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[RC] pacing and ride times - Donna Deyoungok, so pacing is apparently a learned ability! or else you get it by following another horse. LOL. more about my horse and me - he is an 11 yr old peruvian paso gelding w/ alot of termino and flash, and is blind in one eye. he apparently goes alot faster when there is someone to follow... I am a 40 something experienced rider w/ some bad accidents in the past has left me w/ some fear...and I also go faster when there is someone to follow! A few weeks ago we did a practice 25 mile ride w/ an experienced competitor - did okay, would have been overtime but mileage was easy and horse had very good metabolics. it was a little hot towards the end and we were slowed down by meeting another rider...so I think I was an hour ? off time? I gaited most of the way, walked, and did some canters. the ground was rough in alot of spots and my horse had long toes (do for shoeing) so I went slower than I wanted. the blind eye also keeps us from just racing over uneven ground. My horse was easy to keep in a fast gait because the horse right in front of us was leading. This weekend I was by myself. the trail was mostly sandy, some hills, some deep mud, some erosion, and some very rocky hills I had to get off and walk. temp 80s and 100 % humidity. The trail was about 3 miles long to a pond w water and then back for 5.7 miles according to my gps. first loop was 1 hr 40 min or 3.42 mph. took a short lunch break. ok, next time decided to go faster. walk the rough spots, get off and lead up hills. easy gait everywhere else. canter on even ground. even let him break into a broken trot so as to make up some time (figured out that's the key, let my gaited horse trot, which is why everyone says don't do endurance on your peruvian, it ruins their gait). this time we did it in 1 hr 20 min (shaved off 20 min!) but still 4.27 mph and I have to add, it was raining the second time around and ground was getting slick and I got a phone call... etc etc. at least we are improving. and without those distractions maybe we would have made the 5 mph. still feel like a turtle when I hear people say their horses can walk at 5 mph and trot at 7 mph. Donna PS. you can see me & horse on youtube.
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