Conditioning Maintenance

[Jerry D Milam Jr <milamj@agtelco.com>]

all right everyone who's been doing 50's forever. I need your expertise.

My horse and I finally moved up to doing 50's now after 3 LDs. My horse
is 6 and I know he's still young as these distance horses go so I don't
want to over condition him.

We did our first 50 in around 6hrs in very ideal conditions and he
wasn't stressed in the least finishing. I've given him 2 weeks off now
and will start back with some riding. Our next 50 is in 4 weeks.

How much riding do I need to do to maintain his fitness for our next
ride. I have no intention of going fast my first year or even two doing
50's. I want to give him a good solid base on which to build a long and
enjoyable partnership in this endurance hobby of ours.

I'm also looking for a HRM to help us improve his conditioning sessions.
What HRMs would you recommend. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles,
just the basics.

Thanks to all as always and happy tails to everyone!

Susan & Fly Bye