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[RC] distances - terre


terre wrote:
>I've always felt that LDs are harder on the horse than the rider, 50s
are equally hard on both, and 100s are harder on the rider than on the
horse. Just my opinion, of course! The pull rates don't bare that out.
Truman


   I wasn't referring to pull rates, or anything so scientific as
to lend itself to statistical analysis--I was talking about my
perception of how teams LOOK when crossing the finish line (having spent
a lot of years observing finish lines!).  I think my observation makes a
certain amount of sense, if you consider that most of the new horses,
and the horses that are maybe not perfectly suited to the sport will be
in the shortest distance.  Many riders feel they can't condition enough
to do 50s--perhaps they are undertraining for the LD ride as well.  This
distance is where you see the local horses, that only do one ride per
year.  And the riders who haven't had a chance to learn the techniques
of 'maintaining' their horse over distance.
        The 50 mile horses are usually conditioned enough to look pretty
good at the finish.  The horses and riders that look the tiredest are
the front runners (because they've been giving it 'their all') and the
tail-enders (because they've been out for so long).  But most of the
horses and riders look about equally tired, or not.
        The 100 miles horses are usually being ridden at a slower pace
(well, not FEI!), and are given time to eat and rest.  Animals are
probably not accustomed to getting 8 hours sleep anyway, so the long day
with intermittent meals and being out in the dark is not such a novelty.
The riders, on the other hand, are used to getting up, functioning for
14 or so hours and then sleeping for an extended period of time...so the
ride is hard on them.
        Just anecdotal--and it doesn't make any reference to people like
Shannon who may stiffen up LATER.

terre


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