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| From
the desk of Betty Edgar |
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Elayne--
I've done both NATRC open (approx. 2000 miles) and AERC
50-100 milers (approx. 5000 miles) so I feel qualified to
compare the two. Apples/oranges sort of thing I
believe.
NATRC does certainly teach safety and care of your horse as
well as pacing since you're more or less forced to keep the
designated pace for any particular event. I do not believe
that it teaches good riding skills, i.e. proper
centered/balanced riding. At least when I was riding NATRC
the horsemanship judges wanted to see you "light in the
saddle" which translated into too much weight in the
stirrups, a too forward position, which can lead to a very
imbalanced inappropriate seat for long distance riding or any
other riding for that matter.
Endurance you are on your own as far as horsemanship and
pacing but you WILL learn better ways of caring for your horse
post ride, and of necessity will probably develop a more
balanced seat and better posting skills. But a few riding
lessons wouldn't hurt either.
As for pacing, you can learn that on your own by working on
it during training rides. Mark distances and check times
on your training trails/logging roads, whatever you use.
Learn to judge your horse's mph at various gait speeds.
Hours/miles of this will teach you a "feel" for
pacing. If possible ride with an experienced endurance
rider. . . one who has done many rides of 50 miles or
more.
Generally, if terrain permits you try to maintain a pace
mile after mile and that pace will be a trot of some length or
speed, depending upon where your horse is most efficient and is
currently in condition to maintain. And only you can learn
where your horse prefers to work. . . most likely between 8 mph
and 12 mph, but maybe less. At this point the speed
doesn't matter, you're wanting to develop the consistency of the
pace.
When you are doing an LD ride be aware of keeping the same
pace the whole ride. That is, do not go out faster at the
start than what your horse is capable of maintaining throughout
the ride. If need be start after everyone else so you are
in better control of the situation and perhaps even going more
slowly than you'd like to ride. If you're in control of
the speed during the first part of the ride you can then pick up
the pace later as your horse relaxes into the work.
Hope this helps.
Betty Edgar
