ridecamp@endurance.net: 25 to 50, metabolic changes question

25 to 50, metabolic changes question

Kimberly Price (PLOUGH1@ix.netcom.com)
Mon, 27 Oct 1997 16:04:24 -0800

Hello!

To the many experienced ridecampers out there..I have a few questions:

In preparing a young or new horse for a 50 mile ride, one that has
completed 25's most successfully, do you ride them a full 50 miles
(simulating a ride) before actually doing one?

Do you feel there is a big jump or change for a horse metabolically
between a 25 and a 50 mile ride?

If so, can you elaborate just what these changes are?

Reason I ask is because I got into a discussion with an experienced
endurance rider on the way back from our pull at the vet check (mile 37
, Sonoma 50) who pulled his 5 year old because he could tell she was
tired. She had a few twitches and it was a voluntary pull. He feels it
is pretty tough to condition a horse to 50 miles unless you are doing
that distance regularly..which I feel most people don't. He also feels
the horse's metabolics must learn to stabalize at that distance and that
25 miles doesn't do it. Make sense?

So far Mystery seems metabolically fine although he was very TIRED the
next day after doing 37 miles. The longest distance we did on a
training ride is 30 miles, and then we did the 30 mile Gold Country very
successfully. I don't feel it is unreasonable for Mystery to be tired
after this 37 miles, as I pushed him to keep up the speed after the
first 13 mile loop. I wonder if I am pushing him too hard, and how
would he have been at 50 miles. I am also just curious on how others
bring their horses up to 50 miles. I've "heard" you save your pushing
for the final race, that you don't entirely duplicate a race. If this
is not the norm, I'd like to know....

I'm on digest so please copy me if you care to answer.

Thanks in advance!
Kimberly (&Mystery the Morab..."put me on that green grass and I'll perk
right up!")
Black Mountain Ranch, CA

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