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Fw: Re: Re: Long Slow Distance








> Good points.. However, everything is relative.  In other words...taking
the
> phrase- understanding what a horse "can" do and what a horse "should"
> do...and applying it to asking a horse to do a fast 100 miles...or in most
> cases ANY 100 miles...illustrates the blurred lines defining what a horse
> can do and what a horse should do.  Should any horse be asked to go 100
> miles in a 24 hour period??  How much damage is done to the very best
> conditioned horses competing at high rates of speed in 100 miles and /or
50
> mile races?  Some horses hold up for many thousands of miles competing
race
> after race...MOST don't.  Apparently the fellow who took his young horse
on
> the Death Valley ride...and LSD'd   the whole thing...was
experienced...and
> believed he was doing right by his horse...did that horse experience any
> more cumulative stress then the well conditioned horse who went fast for
all
> days of the DVE?  I doubt it.  We have chosen to participate in a sport in
> which we are many times asking our horses to do more that they "should
do."
> The really good endurance riders are the ones who, when asking their horse
> to do this sport, do everything humanly possible to take the best possible
> care of the horses under the circumstances...Which means being educated,
> experienced and never allowing  egos to override  horses' well being. The
> really good endurance riders finish rides on happy, enthusiastic
> horses..There's nothing like riding a horse the last few miles of 100 mile
> ride who is still pulling on the reins and shying at moon-beams on the
> trail!  There's nothing worse than finishing a ride on a horse that is so
> tired he can barely do the trot out and is too tired to care much about
> eating. I've been there and done both and everything in between, but
nothing
> made me feel more like a jerk and finishing on a really tired horse.  No
> need.   Whelp---I've for sure had too much coffee this AM and better quit
> while I'm ahead!!     Sandy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susan Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>
> To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 10:39 AM
> Subject: RC: Re: Re: Long Slow Distance
>
>
> > 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
> >
> >
> >
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