My LD experiences

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Karen Standefer kstandef@teleport.com
I've read tons of posts over the past couple of years regarding Limited Distance.  And, I've listened when friends told me there is no reason to do LD.

I believe that each horse is different and possibly some horses don't learn anything by participating in LD rides their first year, but mine learned how to be an endurance horse this year by participating in LD's.  And, also, each rider handles LD rides differently.

One year ago, at age 5, I put my gelding under saddle for the first time.  We spent the winter and spring legging up and doing very slow conditioning.  In my opinion, he didn't have enough time on his legs/tendons to do 50 mile rides his first year.  And, he was a bit immature mentally.  So, we used LD rides as an opportunity to teach.  If he wouldn't go my speed, then I'd take him off the trail and we'd do exercises until he decided to go my way.  Sometimes we used up over an hour of ride time doing this, so we'd come in middle to end of the pack.  I also used this season to get him relaxed, eating and drinking well before moving him up next year to 50.   The first several rides the horse never ate or drank and his vet scores were not too great.

Well, the first ride we spent 30 minutes trying to "start" the ride after a controlled start.  He was wheeling, bucking, everything but moving forward.  The subsequent rides all got better.  By the next to the last ride of the season, he was walking flat footed at the start, eating and drinking like a fool and getting straight A's on his report cards.

So, the last race this year, I moved him up to do a 50.  The horse was incredible!  He drank at every single stop, went my speed, ate like a pig and got all A's on his report card except for two A+ for gait and impulsion both on the vet-in and on completion.  I know that had I started him out doing 50's next year and not done LD for this first season, we would have had to contend with all the same issues next year except they would have been on 50 milers where he could have gotten into metabolic trouble from not eating or drinking.  As it is I have a very sensible horse who knows what it's about now and that I can trust to take care of himself.

I have a second horse that I'll be bringing along this next year and we'll do it the same way again.  Maybe it won't work as well for him..............who knows.  But, my bet is that it will.

Karen
Rafiq (who thiks he's all grown up now) and
Kazan (who hasn't a clue!)





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