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Re: [RC] Reading Recommendations - rides2farWhat I'm really looking for in particular is a book that discusses in DETAIL a conditioning program.
Darn, I wish I'd quit fooling around and have a book ready to *sell*. But
anyway, I happen to be one of the few with the nerve to give you a
detailed instructions. Here's a plan I published several years ago.
Angie
SIX WEEK CONDITIONING PROGRAM
By Angie McGhee
I know that there are many programs out there, but this one seems to be
the most popular with beginners.
Week 1
Day 1: Read article about the Tevis Cup in ?Horse Crazy? magazine. Go
to the barn and ride the hell out of horse for five ours.
Day 2: Can?t walk without knees buckling. Take day off.
Day 3: Trot five miles over hills. Take pulse, wonder what to do with
it.
Day 4: Getting bored with trotting. Gallop two miles up a mountain.
Day 5: Horse getting hard to catch.
Day 6: Ride six hours trotting and galloping. What Fun!
Day 7: Call vet. Horse refuses to move.
Week 2
Day 1: Switch grain to ?Ultra Horse 4000?, because it?s the most
expensive brand made. Add a double scoop of calf manna and three brands
of vitamins for good measure.
Day 2: Get cheapest farrier in town to shoe your horse for $20. Use
money saved to buy ?Wonder Boost? supplement.
Day 3: Begin to ask for longer stretches of speed (don?t want to be
labeled a slow-poke at your first ride!)
Day 4: Horse has a new cute trick, crouches when you brush his back.
Day 5: Small girth sore appears. Would heal with a few days of rest,
but can?t spare that!
Day 6: Ride in rain to test $75 rain suit.
Day 7: Soaked saddle too heavy to lift. Take day off.
Week Three:
Day 1: Don?t slow down now! Trim two minutes off last week?s course
time.
Day 2: Ride minimum of two hours at a fast trot. Gallop one mile at
finish. Save time by turning him out hot.
Day 3: Horse colics. Vet looks surprised that your horse gets 12 lbs. of
grain and only one flake of hay daily. He obviously doesn?t realize that
grain comes in a much more convenient package.
Day 4: Take it easy on recovering horse?leave off gallop at end of
workout.
Day 5: Saddle sore larger. Buy imitation sheepskin cover for girth, but
no time off!
Day 6: Front ankles look lumpy. Local hot hoof hero calls them ?Speed
bumps? Oh Boy!
Day 7: Tried to kick you. Must be feeling good!
Week Four
Day 1: Tax refund comes! Consider buying a better fitting saddle, but
opt for color coordinated biothane tack, spandex riding suit and neoprene
leg boots (even though he doesn?t interfere)
Day 2-6: Ride hard, long and fast. No pain, no gain. Neoprene boots
rub his legs raw, butr they look so good with all your stuff!
Day 7: Lock him in the stall. The sun fades his coat.
Week Five
Day 1: Make special pressure pad for girth sore to hold his insides
inside.
Day 2 & 3: Do lots of trotting in deep mud and sand. That way you don?t
have to ride so long.
Day 4: Both front tendons inflamed. Give him a little bute, but don?t
miss your workout!
Day 5: Vet suggests permanent retirement from competitive activities for
this horse. He had the nerve to act as if it might be your fault! So
much for your champion, must have had bad genes.
Day 6: Entry form for the ride you planned your debut in arrives.
Day 7: Buy horse from folks next door whose daughter went off to
college.
Week 6
Day 1: Ride new horse one hour to get the feel of him.
Days 2-4: Rest
Day 5: Travel to ride site.
Day 6: Complete first 50 miler! Horse very enthusiastic for the first
five miles. Nice to ride a fresh horse for a change. Squeaked through
all the vet checks, coliced night after the ride, but not until after you
got through the one hour check?yeah!
Day 7: Other riders at awards breakfast don?t act very friendly. There
must be a lot of jealousy in the veteran camp. From now on you realize
that conditioning just breaks horses down. You vow not to waste time on
it?just ride in competition.
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