Create an Endurance Horse

[DVeritas@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/31/01 9:11:10 AM Mountain Standard Time, 
amandaperez@ureach.com writes:


> Way back when, I 
> took up jogging, and figured if I was not out of breath, I was 
> OK, and pretty quickly built my wind up.  BUT....a month after 
> starting I suffered a stress fracture in my leg.


   
        You have succinctly illustrated one of the "truths" of endurance 
horse training....CARDIO-VASCULAR conditioning can be attained in a 
relatively short period of time, shockingly so.  ENDURANCE CONDITIONING 
consists of more than that, and my list would include:
         1.  Start with a well-broke saddle horse, schooled in walk, trot, 
canter, hand-gallop (not "run") who has been trained in the fundamentals of 
self-carriage and has had regular hoof care and veterinary attention.
         2.  Introduce the horse to the trail (preferably just you and the 
horse) and "discover" what awaits you on the trail in a calm, relaxed manner 
(read, "walk", jog trot").  ("Trail" in this regard could mean anywhere other 
than the arena, dirt roads, mountain trails, deep woods, but the key is 
somewhere where that horse has to learn about unfamiliar surroundings.  
(NOTE:  riding with other horses will come "down the road" AFTER you and your 
horse have established the symbiosis you will need to get through what awaits 
you.)
         3.  Do not concern yourself with cardiovascular anything at this 
point (unless you want to just "note" resting, working and finishing rates 
for your "edification".)  (Still training the mind of the horse here, but the 
neat thing is the body, i.e., heart, lungs, legs, eyes, ears, feet, etc. get 
to "learn" their full range of function as well just by "going along".)
         4.  Do this, varying the distances, but seldom the intensity, except 
for longer periods of trot in frame, in 3/4 frame or wherever the horse seems 
to "FLOW DOWN THE TRAIL LIKE WATER"...i.e., effortlessly.
         5.  The key to starting endurance horses in this fashion is for the 
rider to stifle the urge to be TOO SMART.  Ride the horse, don't "interfere" 
with its learning experience too much, but stay safe.  THINK OF 
IRRIGATING....WHEN YOU TRY TO GET WATER TO GO WHERE YOU WANT IT, NEED 
IT...YOU CAN NOT FORCE IT.  SET UP THE SYSTEMS WHICH WILL ALLOW IT TO 
FLOW....AND THEN WATCH IT WORK.
         6.  Do this, riding attentively, but not obtrusively, for two years.
         7.  Then go to an endurance ride and have fun on the horse that God 
created, to which He gave you access and whom you helped prepare in the 
arena, on the trail and through a strong application of common sense.
         We all ride the horse we help create....
         If we are going to obligate the horse to do 25, 50, a 100 or 
multi-day WE are obligated to prepare them.
    
         Frank.

         PS:  Obviously there is much more to "peeking and tweeking" for 
optimum performance, read, "Winning", but for some of us "Riding" is okay.