Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> Beau and I discovered the beauty of maintaining a long sustained trot.  We 
> used to be the surge and rest type, which I think annoys some of the other 
> riders.  What do you think?

It's only annoying if you get in front of the other person and then stop or 
slow down -- and do it repeatedly. :+P  Or, what is also really annoying is 
if you catch up to somebody who is obviously going slower (that is why you 
catch them), then once you pass them they attempt to keep up with 
you.  Even better are the people who will trot right on past a water stop 
to try and get ahead of you even though they are going at an obviously 
slower pace (and end up getting passed anyway, so they just denied their 
horses water for no good reason).

At DVE this year, while I was riding on the 2nd day with a much more 
experienced rider than myself, I commented that I just was not willing to 
take the risk to go any faster in the snow (esp. where it was 
steep!).  Meanwhile, we watched several riders trotting downhill in the 
snow while their horses slipped and slid all over the place.  I did not 
want the other rider to feel as if she had to stay with me in case she 
wanted to go faster.  I felt perfectly content walking that section.  I was 
also envisioning how long it would take to get help if I were to end up the 
mushy filling in a horse-snow/ground sandwich.  Anyways -- the other rider 
(you know who I am referring too since you were there too -- and also 
walking and being careful, I might add)....says to me "we keep our horses 
longer than those people".  Enough said!

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that even more important than pacing 
is knowing when to go and when to take it easy.  Don't run over the rocks 
and then walk in the good footing.

k



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