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DVeritas@xxxxxxx wrote:

> In a message dated 5/19/2005 6:29:00 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time, 
> catfishdaniels@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>     Some of them said that it was the fastest lesson they could have
>     given their
>     horse and had great results after that.  I guess the trick would
>     be to
>     control your horse until it's legged up enough to safely let him
>     go in the
>     front at the endurance rides.  
>
> I'd venture to say that (often) the "fastest" lesson isn't always the 
> better lesson for the horse.

There is hope and the "let em run till they trip over their tongues" is 
not it.  I doubt if there is any horse worse than the Jbird as far as 
getting the jucies flowing at a ride.  But he will listen - even if 
every ride is training! Those that have seen me with him the last 10 
years know what a royal PITA he can be. Even now at 16 he has his 
moments.  The mare I used to ride wan't much better and she was faster. 
I like them a little hot but I take the resposnibility for training them 
and making them safe for me and everyone else on the trial - that's my job.

At some point it can become a war of wills. If I let the sucker run till 
he "figured it out." he might go 35 miles today till he figured it out. 
The next time he might go 38, the next time 40. You think a horse that 
is capable or running a sub 5 hour 50 is going to figure it out on his 
own - how about a horse that is capable of a sub 4 hour 50?  If some one 
wants to be "passenger in seat 1A on a runaway horse"  that's their 
choice - unless they put me or my horse at risk doing so then it becomes 
my business.

It doesn't hurt to "call time out" at any time - even 5 miles out in a 
ride.  It doesn't hurt to make them walk. It doesn't hurt to demand they 
listen. I've even walked on foot 4 or 5 miles to get the "hot head's"  
brain engaged on me not distracted on everything else.

On the other hand I would not trade the sucker for anything (although I 
do offer him for sale - cheap - at the first vet check on many rides). 
There is always the desire to "go". There is always the "after burner" 
switch there. The key is for the decision to use it to be a joint 
decision, the rider wants it and the horse feels up to it. That's called 
teamwork. It takes patients, time and work to get it - in some horses 
more than others. But once you have it - there is nothing better.

As far as increasing distance with the old mare I thought that 100's 
would calm her down. It only made her stronger. She would have never 
done (or at least I would have never let her)  a sub 4 hour 50 without 
the strength gained from training for and doing 100's.

So those that want to train thier horses by letting them run "till they 
drop" let me know where you are going to ride so I can go ride someplace 
else.

Truman

--

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm 
not sure about the former."  Albert Einstein





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