Re: Re: Long Slow Distance

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

JMO, since I don't know everything that happened or what the young horse's
background was, I can't automatically condemn the guy as a total imbecile.
It sounds like he was working pretty hard to try to do what he could for his
horse.

However, I'd be curious to know what his motivations were in trying to do so
much in one week with a new horse.  And, although the horse may have been
chasing around his pen looking grat, I'm a little doubtful that some damage
wasn't done.  If there truly *wasn't* any damage, that doesn't mean there
won't be damage if he did the same thing again a month down the road.
Stress is a cumulative thing on the entire system (bones, tendons, muscle,
visceral organs, immune system, everything), and it sure would be a shame
for what sounds like an outstanding *potential* endurance horse to have a
short career due to too much, too soon.  I just don't see any reason to have
done so much in one week.

It sounds like the rider has the horse's well-being at heart, maybe he just
doesn't fully understand the difference between what a horse can do and what
he *should* do.

Maybe we can focus on education instead of condemnation, eh?  It'll probably
do the horse more good in the long run and that's what matters, right?

JMO.

Susan G