ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Starting the Young Horse

Re: Starting the Young Horse

Jerry & Susan Milam (jdmilam@fwb.gulf.net)
Sat, 13 Dec 1997 08:18:38 -0800

CBell6006 wrote:
>
> There have been some excellent posts concerning a training schedule for
> prospective endurance horses. IMHO, no serious distance work should be
> started till the horse is 5 years old. I like to see a horse compete in> Competetive Trail for at least a year. (However, I can understand why some> of you people who only have NATRC rides are reluctant to do this). Here in> Florida we have wonderful Competive Trail rides sanctioned by SEDRA (which was> modeled after ECTRA) that are done at 6 miles per hour and are judged strictly> on conditioning and soundness.

Cindy,

I'm starting my 4yo this season and have done two LD rides totalling 50
miles. We're in NW Forida. This young guy just wants to fly through the
miles at canter and gallop and I have a rough time holding him back. His
first 35 mile ride, he averaged a little over 9 MPH! His second ride I
got him back to 8 MPH, some of that slowing was due to a rider accident
I stopped to help with. Since those first two rides, more experienced
friend riders advised me to keep him at a trot only on training rides so
he gets a good base under him. It's been really tough, but we're doing
it. I can now get him to stay in his trot a whole two minutes before he
tries to break! This sounds really silly I'm sure, but he's pulling on
me hard the whole time.

We did a "Pick your Pace" ride at Coldwater in late summer and we did a
6MPH pace back then when he wasn't so fit. I want to keep him between
6-8MPH for a good year or more and then let him race when he's 7 or so.

The CTR rides we've heard of around here sound like a horse show judged
by trail standards. They score you on how you mount and dismount, how
you keep your trailer, how you handle obstacles etc. I'm not sure I want
all that subjective scrutiny. That's why I can't stand horse shows
because of the subjectivity involved.

I'd like to try a CTR that's not too far away from home. All my
endurance rides are at least 5hrs away. I live 1 hr east of Pensacola,
near Crestview, FL.

Susan and Fly Bye

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff