Re: [RC] 100 mile horse characteristics--drinking after 20 miles - Truman Prevatt
I didn't say they couldn't make it. It all comes down to risk. A horse
that doesn't drink for 20 miles will be at more risk than if he did
drink like a sailor on leave (early and often). I perfer not to accept
the risk associated with a horse that won't drink for 20 miles. This is
especially true in the east where the temps and humidity are such that
horses will lose large amounts of water from sweat from the get go.
I've ridden rides where water was not all that available. Those were,
however, in the mountain region where the water loss is going to be on
the low side of the 10 l/hr vs. the high side which you will find in
the more humid areas. I didn't have a problem with them and neither did
my horse. However, I did take time to stop where there was water to
make sure he had time to reload on water and to eat some and reload on
water.
An experience endurance vet made a comment to me one time while we were
sitting around the fire waiting for some 100's commented that it
scares the hell out of him and he makes a mental note to watch the
horse whenever someone says to him at the first check - "oh my horse
doesn't drink for 20 miles."
Truman
Dabney Finch wrote:
Truman wrote:
I don't belive that a horse that will not drink for 20 miles is
a good candidate (at least I would not start a 100 with such a horse).
I know this is the conventional
wisdom, but I've top tenned two horses like this in 100s (one was
Tevis) and they both looked great at the end, including hydration.
It's so hard to have absolutes with 100 mile horses!
-- We imitate our masters only because we are not yet masters
ourselves,
and only
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.
