Karen Sullivan's questions

[Kay Mathews <kmathews@sierra.net>]

Good questions, too!  I've done over 5000 mi now and in no way am I an
expert...but I started in the 70's and believe me I was only tooo glad
to give up the blue jeans & boots!
Young horses:  I make Tinker ride them!  I'm too old! No seriously,
start slowly, like Karen is doing w/Dakota.  She has tons of patience
with him and is dedicated to making him see "it all"... water, trees,
grass, fences, ditches, other horses, horrid ponies, stripes on the
pavement at dusk... suffice it to say take them every where.  I even
take my younger ones in the  trailer just for a ride and to make them
wait for me at the store. It is sort of fun and sort of tedious.  Their
first year of racing we try to hold to no more than four 50's spread
out.
Conditioning program:  Once they can handle the work, I try to do
shorter rides during the week (10-12 miles) and longer 25-30 miles on
the week ends.  Always have an eye on the clock...don't dwaddle.  You
should try to approximate the speed you want to go on the trail.  For
instance, our younger horses start out at a 5-6 mi speed over the
course. The middle guys to 7-8  & bursts to build a faster speed.  The
"big guys" go full speed ahead.  We  usually don't do 100 mi on a horse
until they get 600 mi in 50's.
Feed: limited Alfalfa(usually only at rides) S.Garlinghouse has me
convinced that alfalfa and bran are not our friends when it comes to gut
sounds, etc.  Mostly we feed a mix of mostly grass, very little alfalfa
and oat.  They only get LMF-energy, beet pulp, fat pac, & 'lytes when
they work.All have free choice ABC minerals.  We have some mares that
don't tolerate much food other than hay.  Everyone seems to be on a
different diet and we often joke we feel like the "mad scientist" mixing
this and that.  We're getting ready to try Complete advantage--see how
it goes.  I have one horse that must think he is the Christmas goose, he
gets fed LOTS.
At a ride they get whatever they want and have hay in front  of them all
the time.  We've found putting hay in a large bucket w/water works
pretty good.  Mine get  glucosamine shots too.
HRM: on the young ones.  The older guys, we pretty well know where they
are.
Saddles:  Name it, I got it!  right now I ride a Zes/Podium; I also have
a dressage saddle;a boz;skyhorse;bighorn;monte foreman;browns; & one
that doesn't have a name.  I use them all.  I like nylon & biothane
tack.
Lay Offs:  We call them scientific layoffs.  Sometimes they seem to need
a rest after a 100 or several 50's, so we put them out to pasture for 30
days sporadically.  They let us know.
Nite before/day of ride: No I usually don't ride the night before, maybe
walk around. Day of ride?  (1) I warm up alot (1) I don't warm up -- he
gets too anxious about the other horses. (1) if it's cold we walk
around.
Tie-ups, thumps, metabolic probs:  I've learned what to feed and not
feed and which ones needs more exercise.  This is really a trial and
error thing that takes a whole lot of study.   Nancy Elliot, DVM has
some really good advice about this.
Favorite rides:  XP rides; (any multi day really); Tevis trail;
mountain & woods rides ( I live in the  desert)
Favorite saying.  Just ride... you'll find out alot about your horse and
yourself.  You can't  do it from an arm chair.   k