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> Dot Wiggins' post has me replying to ask for further discussion.  She wrote
> that she found no difference between the HR at the canter and trot as long as
> terrain etc didn't change.  So far, in my learning about endurance 
> riding, two
> people have said trotting is easier on the horse, and one has said cantering
> was easier.

Hi Diane -- I think it depends on the horse ;).  Some horses are more 
comfortable at different gaits and speeds, and we just have to figure 
that out.  I've been recording my horses HR's on the last several 
dozen rides on my garmin 301.  It records their HR's along with 
distance, and elevation and puts it all into software if I download 
it so I can compare their rates and the rides and see how they are 
doing, and how they are progressing.

The two horses I rode at Death Valley would average a trot downhill 
in good footing at between a 90 and 95 heart rate.  Trotting up a 
gradual incline they would range anywhere from 105 to 129.  If we got 
up more steep stuff, it went as high as 139, I don't think I went any 
higher than that on any of the days as I tend to slow to a walk when 
they get higher than that.  When I went to a canter their rates 
usually stay the same, or drop -- depends on the terrain and the 
horse.  I have one that does better at a canter, he stays in the same 
frame, relaxed and moves easy, the other horse thinks cantering is 
the gait we do before entering warp speed and therefore his heart 
rate will go from a 105 trot rate to a 120 canter (errr, gallop) speed.

Over the years, I have found that overall if I keep my horses at a 10 
mph or lower rate of speed on rides, that I will keep them injury 
free.  I have done a lot of miles well above that speed, and 
depending on the horse, they do just fine at it, as long as they are 
prepared for it.  It takes a long time to build up to being able to 
do that without hurting them though.

Every horse I have ridden has a cutoff point at which they are more 
comfortable going to a canter from a trot.  They are all different, 
and that cutoff speed will change as they get more and more fit or 
experienced.  I try to not stay in one gait or one diagonal or lead 
for any length of time, that way I can work the different muscles and 
keep them from getting sore (or so that's the theory) ;)

The key is to know your horse and learn how they recover and really 
pay attention to stuff like that.  Just because a horse drops and 
recovers fast doesn't mean he is Superman.  My young horse at DVE can 
outrecover the more experienced horse I rode that has almost 5000 
miles, that doesn't mean that the rest of his body can do what the 
more experienced horse can without feeling the consequences though.

Karen
in NV

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