Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

As one who had competed a TWH let me address this.

rides2far@xxxxxxxx wrote:

>  
>
> I'd probably say heat was more a factor in this area, as far as the TWH
> types that are a little heavier muscled. If I was a big gaited horse fan
> though I'd just look for an appropriate one. I doubt there have been
> enough people who started a horse from scratch and brought them along
> with a base to state catagorically that "their tendons can't make it". My
> guess is that a person who know what they were doing would be fine with a
> horse that hadn't been screwed up with weighted shoes in the past.
> Barbara Daily, years agon in the SE switched to a Paso when her knees got
> bad. You could look up her record. Seems like his name was Paco or
> something but he flew. I remember her winning a 50. 
Heat is a factor but you can condition for it and pick your rides and 
always remember Angie's rule - sponge - sponge - sponge till you are 
sick of sponging. I won a ride on my walking horse in FL heat no less. I 
also got BC on her in FL heat no less.

> As for me, I *like* to ride a trot. I am more comfortable riding long
> distances at a trot than at any other gait. I hate sitting all the time;
> it makes my butt sore. A good posting trot is like  a perpetual motion
> that is effortless. A canter wears on me more and I'll be leg sore after
> 50 miles on a real cantering horse. My number one reason for riding Arabs
> is that the ones I've ridden enjoy endurance as much as I do. My other
> breeds weren't having fun after 25 miles. If a non-Arab breed enjoys
> endurance I think it's worth the extra work to condition them, but I hate
> to see someone who's determined to be "different" riding a horse that's
> not having fun just so they can make a point.
My walker trotted and it was pretty easy to ride. It does take about a 
year more of LSD to condition one. But that may actually be an advantage 
since by the time you are ready the whole package is ready. Some Arabs 
can go much faster sooner than their legs are ready to carry them.

All said and done the best gait my walker has is her canter. You will 
most likely find you are going faster than the "gait" can efficently 
take you. So your horse will probably trot (or pace). Jon Warren told me 
one time that the gaited horses that do best in the sport are those that 
develop an trot and Jon has seen enough rides he should know. But when 
my mare got into her easy lope she just rolled on and it was as smooth 
as silk.

Good luck with your gaited horse. Take your time and if she is not 
enjoying herself then she is not cut out for it. Some are, some aren't.  
I remember my first 100 on the mare. I didn't know if she could do it. I 
made all the first 100 mistakes, didn't carry a spare flash light, lost 
my only flashlight, got motion sickness riding a black horse in a pitch 
black night, etc. But when we rolled out of the 90 mile check and turn 
into the woods and the light bulb goes off and she knew she is almost 
home and picks up a gallop and gallops all the way in heat up and ears 
forward (independent of what I had to say about it), I knew she might 
just be enjoying it ;-).

Truman




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