Re: RC: LD vs Endurance

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Fri, 10 Aug 2001  6:12:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Kristene Smuts" <Ksmuts@sarcc.co.za> writes:

> OK, so my next question would be to all the other oldbies out there - Jim and Heidi raised the point that one should start off with a hard but slow 50 miler and assess the training gaps then.

One should start off at the appropriate distance for one's horse and one's riding skills.  Jim and I were talking about horses with a fair amount of endurance potential that are reasonably fit.

The point we were trying to make is that there is no one way that is right or wrong for all horses and all riders.  There is no "recipe" that fits everybody.  And that is why I don't like to see any sort of rules that force a person to take a particular path.  I happen to raise horses that are more or less selected for endurance.  They run out, and they work at other disciplines parallel with their training for endurance.  For these horses, doing LD's does more harm than good.  Furthermore, I am not daunted by the idea of riding 50 miles.

On the other hand, if you have a horse that may not have the most potential in the world, or he was raised in a stall with a small paddock and occasional "turnout" in an arena, or you have questions about your own ability to ride 50 miles (especially on a ride where the winning time may be 6+ hours, which is the sort I like to choose for my green horses), then what works for me and my horses may not be the right choice for you--you'd likely be much wiser to start with LD.  

A great many people have started off with LD, and likely would never have even tried the sport without it.  Some people find that their particular horse or their particular abilities are best suited to remaining with LD.  Others who start with an LD find that it really wasn't very challenging, and those folks need to step right up and do longer rides in the best interests of not only themselves but their horses.  

Again, the POINT is being able to have the choice, so that one has the freedom to make the BEST decision for their particular horse and circumstances.

Heidi