Re: Show and tell, questions for oldbies

[Deanna German <finishis2win@columbus.rr.com>]

Thanks Angie! I don't know whether to fear the future or embrace it!

Here's the thing. I'm new at this whole distance riding thing. I bought a
coming 2YO 4 years ago because I liked the breeder's horses. Basically I
followed the plan Jim Holland outlined in his post to a "T" because I was
also subscribed to RC this whole time and learned all about brain training
and LSD. <g> While I was waiting for the horse to mature, I borrowed horses
and got a couple of hundred miles of CTR under my belt the hard way (these
horses were usually management challenges).

So here I am, following the plan, have a well-mannered horse at home, did my
dressage training, did the brain training, so I take her to rides (took her
camping before trying to compete on her, BTW). By the third ride, I think
she had figured out what came next and was a raving lunatic in camp. We won
GC, so maybe I'm a prime example of what Heidi mentioned: a horse fitter
than her brain can handle.

So now what? I love riding her in competition because on trail she's an
absolute dream, as in, "who are you and what did you do with the horse I
ride at home?" No spooks, eating and drinking down trail, rounding up nicely
under me, beautiful gaits, very responsive, etc. etc. My arms and shoulders
are a little tired afterwards....

I'm afraid to move up to a 50 miler because I've never done one. Also, the
horse is a coming 6YO - a little young in my book. I'm looking for a two-day
50 (I've done a couple of those), but I'm already volunteering to work at
one in Sept. There's one the week after next; maybe I can hitch a ride... My
plan was to do a few one day rides of 25 - 30 miles this season, two-days
next season and endurance the season after that, but the horse seems to be
done with one days. Heck, 20 miles is a training distance some weeks.

I've been told she needs to learn that she can get tired (she really does
not comprehend that), but I don't want to get in over my head.

I ride anywhere from 20 - 40 miles per week. I've had 4 or 5 weeks since
March of light flatwork only because of the weather, but frankly, those
off-weeks seemed to allow her to gather her strength!! (THAT was a surprize
to me.) When I was able to resume normal conditioning, I had a lot more
horse under me. Anyone else have this experience?

If I want to do a 50 mile endurance ride the first weekend in October, how
do I prepare from here? Is it even a good idea to do the 50? My mentors were
right when they told me to do the 20 mile novice when she was 4; it improved
her outlook on life and made me like my horse. But this is uncharted
territory. My mentors were CTR riders.

So will the camp lunatic go away with practice? Any helpful hints? Besides
velcro for my butt, that is.

Deanna (Ohio)