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[RC] Moving from CT to LD - rides2far@xxxxxxxx


Those are interesting guide lines.  I am wondering about the terrain
issues.  I train on very steep ground, lots of climb, and lots of down >>>hill. 
We do25 miles in about 4hrs, but I would not want to take the down hill 
anyfaster than we do, (4-5 mph walk or 6-8 mph trot depending >>>>on the hill). 


We usually take 4-5 hrs. to do our rugged 22 mile training trail...and on the 
same horses top ten on a 50 in as little as 4:15, and has finished a 100 before 
dark. It's hard to explain why. All I can say is, "A miracle occurs". 

On a training ride my horse knows I'll walk him over every bit of gravel where 
he might get a bruise so he acts like he's walking on razor sharp rocks. In 
competition he tells me "Forget it, I was faking" and trots over it all like 
it's nothing. In training he goes to the top of a hill and says, "I need to 
walk a minute, or two, or ten". In competition he says, "I'm fine already would 
you get out of my mouth?"  People say you should train the way you compete. If 
I did I'd be pulling for all I was worth and he'd be going backwards. :-P  It's 
easy to complain about how excited the horses are during 
competition...especially when you're really afraid you're going to die on the 
first loop, but there's a lot to be said for adrenaline...and DESIRE. A horse, 
a person, or a kid can do a lot more when they WANT to and in competition they 
WANT to. Doesn't mean you should go crazy, I'm just saying that just because 
your horse will only give you a 5 hr 25 miles in training, don't turn down a 3 
1/2 hr. 25 in competition so long as he's recoverin
g well, and you really *have* been training.

As to all the formulas about when to move up...I'd be more interested in the 
splits for the different loops than the overall ride time. Did they hold a 
fairly steady pace or lose a lot at the end? Did the horse EAT & drink? If a 
horse eats well and holds a steady pace he can probably keep going as opposed 
to a faster horse that didn't eat & drink and got tired at the end.

Angie

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