In a message dated 1/13/05 7:40:51 PM, mark@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
The bottom line, in my humble opinion, is that there is
no cook book method.
Laura is right. And I just can't let
the opportunity to brag pass. In 1983 Gazal was 6th and Best Condition on
Tevis. The next year he was 8th at the Race of Champions in Wyoming and two
weeks later was 4th and Best Condition at Tevis. And then the following
year he was 6th and Best Condition at the Race of Champions and 2nd at Tevis,
but I am not sure how much time there was between the two rides. The
following year he had no riding for four weeks (we were on a trip), came home
ten days before Tevis, rode him twice for an hour the week preceding and he
was 3rd and Best Condition at Tevis with an entry list of 275 horses. What
I want to point out is that in three cases he was really conditioned
leading up to Tevis and the third time he had almost none and it made no
difference in his ability to do well. He was just a splendid
creature, a lucky purchase by us and he put us on the endurance map rather
than vice versa. He ended up with 7,980 career miles plus two unsanctioned
Tevis Cup Rides and one unsanctioned Race of Champions. We miss him.
Julie Suhr (and he was the prettiest horse that ever went down an
endurance trail—and I am hardly biased at all,)
