Ridecamp: Re: [RC] The ONE thing: >> Just DO IT!!

On Sun, 15 Sep 2002 16:13:33 -0700, Tiffany D'Virgilio
<dvirgilio@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Sorry to top post that whole thing, but I think it is important. Since I am
>new to actually doing endurance rides, I have many questions about this
>post. All I hear is LSD, takes over a year to build sufficient bone, tendon,
>ligament strength-is this a wise idea to take a horse fresh out of pasture
>for over two years, start riding in May and a few months later after only
>twelve rides do a 50 miler, and then weeks later does another 50 miler?

>I have a mostly pasture potato mare, that doesn't get ridden much since I
> had been getting the other mare slowly ready for a 50. I think it would be
>cruel  and risking her long term soundness by riding her for 12 training
>rides then expecting her to do a 50. Am I wrong or is this widely accepted
>as good training practice? I'm not trying to be snarky, just can't quite
>believe it is so easy to get a horse adequately prepared for a 50.  When my
>other mare was really ready, lots of LSD, lots of terrain, galloping,
>trotting with no problems and had good recoveries, I entered her in my first
>50. I think it is unfair to the horse to ask more than that. Are the books
>that give the timelines of maturing wrong? Where they break down the approx.
>time it takes to condition various systems, tendons, bone, etc.

This is a classic "it depends."  On the pasture, the pace you intend
to ride, the difficulty of the trail, and most of all on the horse.

As someone pointed out the last time this was addressed here, there is
a huge difference between three or four flat acres, and 20 or more
acres with hills and gullies.  When I talk about a horse on pasture, I
mean enough terrain for the horse to get real exercise on its own.

Even a "pasture potato" of good basic soundness (and not overweight)
will have enough bone and tendon for a *slow* fifty -- it is the speed
that takes a toll on these body parts, for which they neeed at least a
year or two of solid work to build.  Some rides at home in the 10-15
mile range, and an LD ride or two, and a good horse kept on good
pasture can do a slow fifty with neither damage nor discomfort, IMO.
Will he get tired?  Sure.  Does that mean he's suffered?  No.

As far as the second ride, assuming that the horse was not ridden too
fast he should be 100% recovered from the stress of the ride in less
than a week.  I followed a program of doing a 50 every two to three
weeks this summer as part of Sanshra's building/conditioning.

I want to stress again that not *all* horses can do this ... but a
horse with good natural ability for endurance can.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com


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