Not everyone owns an Arab. I ride an Icelandic and it can take me ten minutes or more to pulse down. Sometimes it does not. He is heavier muscled, has wayyyy more hair-even with a trace clip, a smaller air passageway, just to name a few of the disadvantages he has. He is in good shape and we work hard at conditioning. Don't think everyone can pulse down on a tough course like in Vermont with about a bazillion hills and 90 degree weather in ten minutes. Just to ride this ride in a way I am overriding my horse. We live in the flatlands and have no real hills to train on. I feel I can not body clip him-he would be eaten alive by bugs or need to be blanketed in the winter. We do take it as easy as we can, but it is still tough!!
He is ususally ending rides with a final score of A- so I doubt I am overriding my boy. A number or the vets seem to be glad to see him and I have never been given any sige we don't belong doing endurance. Changing the criteria to 10 minutes would possibly rule me out. PLEASE DON'T
Susan Cushing
come down within 10 minutes I would be very concerned and take appropriate action (pulling, expressing my concern to the vet, slowing down, etc). Would someone explain to me why we give riders 30 minutes for there horses to reach criteria? Wouldn't a 15 minute window protect more horses from being overridden??
