Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

If the horse is in good shape and has a good base I see no reason not let them have a say. After all they know how the feel better than we do despite the HRM. I don't even turn mine on till I get about 15 miles out. They know when they need to transition gaits to use different muscle groups or the same muscle groups differently better than we do.

As far as having to ask them to slow down, I much rather have a horse like this than one you had to keep prodding.

Besides if you are riding a mare - you don't have much of a choice she will have something to say ;-).

Truman

Kathy Ramspott wrote:

Assuming is such an awful thing that I wanted to get folks opinions instead.  What percentage (if any, that is my assuming part) do you all let your horses set the pace?  My arab mare is very responsive on the trail.  I use a HRM to make sure she does not get carried away.  I do though let her get into a trot and canter when she wants to about 50% of the time during our conditioning rides.  The other 50% of the time I dictate when to speed up.  I ALWAYS have to ask her to slow down. <gr>

 

Am I asking for trouble?  This is her first season and I was wondering if I should dictate transitions 100% of the time?  She has had very little training in the past but really is a low key, responsive mare.  I don’t want to ruin that but I also want to let her have some fun and ‘say’ in the matter. 

 

Any opinions?

 

Kathy R - SE

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We imitate our masters only because we are not yet masters ourselves, and only

because in doing so we learn the truth about what cannot be imitated.