I do not know if I am qualified to answer any
of these questions - but I have 20 years in this sport, so I will respond to
some of these questions. All responses are my opinions or experience,
certainly nothing written in stone....
I would LOVE to know your practices and experiences
with the following:
1: How do you start young horses with
conditioning?
Three words: Long SLOW distance. At a walk, at
a jog....at a walk,at a jog (notice it is not even TROT, but
jog.
2: What is your conditioning program for 50
mile rides? 100 mile rides?
See above, add TROT and some canter.
3: What is your general feeding
program? What do you feed before, during and after hard
rides?
Sweet feed with fat according to body type, timothy hay while
traveling and 24 hour pasture when home. Fresh water 24/7. Se/E
(this is the North East). Used to feed corn oil until feeds came out with
added fat. Not much different for rides except electrolytes and carrot or
apples for treats and to encourage eating.
5: What strategies do you use for
cooling? How do you cool after hard rides? Do you ice
legs?
Do you poultice and
wrap legs?
No, I do not wrap or ice.
6: How do you train with your HRM"s? At
what range do you consider anaerobic with your horses?
How long to you hold them
there? What ranges to you stay between?
Do not use all the time, I honestly feel like a lose a
certain amount of 'feel' for my horse with a HRM. When I do use one, it is
mostly to see where my horse is at - how high his heart rate goes with a certain
amount of work, how fast it recovers....sorry, I am not very
scientific....
7: Saddles, tack etc?
Same old double R have ridden for thousands of miles
- the one thing I would not be without is my 100% wool pad. Mine is
at least 12 years old (honest!) It has been to more big rides (3 ODs, 3
ROCs, Big Horn..and more) than most riders.
8. What do you look for in an endurance
prospect? Is size important?
I can't ride an ugly horse!!! Size is important to
me personally, I don't think it has to be to everyone. Good feet, straight
legs....
9: Do you lay off your horse after the
season?
Yes, two to three months
10: What is your preferred plan for day
before the ride?. Not to forget anything or have
truck trouble!! Do you ride your horse out on the trails
the
Friday before the
ride? I try, but I don't know if it matters most of the
time. What if you arrive late and can't get the horse out the day
before the ride? I would hand walk him and do some jogging before going to
bed.
How do you warm up the mornng of
the ride? Walk and jog, start out slow.
11: How do you deal with tie-up, thumps,
dehydration, other metabolic problems?
Never had to.......
12: Favorite rides, positive changes in the
sport?
The Big Horn is my all time fav. Positive changes:
tighter vetting, more types of specialized saddles, feeds, etc....to a
point.
13: My favorite question: How did so
many of the early riders complete ride after ride without the
HRM, custom electrolytes, improved tack and
advanced endurance research? How did so many of you ride 100 miles in
tennis shoes and english stirrups??!!!
We were pretty tough back then. I use to
ride an english saddle or a McClellan . I once got on a strange horse
with a strange saddle and rode a hundred miles. I could still ride a
hundred in tennis shoes and english stirrups.....but maybe not jeans!! I
still have scars on the inside of my knees from 20 years
ago!
Respectfully, Laura Hayes, NE
#2741