in
better shape than they are (based on recoveries).  Gotta be
careful.  

I saw an ad somewhere for a horse that was being advertised as having
done 1000 miles as a 5 year old.  I'd definitely not consider that
horse.  He'll probably go on to do another 10,000 miles so what do I
know?  

> 2:  What is
> your conditioning program for 50 mile rides?  100 mile
> rides?

Ride, ride, ride. (short and simple) <G>

> 3:  What is
> your general feedng program?  What do you feed before, during and
> after hard rides?

Grass hay, with alfalfa added at rides.  LMF endurance ener-G,
complete advantage, beet pulp.  If I give a bran mash, I use wheat
bran.  Horses are getting a selenium supplement, some biotin. 
We do annual blood tests to determine the proper amount of selenium to
supplement (don't just add it because somebody else you know is). 

Once a month, they also get a glucosamine shot.  

> 4:  What
> supplements and electrolytes do you use on conditoning rides and
> competitions?

Enduramax electrolytes.  There is a link on my webpage that details
how I use them, along with results from one day of testing in the Pride
Project on one of my horses.  

> 5:  What
> strategies do you use for cooling?  How do you cool after hard
> rides?  Do you ice legs?
>       Do you poltice
> and wrap legs?

I've never wrapped legs, but on occasion have used ice boots (now that we
have a freezer).  I try not to bring them in hot so that I don't
have to worry about cooling them out.  Obviously, if it's hot I'd
sponge or scoop water on their necks.  

> 6:  How do you
> train with your HRM"s?  At what range do you consider anerobic
> with your horses?
>      How long to you hold
> them there?  What ranges to you stay
> between?

Don't usually use a HRM.  Well, have been on the new guy and every
so often when I do a ride.  I usually ride into the checks with the
horses already down, and find that when I do ride with a monitor that's
all I use it for (to see when they are down).  So it's not really
very useful on the experienced horses, 99.9% of the time I already know
where they are without looking at the watch.  

> 7:  Saddles,
> tack etc?

Always adapting.  

> 8.  What do you
> look for in an endurance prospect? Is size
> important?

Nice eyes :+).  Personally, I like them shorter because I get on and
off a lot.  14.3 hh is a perfect height.  The 4 year old is
over 16hh and growing.  I'm vertically challenged.  

> 9:  Do you lay
> off your horse after the season?  

I try to give them a break after each competition if possible, 4-6 weeks,
but generally we don't take the winter off.  Weaver got a few months
off this year because of a vaccine reaction.  Rocky hasn't -- he did
1335 miles last year and so far almost 1000 this season.  A couple
of years ago, I did give Weaver the winter off and he hated me for
it.  These guys love what they do.   Won't make that
mistake again.  

> 10:  What is
> your preferred plan for day before the ride?.  Do you ride your
> horse out on the trails the
>      Friday before the
> ride?  What if you arrive late and can't get the horse out the day
> before the ride?
>     How do you warm up the
> mornng of the ride?

Preparation for each ride is different depending on which horse I'm
riding, how I plan to ride, how far away the ride is and the weather
conditions.  For warmup, I try to walk the horses first, then do
some stretches, then get on and ride/walk around.  

> 11:  How do you
> deal with tie-up, thumps, dehydration, other metabolic
> problems?

Dunno, haven't ever had one of those problems <knock on
wood>.  

> 12: Favorite rides,
> positive changes in the sport?

Outlaw Trail, XP rides. Positive changes?  I can't really answer
that, but one thing I see as being negative is that AERC is giving BC on
25 and 30 mile rides.  I don't agree that a horse should have to top
ten a 25 or 30 mile ride in order to receive BC.  It encourages
racing, and I think that AERC should have a policy not to award top ten
awards on any LD ride.  Draw 10 vet cards and give awards out
randomly or something.  Also, most rides in my region don't even
award an official BC in the those distances, which it's sort of
ridiculous for AERC to give a national LD BC award.  (if they are
going to do it, it should be fair and uniform across the country) 

> 13:  My
> favorite question:  How did so many of the early riders complete
> ride after ride without the
> HRM, custom electrolytes, improved tack and
> advanced endurance research?  How did so many of you ride 100 miles
> in tennis shoes and english stirrups??!!! 

I wanna know how they rode in jeans! <G>  

I think the big key to being successful is in learning your horse, which
you really have to do without any extra gadgets.  You don't really
need a HRM to tell you that something isn't right with your horse, though
they can be helpful in certain situations nothing will ever take the
place of knowing your horse.  

Happy Trails, 

Karen
in NV
& Rocky, 3,180 miles
& Weaver, 3,415 miles
http://members.nbci.com/ridephotos/