>
>I pick up this rule at a clinic for eventers. This is also where I
>got the interval training schedule.
>
One of the more interesting approches I have heard was presented at an
endurance clinic by a rider/vet. It uses a HRM, but could be implemented
without one. The basis is recovery after stress. It starts out with
mainiaining a fixed pulse rate for a period of time and meeting a specified
recovery. It goes something like this. Start at 5 minutes of a 120 pulse
rate. Stop and wait 10 minutes and take the pulse. If it is 60 or less
then move up in time at this rate. If it is over 60, back off the time.
Work up until you can maintain 120 for an hour and recover to 60 in 10
minutes. According to this speaker you are now ready for a SLOW 50. Now up
the pulse rate to 140 and drop the time. Again work up to one hour at 140
using the 60 in 10 minutes recovery critera. When you can do this your
horse is ready for a slow 100.
Next throw in some fast work working up to mile long 165 to 190 bpm during
the a training ride. That would go something like - trot or lope at 140
for 10 minutes and gallop up a hill at 175 for a minute or two. Then back
to the trot for 10 minutes and throw in another gallop - maybe doing 3 to 5
gallops in the hour. But when you finish you should still have the 60 in 10
minutes. This speed work is to be done at most once a week.
Training rides should be done no more than two or three times a week. The
other days are for rest, ring training, etc. Always use the 60 in 10
minutes. If the horse cannot meet this then back off.
At this point, assuming you train 3 days a week the typical week might look
like one day with an hour at 120, one day with an hour at 140 and one day
with a mixture of 120, 140 and 2 minute burst of speed.
I have been using a modified version of this and it seems to work well. It
is easy to remember and easy to implement, especially if you have to work
full time while you condition a horse. If you start a new horse the LSD is
built into this approach. The amount of time it takes for each phase is
variable - depending on the horse. This approch isn't based on gait. If a
heart rate of 120 is reached walking up a mountain, then you only need to
walk.
Truman
Truman Prevatt
Sarasota, FL