In a message dated 4/12/2007 6:44:33 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
rnbianchi@xxxxxxxxx writes:
I
have a question for all the experienced endurance horse
people. Taking into consideration that it takes 2 to
3 years to get a horse fully conditioned for endurance, how long do
you work with a "prospect" before you decide he/she really isn't cut out
for the sport? What are reasons for giving up on a prospect?
It depends on the horse. I don't know if my answer is going to be
helpful :) I have given up on a horse after one or two ride
seasons. But, I have also put 5 years into the horse I am riding now
before I decided that he would make a good endurance horse. It depends on
what the strengths and weaknesses are for that individual and if you can manage
the weaknesses and faults AND if that horse's strengths are desirable to keep
putting time into the animal.
I had one horse who was a great hill horse but really had a race brain and
wouldn't pace. His greatest fault was that he wouldn't eat at vet checks
so I never knew if he was too stressed or was OK. I spent about 3 years of
riding him in competition trying all different things, riding all kinds of
distances including multidays, positioning him in different places during
the ride yet he never became a good eater. I couldn't live with a
horse that wouldn't take care of himself.
The horse I am riding now was very similar to the horse above except he had
more of a race brain. BUT he would take care of himself at vet
checks. I bought the horse in 1999 or 2000 and again tried all different
things to teach this horse to pace and relax on the trail. In five years he
really never got with the program. In 2005, I decided that I would
condition him for a 100 and if he could finish a 100 I would continue putting
time into him. If he couldn't he was going to find another job. He
finished that first 100 in 2005 and has completed three more since with
ease. Now I only enter him in 100s. I can live with
(manage) all his faults because his strengths over come his weaknesses AND
I don't feel his weaknesses are "detrimental" to his health like the other
horse.
With one of my horses, it took three years of steady conditioning and
competition before she really showed what she was made of. When I first
started this mare, I wasn't sure she was going to ever be a good endurance horse
or be able to do 100 miles. She turned out to be much, much better
then I ever would have expected. I am really glad I didn't give up on her
but could have easily found her another job. I enjoyed the process with
this horse so it was worth finding out what her real potential was.
I guess my main criteria for giving up on a horse would be 1. when the
weakness or fault is detrimental to the horse's well being whether that be
physical, metabolic, or emotional 2. When the challenge of bringing the
horse along stops being fun or fulfilling. For most of us this is supposed
to be an enjoyable hobby or activity. If an owner/rider feels he or
she has exhausted every possible means to be successful with this horse why
continue? In the end (at least for me), I want my "fun factor" to at the
very least come close to being equal to the amount of work, heartache, money,
disappointment, etc. that I invest in endurance riding.
