Very
sage advice from two respected and long time endurance
riders and it is greatly appreciated for sure. This may
appear to be a no brainer question, but I am curious......speed is such a
subjective term, how do we define "fast"? What may be "fast" for one
horse, may be "slow" for another. Hard to put a mph on "fast" or "slow"
because of terrain differences. Are there basic cutoff times for
"fast" and "slow"? A horse can be ridden at a steady fast or steady slow
pace, but how do we define it? Is there a general speed guideline? I
understand each individual horse is different...however when I read
the terms fast and slow, clarification would be
helpful. Thanks.
Erica DeVoti
Cindy writes:"While I have no proof, either, I totally support and believe that Stagg's
comments below are true. While I have not had the kind of success Stagg
and his horses have accomplished, I have finished 19 100 milers and I have
done a 100 miler as a horse's first ride."
Stagg writes: "Note that I personnally prefer not to do fast 50s on young horses but
rather to ride 50s as training rides for 100s at the pace that one would
ride a steady 100. I would rather move a horse up to a slow 100s as a 6
year old than take them in fast 50s as I believe speed can be far more
damaging to a young horse than steady distance.
