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RE: [RC] [RC] [RC-Digest] Vol: 03.5937 - Kitley, Carrie E Civ USAF AFSPC 30 MDSS/SGSLFI returned to the horse world after an 18-year hiatus raising my kids and lo and behold!! . . . I had to start all over (for the most part). My older body was different, riding styles were different with "natural horsemanship" etc. I bought my Arab mare 2 years ago (she's 15 now) because I wanted a 'nice trail horse' that wasn't a boring old slow-poke plug. Well, needless to say, it took me a year just to get my seat/balance back, to teach her just to WALK and not trot and jig everywhere, (she was already an endurance horse prior to my ownership) and to just plain "get on the same page" with her. We had a rough beginning, she and I. We had some "rodeo" incidences, some emotional head-butting, some 'who's the boss' struggles and fine-tuning of tack issues as well. Even though I knew she was perfectly capable, I didn't take her out on an endurance ride right off the bat because I knew we hadn't reached a confident place for that yet. During all my pleasure trail rides with her though, I did realize that she really needed a job and that job for her was endurance. So, two and a half years later, here we are prepping for our 4th LD. I gave her a job she loves, and in return, she made an endurance addict outta me. So, that said, there are so many variables that go into this hobby and everyone's approach is different, experience is different, horses are all different, etc. We have to recognize our limitations, and our horses' limitations and take it slow sometimes. It can be iffy at best to know what is a good judgment call on all this stuff when you are just starting out. Better to err on the side of caution than end up with permanent injuries to horse or self. Or worse, a dead horse. IMHO. :) Carrie Kitley 30th Medical Group, Vandenberg AFB DMLSS?Database Sustainment Specialist (DSS) CACI?International Inc? www.caci.com dsn?276-1077, Comm (805) 606-1077 fax dsn?276-1179 <\_~ // \\ carrie.kitley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx? -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kathy Mayeda Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 12:19 PM To: Natalie Herman Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] [RC-Digest] Vol: 03.5937 I think this "advice" I received earlier about pulling a horse out of pasture also falls into the category of doing a 50 miler right off the bat, which some old-timers advocate. My lessee is doing her first 50 on my semi-retired endurance horse because she is riding with me and my older mare on my mare's first 50. It's supposedly an easy ride, and the two horses are extremely bonded so it is as much for a convenience for me as anything else! Beau could mentor Beamer, and I could watch Beau's metabolics easier than worrying about them while they ride an LD without me. I decided this after doing an extreme ride with her this last weekend - if she could do 30 miles and survive getting lost with me in Big Basin without water troughs - she could survive 50 miles on well-groomed, well-marked trail in local county park with lots of water. And I ain't riding another stinkin LD until I get my other crazy horse sane enough to do endurance. I'm glad a did a 25 miler 1st because we did it without a mentor, made our mistakes, had a blast, but I was so emotionally drained afterwards there was no way I could have done a 50. Let's face it - the old-timers were probably more experienced with horses anyway. A lot of us are having our first horse in middle age without any basic horsemanship skills. It's true that an experienced horseperson/endurance rider could nurse an iffy horse through a ride that a total horse newbie couldn't. I had my horses for several years before I did my first LD, and I think that I still lacked a lot of horsemanship skills at that time (and probably still do!). Or maybe you have good horsemanship skills but not endurance specific skills. I certainly couldn't navigate a jumper course or cut a cow. I still say just do it, and you will learn things as you go along. People are glad to help you out on rides - I made a lot of friends riding as a newbie on my first ride. Ask a lot of questions and just take it easy. K. On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 11:49 AM, Natalie Herman <aylisha@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > From: "Kathy Mayeda" > Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] How can I tell when horse is ready for an LD?> I was told by someone that you can pull a horse that is kept in pasture and be able to finish an LD without any conditioning. Maybe they are just talking about Arabs, I dunno. !!!!Note:!!!! The follwing is a "do not do this at home folks, professionals on a closed course" type thing... Here is my experience on this..IF this is your first (or horse's) LD, PLEASE do your homework...otherwise you may get your horse into trouble... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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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