Long slow distance

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>>>One of the guys from our club brought a just under saddle, like I
mean, three times under saddle, 5 year old gelding to the Death Valley
Encounters.    He does three days of DVE 50 milers >>>>

I'm not impressed.   I don't think it's the end of the world to do a 50
slowly fairly early in a horse's training...90 days or so, but I'll be
darned if I'll be impressed that somebody wanted to do all three days so
bad that they did it on a horse who hasn't even had a chance to develop
the muscles in their back.  I've seen a horse who had a charlie horse so
bad that he was carrying one leg chasing his corral mate.  May just mean
he's in a bad mood. 

I don't know this person, he may be a great guy, but it irks me when on
the one hand we tell people, "Start slow, take your time", then at a ride
meeting someone says, "Look! this was her first ride ever and she won!"
and everybody cheers.  I'll cheer for the person who doesn't let their
competitive nature get ahead of their horse's training.

Angie
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