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[RC] Angie - worthwhile discussion involving sitting trot - rides2far@xxxxxxxxThis is what happens when we carry on discussions by mail and fill in all the blanks with our imaginations...much misunderstanding. I'll reply in parts: If all of us were as physically healthy, with strong legs and pain- free knees - such as yourself.. I had a horse rear over backwards and fall on my right knee when I was 19. Tore the ACL at a time they did not fix them. Reinjured it in 1990 and destroyed the meniscus. When the leg finally locked up for good they removed the entire meniscus. Actually, that's the *good* knee now, the left knee is worn out I suppose from compensating...or maybe I messed it up when I broke that ankle...it's not very flexible (the ankle) the knee feels arthritic. My knees hurt every time I go up or down stairs. I guard them constantly. I'm getting ready to trade my daughter my 2003 Honda for her 1997 Toyota so I won't have to use a clutch, hurts too much. I don't really do pain killers other than I have learned that anti-inflamatories can actually do good at times rather than just mask pain so I'm taking them some after long rides when I think about it. I'd agree that discussing furthering your riding education through the inclussion of dressage - may not be suitable for endurance riders to discuss. I NEVER said furthering your riding education through dressage was a bad idea. It's number one on my wish list. We bought Jane Savoy's book after someone on RC mentioned it and spent last Saturday with my daughter being coached by a good friend who competes in dressage. We've got a dressage saddle at the house right now that we're trying out. Can't handle lessons at $45 a whack but do all we can with books, tapes, listening, etc. Big difference between wanting your horse to carry himself well and yourself to ride well and *claiming* sitting an endurance trot is a practical way to cover 50 or 100 miles. Though, it does SEEM that there is a high-percentage of endurance riders that do not enjoy the same health and fitness that you do. Har. I just described my knees. If you'd like a re-cap of the rest of my body it will probably go over the word limit for RC. >G< My orthopedist grouped me in the same risk catagory as a Navy Seal. :-P So obviously, This is a topic that MANY endurance riders are interested in. And many can find useful on the trail. I'd say many (including myself) are interested in dressage. Roll call on those interested in sitting a trot for 50 miles (and finishing in less than 12 hrs)...anybody? Yes, it would be worthwhile to learn to sit a big trot since it would just advance your horsemanship that much more, but I'd almost loan an endurance horse to the grand prix rider who wanted to prove they could do 50 miles of hopping over logs, roots, dodging rocks and jumping puddles while sitting the trot...and I said I'd *almost* loan it (but wouldn't) because I wouldn't want them screwing up my horse trying to do it. Since we can't depend on being physically ABLE to post for extended periods of time. Whoa, I missed this first time through. You're saying people who aren't physically *able* to post should be able to sit a trot? Hope they're riding western pleasure. When I say *trot* I mean 7-10 mph. Anything below that is more of a jog in my mind. Maybe we're just confusing terms here. So, what happened to you that with the able to sit a trot for 3 hrs. at a time you felt the need to go gaited? P.S. Very polite of Dave Bennett not to point out that I was the one that made so much fun of his contorted walk that he was finally provoked into having knee surgery.It was worth it though, and as I recall he didn't cut me a lot of slack when we went riding the week after *my* knee surgery. :-)) Angie =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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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