 |
[RC] Set plan for training - Spottedracer**let's see if this goes through this time!***Wow Ranelle! that's an intense program! ... sigh... if I just had the time.... Initially, I had a similar training Regime to Ranelle's. But after I started talking with Vets, multi-day riders, and reading EVERY one of those interviews that the AERC site has (a bunch of riders who'v completed 30+ 1-day hundreds).. I changed my strategy... Here's what how I train - ALL THREE of my endurance mounts.. Each one is trained twice a week - once on the weekend - once during midweek.. Gives plenty of recovery time... During the muddy winter months - I end up doing the 'warm up' on the hilly country road. Go 3-4 miles at a nice steady medium gait. Then I come to the arena (footed with block run - nice solid footing - NEVER gets muddy. And is abrasive enough to keep their hooves worn PERFECTLY and toughened!) In the arena - I do 'timed gallops' .. Depending on which horse - I do from 5-20 min solid at a gallop/canter (1 mile to 5 miles in actually length).. Then they get a breather for 5-10min - we gait around barrels, back up, etc.. Once they've caught their breath - we change direction and gallop for the same length of time the opposite direction.... Then they get another breather - and afterward I do the gymnastic set of low srosspoles 5X successfully (sometimes they do it in five attempts, sometimes 10 attempts **grin**) Then we cool down with bending, slow suppling exersizes..... This arena work is WONDERFUL for making them stronger,collected, more balanced, more responsive, more supple and increases their wind. **When we get breaks in the weather and/or the farm trails are safe - I'll take each horse out on a SEVERE-GRADE trail (the type that makes EVERY saddle slip w/out a breastcollar and/or Crouper. These half-mile hills are actually too severe grade to even drive our 4X4 on!.. Talk about a 'reining horse' slide all the way down!!) Each horse does a 6-10 mile trail ride about once a week or so. About every 4-5 weeks - I'll haul to either Natchez trace or Edwin Warner - and do a 16-28 mile training ride - within AERC required time limits.. Including rest stops/holds - where I perform standard 'vet check' and feed/water. On these longer rides - I'm generally riding one - leading the other. Works two horses at once! - Laura P
|