I do find riding on the roads quite boring but needs must. As you
probly know there is a strong tradition in England that horse should be
walked on roads for up to 6 weeks for up to 2 hours during their early
training. I can't manage all that walking and I am troting alittle by the
end of the second week. I do always bear in mind what I once from a
racehorse trainer when doing road work - make the horse walk out and as fast
as possible on the road but trot SLOWLY. I don't ask my horse for a "power
trot" on the roads when training but I may have no option when in
competition. Also unless in competion I don't like to trot down hills on
the road.
As to how long to horses last, they keep going till there late teens or
early twenties, my old boy did his last ride (alright so it was only 10-12
miles) when he was 24 and lived a furhter year in retirement before I had to
have him put down. I could go on further but I think I have taken up enough
space but here is a parting thought in tests carried out for surfaces for
children's playgrounds it was found that compactted soil would do as much
damage to child's sckull as if it had fallen on concert!!
About the tack, everyday I use a biothane bridle from Running Bear, it
is the finer biothane - only slight problem the nose band is alittle small
for my horse. In competition I use a nylon combi-bridle from Bri-tac
(English company) the nylon is nice and soft. I have found though that
bridle rubs pale into insignificance when you have a saddle which does not
fit another storey.
Bye
Andrea Waistell
Newcastle Upon Tyne
England