Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

Re: [RC] re: any horse can do 25 milers - bluwolf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christina,

I have to differ with your view - the rider's attitude really translates to the horse. The horse is typically capable of MUCH more than the rider. :-)

My husband was signed up for a 25 mile CTR in the NE run under ECTRA some years ago. The pace is about that of middle of the pack finisher for AERC LD 25. His primary horse was kicked in the field & wasn't able to compete that weekend.

Mike took Major to the event at the last minute instead, thinking he could always pull if they had problems. Major (age 19) had competed last about 5 years prior and been retired as a pasture ornament for the last several years. He was ridden infrequently by the little kids that would come to visit, or an occasional trail ride to clear trail - walking for 10 miles once or twice each Spring.

Major finished the 25 with "spunk & go" to spare. No lameness issues, no metabolic issues other losing a few points for pulse. (As a black QH, he simply didn't recover as fast as the Arabs - ever. It was his baseline recovery.)

After 5 years of virtually no riding or conditioning - just turn out on open pasture, he easily completed 25 miles at a good clip. That's as close to pulling a horse out of the field as you can get. While I wouldn't recommend it as a usual practice, it is NOT beyond the capacity of the horse. Mike & Major are not an isolated case, either...

Again, the riding ability of the rider, the rider's attitude, and the atmosphere around the horse all contributes to the horse's willingness to compete for 25 miles. I would be done in if someone sat on my back at a walk for 2-3 hours, too. Need to change up the pace and keep the horse's interest!

Linda Flemmer
West Virginia

Quoting Mrs Christina Hykw <distance_ryder@xxxxxxxxx>:


Cindy,
I think we agree that many horses conditioned for it can complete a 25.
What I am trying to say is that you could not just take any old horse that
we often see going down the trail for the Sunday ride complete one, not without
specifically conditiong for 25 miles ahead of time. I think even if they did finish,
they would have metabolic issues or lameness issues.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Replies
Re: [RC] re: any horse can do 25 milers, Mrs Christina Hykw