[RC] Is it possible - 100 miles-CMK Dreams - DVeritas
Ridecamp Guest wrote: > Please Reply to: cmkdreams
cmkdreams@xxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >
========================================== > > I'm looking for some
thoughts/opinions on whether it's possible to begin conditioning a recently
started under saddle 12 yr old on Mar 1st, and having her ready for a 100 the
first of Aug. How would you go about preparing this horse to complete 100
miles by Aug? TWA
Thoughts: I don't think the issue is if you have enough time to
condition a horse for a 100 in July. The issue would be what will the cost
to the horse be? I think you can do it. Doing it will have a
cost...not the hundred itself, as much as the judicious training and
conditioning of a twelve year old mare to PREPARE for the hundred. If she
can hold up to the training and conditioning that it will take to do the 100
(what I believe would be no more than four months of focused work,
with adequate recovery during the workout phase), then maybe she could do Tevis
for you. The fact that you seek thoughts on what some would do to prepare
indicates that you're not entering into this thing lightly and are considering
the horse and the cost to her. I choose to believe that you will know
whether to actually go ahead and ride Tevis based on the mare's responses to the
work it takes to get ready for it. I choose to believe that no one would
enter a 100, let alone a hundred that can be made more difficult by the
heat Tevis can hold in the canyons, with an "iffy" horse. The time
constraints of Tevis seem to impart a great deal amount of stress to the rider,
which will find their way to your horse. It will be important to know
(well ahead of time) whether your mare can deal with your stress and related
emotional issues. As you know, completing 100 miles is much more than
walk, trot, canter and get 'er done. It is a balance and blend of factors
and the better you can duplicate them BEFORE the 100, the more information
you'll have to make good decisions and the more (I hesitate to the use the word)
"experience" your mare will have. If she is not sound enough to enter the
ride, I also choose to believe that a pre-ride vet check will bear that out as
well.
Sometimes knowing that a horse CAN'T do something is as important to know
as whether they CAN. I feel that you'll find that out soon enough....long
before Tevis. If your mare is truly CMK, I think your odds of being
successful are greatly improved. :^).
