Re: RC: Simple question, maybe not so simple answer: Ride less, not more!

["Stagg and Cheryl Newman" <staggandcheryl@earthlink.net>]

Angie,

You are doing FAR to much conditioning.  Horses need far less conditioning
than people because they are much better athletes (they evolved as prey).

For a 25 CTR I would only at most do two days of conditioning and one day of
equitation per week  One conditioning ride can be an hour or so and the
other say around two hours and build up to 4.

For a 25 CTR, most endurance type horses who are ridden regularly will
cruise through the ride.

The key to longer milage is build your horse up over several years.  We take
3 years to get our horses ready for 1-day 100s which is what we specialize
in.  

Because of our jobs my wife and I only condition on weekends.  

As evidence that this can work,in 1992 while only conditioning on weekends
and using competitions as conditioning, my then 9 year old Drubin, entered
and completed 9 1-day 100s, winning 7, plus a 2nd and 3rd, plus 5 BCs and
several course records.  This year Drubin completed his 30th 1-day 100 and
his 13 year in a row of one or more 100 mile completions.  (Admittedly I
think Drubin is exceptional.)  Nevertheless we have followed a similar
program with success with other horses.  For example, this year my 9 year
old Jayel Super has done 3 100s, with a 3rd and reserve BC, a 1st and BC at
Biltmore, and a 1st, BC, and high vet score at Old Dominion. perhaps the
toughest ride in the country.  He was only ridden twice in the 5 weeks
between Biltmore and Old Dominion.  Each ride was 1 to 2 hours of intense
mountain training.

So I recommend less mileage to save the legs.  For your horses do easy
distance training with lots of trotting.  For experienced horses do smart
intense training.  And equitation training in the ring really pays
dividends.

Stagg Newman

 
----------
>From: "Angie Nathe" <angie_nathe@hotmail.com>
>To: ridecamp@endurance.net
>Subject: RC:  Simple question, maybe not so simple answer.
>Date: Tue, Jun 19, 2001, 4:28 PM
>

>I work full time 8am - 5pm.   I also have my own business I run.  In my free 
>time I am training and conditioning my 4 yr old for 25 mile CTR's.  Here is 
>my dilema.  Is it better for me to ride him 5 days a week 1 1/2 -2 hours or 
>to ride on weekends for up to maybe 6 hours at a time?
>
>Thanks for your help!
>Angie N
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