Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I think that the "vital energy" that you are referring to is key to a good endurance horse.  I think that it's a horse that has the whole mental, emotional and physical makeup and focus that makes a superior equine athlete.

 

There is an article in this month's Endurance News that's an interview with Nancy Elliot, DVM.  (She has worked on my horses as a chiropractor, too.)   She states that you have to train in same conditions as the competition.  She made specific reference to deep sand.  A horse that hasn't trained in these conditions will not have the muscle and ligament strength to withstand the extra exertion required to go through sand.

 

Also think that flat land training is not conducive for a horse to be a good hill horse.

 

K.

 

-------------- Original message --------------
From: <Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

hmhhh... yes, what you say is true and it it what people generally think. But there are so many exceptions to this rule. For example the offspring of Amer are not tall but outstanding on the racetrack. There are also many horses,compact and not long-legged, performing very well in the UAE. More than the conformation, I would look the way the horse moves under the saddle and his 'vital energy'. Going fast downhill is something we have to learn to the horse.

---

From: Kathy Mayeda [mailto:kathy.mayeda@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 9:27 AM
To: LIESENS Leonard (COMM); liberty4640@xxxxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; PFmorabs@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] French system

 

Would you take into consideration that a smaller handier horse will be able to handle the technical, rough terrained trail vs. a long legged racing type?  I have seen some small compact horses just float downhill, but my long-legged guys don't do as well in this department.  But their long legs serve them well on less challenging terrain and they have speed.  Oh heck, my long legged guy may not be good on downhills, but he can power up a hill like crazy. 

 

K.

----- Original Message -----

From: Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxxxx

To: kathy.mayeda@xxxxxxxxxxx ; liberty4640@xxxxxxxxx ; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; PFmorabs@xxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 11:42 PM

Subject: RE: [RC] French system

well, this is what you say, but a good horse remains a good horse and stays versatile, in a hilly race or in the deserts of the UAE. The riders (the blessed one for sure) living in hilly areas just go to the beach to practice long canter sessions, or to the racetrack (what I do).

Leonard, Belgium

-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy Mayeda [mailto:kathy.mayeda@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tue 10/9/2007 8:29 AM
To: liberty4640@xxxxxxxxx; LIESENS Leonard (COMM); ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; PFmorabs@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC]   French system

To condition on similar terrain or conditions as the ride you are competing
in.  Where we ride horses in the Bay Area is really pretty hilly or
mountainous, so we have to really look for flat land to train for a ride in
Dubai. (Not that I ever went to Dubai, but I know a couple of people who
did).  The horses (and you) use different muscle patterns while going fast
on flat land, vs. powering up a hill.  A flatland horse will have trouble on
hills unless they get hill training and vice versa.

K



----- Original Message -----
From: "D'Arcy Demianoff-Thompson" <liberty4640@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
<PFmorabs@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 8:42 AM
Subject: RE: [RC] French system


>I wouldn't want to train my horses on flat lands
> unless that is the only option that I had.  I have
> found being up in the higher elevations has
> conditioned my race horses far better than being in
> the lowland.
>
> Also, Merced County, CA is FULL of flat sandy loam
> soil.  As is most of the central valley of CA.  ; Then
> there is Arizona, New Mexico, and most of the south
> east.  Unless you are in the higher elevations of
> those states with their red clay.  At any rate...who
> would want to train on flat, sandy soil, all of the
> time and why?
>
> D'Arcy
>
>
> D'Arcy L. Demianoff-Thompson
> liberty4640@xxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> 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!!
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=
>