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Re: [RC] Who REALLY knows ? - Heidi SmithAnyways, just wondered how many people REALLY know how far they're riding. As this GPS also gives you the exact pace, I also discovered that at a brisk walk, I can walk as fast as my horse's walking pace. Now I know that when I slow him down to a walk durinig an endurance ride, I might as well get off him without losing time and yet rejuvenating him by getting off his back. Who'da thunk.... I learned that my 15 hand mare trots an entire 2 mph faster in her normal working trot than my 15.3 Geldinig, and that her walk is an entire 1mph faster. All this time I could have sworn that he was way superior than her when it came to strides/pace. Who'da thunk... Actually, as Cindy Collins and others have suggested, many riders over the years have gone out and MEASURED courses and have ridden those courses until yes, they DO know how far they are riding, how fast their horse goes at each gait, etc. We have become a gadget-oriented society. Too often, if we don't have a gadget, "who'da thunk" is the response. I do think that too often we take it for granted that riders HAVE gone out and done this kind of homework the old-fashioned way, and DO know--but too often they don't. It's fun to be able to pick the old-timers at the rides who can just glance at their watches (no matter how fast or slow they've been going) and tell you how far they've ridden and how far it is to the next vet check (provided ride management DID indeed measure the course). Yep, even without a GPS, I can tell you that I am really spoiled from riding a horse that walks 5.5 mph, even in rough country. And that it frustrates the heck out of me to be riding one now that only walks 4 to 4.5 mph. And that that is still better than the average walk on endurance horses. But since I walk 2 to 3 mph, nope, I don't have the luxury of being able to keep up with my horse at a walk. But yes, I've ridden a whole bunch of those smaller horses whose working trots are 2 mph faster than many of their larger compatriots out on the trail... ;-) The ones who are really efficient rarely "seem" fast because it is less effort for them. And I don't think Sarah Miller has ever ridden with a GPS--but I'm a real piker, because I can only come within about 10 minutes of predicting when I should be at the next vet check, and she can usually get it down to about a 2-3 minute window, just looking at her watch... :-) Who'da thunk it?? Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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