This is just an observation that Wendy mentions in her post but I think needs to be expanded on when using the "on line" ride record to make conclusions. I think it is great to be able to look up a horse's ride record but you have to be very careful when using only a ride record to come to reach any conclusions about whether a horse was fit enough for a particular competition or whether a horse was injured during a "perceived" lapse in competition. Ride records tell us nothing more except when the animal was entered in an AERC competition.
A ride record tells us nothing about the preparation that horse may have before entering in a particular ride. It doesn't tell the rider/owner's method/strategy for peaking for particular rides, and it doesn't tell us the level of fitness a horse has. It also doesn't tell us if the horse is injured and can't compete. An example of this is that there is one rider I know who usually finishes in the Top 5 at the horse's first or second race. I've heard criticism that this rider is not bringing her horse's along correctly is riding too fast based on how she is placing at rides "inexperienced" horses. But what is not realized is that these horses are prepared for the job and usually have a year or two of solid conditioning several days a week including speed work before they ever are entered in a ride. The same could be said for riders that peak for one or two rides a year. It would be easy to assume that these horses needed time off because of the way they were ridden in competition yet that usually is not the case. I experienced some comments last year when I took a horse in a 100 who had less than 200 miles on his record. Those who made comments never took into account that I had been conditioning/riding the horse for over 4 years prior to the 100 but had never got around to "campaigning" him. He hasn't done another ride since that 100 so I guess just looking at his ride record it could be assumed that he "broke" at that 100 and is not able to compete anymore. What the ride record doesn't show is that I condition/ride/pony him two or three times a week and have been doing that on a fairly regular basis since the 100.
Endurance riders do not fit in a nice, neat box. There are several ways to be a responsible rider and be a successful competitor. Many horse records do reflect a linear progression to harder and faster and longer rides BUT that is not always the case. Unless you know what is done "off the record" a competition record is only part of the real story.
There is probably more to the "Fred" story then meets the eye or it wouldn't have stirred this kind of response on ridecamp both today and a few weeks ago from many members. My point is that using only a ride record does not prove a thing unless you can present other facts to go along with the competition record.
Kim Fuess
AERC #6648
"Ah Tom, how much I miss you!! Newbies, put your hands over your eyes! What a horrible training regime - get your horse fit, race a few times, then "rest" him 7 months just to start all over again. (UNLESS the horse had injuries). Don, we don't know each other and I have no idea what axe you're grinding here, but do your horses a favor and go do some research on conditioning. There are plenty of studies on how to condition, peak and rest the horse. Most of the 200 or so studies I've read prove conclusively that the horse benefits most from DAILY exercise. Inconvenient, but true. And NONE recommend 7 months off to recoup from normal fatigue."
