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RE: [RC] [RC] Gaited Horses - carol kight

if ya'll want to know how a gaited horse does on endurance, take a look at Mr. Freckles on AERC records. He is a 1/2 ARAB gaited Nez Perce Appaloosa.....He's my jewelllll........and he's so cute too. Just did high VET score at Old Glory on the Sunday LD. You can see him in person at Fort Stanton where he did exceptionally well. Just ask Barney Fleming. He knows this horse. Love you all, Carol


From: Peter Harper <peteharper1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ridecamp <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [RC]   Gaited Horses
Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 21:59:21 -0700 (PDT)

Jim,  The attitude you express in this email does a
great disservice to the sport of endurance.  It is
breed snobbery at the highest level and does nothing
for the sport but alienate owners of other breeds.
I've heard this same speech it feels like a hundred
times.  If you ever wonder why some folks seem to have
a "chip on their shoulder" when it comes to Arabs read
what you've just written and think for a minute from
the other person's view point.

There are many ways to "compete" in endurance.  For
some folks just signing up for their first 25LD is a
personal victory.  Don't rush to judge others by your
own set of standards because in may cases they do not
apply.

Enough breed bashing, there is enough room in the
sport for all breeds.

Pete in TX

------------------------------------------------------

From: "Jim Holland" <lanconn@xxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [RC]   Gaited Horses


There is another issue that you should consider here
when you decide to
participate in Endurance.  That issue is the "physical
capability" of
your
equine of choice.  There are individuals in every
breed who can
"participate" in Endurance, and a few perhaps, who can
"compete".
However,
consider the impact on the longevity and soundness of
your horse.
Would 300
lb athlete be expected to excel as a distance runner?
Would a 5'9" 145
lb
athlete be an appropriate choice for playing Guard in
Football? What
would
be the long term impact on the health and soundness of
an individual
who
chose to do this? Keep in mind, your horse does not
HAVE a choice. The
fact
that he CAN doesn't mean it's in the best interest of
his long term
welfare.

If most of your travel was in the desert or mountains
over difficult
terrain, would you choose a Jeep/Hummer/4x4 truck? Or
a Cadillac?
Here's an
exerpt from a post some time back by Jonni that makes
the point:

"The lighter muscling of an Arabian horse dissipates
heat and lactic
acid
more readily than other breeds. The larger flaring
nostrils provide the
Arabian with maximum oxygen intake, and its large
trachea allows for
larger
lung capacity. Also, that pretty arched neck has a
function besides
looks,
in which it carries plenty of air to the lungs and
helps keep the
windpipe
clear. They have bigger, stronger hearts for their
size, which pumps a
higher volume of blood. That blood runs through the
blood vessels which
are
very close to the surface than other breeds, covered
by thinner skin,
which
also aids in cooling the animal when it works. Last,
the bone density
is
known to be greater in Arabians than other breeds,
with tougher tendons
and
ligaments. All of these traits were bred for thousands
of years, when
the
horses were used in their country of origin, to travel
great distances
in
the harsh conditions. Those that did not hold up did
not survive."

Susan Garlinghouse did a study at Tevis sometime back
and I don't
remember
all of it, but I do remember that the level of success
had to do with
the
TOTAL weight of the horse and rider.  The small,
compact Arabians, even
with
a heavyweight aboard, did better on average than the
heavier horses.

I have owned several breeds, even did a couple of 50's
on a Quarter
Horse,
mare, but I quickly learned by experience that game as
she was, I was
asking
too much. You may not be doing your horse any favors
if you ask him to
compete in a sport where his physical characteristics
and breeding are
a
handicap. In Endurance, other breeds run "closer to
the edge" than the
Arabian.  In the words of Susan Garlinghouse, "He may
not be over the
edge,
but he can see it from where he is".

Remember, it's about the horse.....and he is YOUR
responsibility. Don't
let
your ego or your desire to "prove something" get in
the way of the
welfare
of your horse. I've seen it many times...it's not
pretty and it won't
get
you any kudos from your Endurance peers.

JMHO.

Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic

ichard T. "Jim" Holland
Three Creeks Farm
175 Hells Hollow Drive
Blue Ridge, Ga 30513
(706) 258-2830
www.threecreeksarabians.com
Callsign KI4BEN


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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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Replies
RE: [RC] Gaited Horses, Peter Harper