Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

 "odd farm"  writes: In training, you should be able to judge what your horse is capable of doing. But if you only ride twice a week, and your long ride is 15 miles, you can't expect your horse to go out and compete in a fifty. You really have no idea of what your horse is capable of doing, or not able to do.

.....you can pick up any training manual for triathlons and marathons and see, it ain't that easy."

 

 

Note: There is no one formula for all.  I have completed the New York City Marathon and am  in training for another.  For training for the first marathon, I never ran more than 10 miles and did not lift weights--I trained three times a week 2x/5 miles 1x/7 miles.  Kept my heart rate in a range that wasn't stressful during training and the marathon, and completed the marathon with energy to spare. (Yes, if anyone is contemplating a marathon YOU CAN DO IT!)  For the next one, my goal is to beat my previous time ( though I was younger and two children ago, however I have been riding? :)), I will lift and run speed intervals.  Same can be applied to endurance riding.  Know your horses' comfortable working heartrates without stress and keep him in that zone.  Walk if you have to until you are able to trot within his "zone", and you will most likely complete with a happy horse (of course terrain must be considered).  Stress him out with going faster than you train and trouble most likely will occur.  The best way to keep him at his training level heart rate is to ride alone.  I cannot underscore this enough. Riding alone may not be fun for you, but it gives you the best information on your horse. When and if you choose to race, make sure you have done your homework with stressing him at home first and know his heartrate "zones" at the faster levels. 

Erica DeVoti