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Re: TRAINING



Dave:

Don't get your hopes up that miles will calm down your horse for an easy
relaxed start. My wife's mare Champagne now 28 and with over 8,000 miles in
competition is still hopped up at the start of any ride. After a few miles
she settles down into the steady state.  Remember the stories of the Fire
Horses. Ring the bell and they were ready to go.

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
-----Original Message-----
From: David Bennett <benamil@juno.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Cc: ayers@plainfield.bypass.com <ayers@plainfield.bypass.com>
Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 3:56 AM
Subject: re: TRAINING


>John - I can tell you what I have found works for me and the  new horse I
>started a
>year ago.  He was going great on the trail and working with a very loose
>rein
>on training rides for a couple of months so I figured he was ready to do
>some slow
>completion-only endurance rides.  My plan  was
>to take him to a few 25's to get him experience at camping with lots of
>horses around
>and experience all the other stuff that goes with an endurance ride.   We
>waited until
>everyone left before starting our ride and I still had a nutcase.  I
>made it through the second
>one safely only because I had a junior on an experienced, steady mare
>along.  After two
>25's like that I decided we might as well move up to 50's because he was
>handling those
>like a champ and pulling my arms off for most of those 25's, despite my
>snaffle and
>running martingale.
>
>So, we started the 98 ride season with a goal of doing back-of-the-pack
>completion rides
>just so we could get training miles and so that in competition my horse
>could keep the fine
>mind he has most of the time.  We hid at the back of camp and started our
>first ride 10
>minutes after the pack left.  He was still excited because he *knew*
>those other guys were
>up ahead.  We caught up with a few other horses and passed them.  Also,
>passed a couple
>in the vet checks because of quick recoveries.  But, we did not push
>ahead and just tried
>to stay steady.
>
>After that one we did six more 50's.  All were middle-to-back-of-the-pack
>finishes with no pulls.
>Starts are much better but he is still hot at the start of a ride.  We
>still spot everyone else a couple
>of minutes so he won't get too excited.   And he is learning that he can
>catch up with others and
>pass them as long as we don't rush it.  IT IS STILL PRETTY EXCITING.
>But, after the first
>10 miles or  so we are cruising!  So, this season we are going to try
>some slow,
>completion-only 100's.  If slow 50's are too exciting then he will get to
>do more distance.  And
>he will keep his mind...   It's a slow process but is worth it.  I
>believe that  I will eventually have
>a horse that can go faster in a steady business-like manner....
>
>Good Luck to you and Meshack!
>
>Dave Bennett
>& Rocketeer
>Chickamauga, Georgia
>
>
>John wrote:
>>However in competition he gets excited.  I have invested SUBSTANTIAL
>>amounts
>>of time and money in training the horse and myself.  I have signed up
>>for
>>pleasure rides to give him more exposure to other horses. An excited
>>horse
>>could be a danger to himself, his rider and other horses and riders.
>>He
>>takes much of the pleasure out of the competition for himself, his
>>rider and
>>others!
>>
>>HOW DO YOU TRAIN A HORSE NOT TO GET EXCITED???
>>
>>John and Meshack
>
>



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