Ridecamp: Re: [RC] musings re "the good old days"

> 1)  You are correct that the mileage was not available.  The result was
that
> more people tried to run fast.  I think that was even harder on the horses
> than the long mileage seasons, personally.

I do, too, and I honestly don't have any empirical info about what an
average times was for an average 50 or 100.  It's just my own perception
that times seem to be getting faster and faster on average----or maybe it's
that faster and faster times are being *attempted* by people in their first
season, which is a lot more alarming (to me, anyway).


> 4)  As for the "handful of hay" comment--even "back then" we free-choiced
the grass hay, tried to get them to eat as much of it as possible in the
> days prior to the ride, and let them eat grain at vet checks for more
carbs.

Okay...but I also still have an old book around here somewhere from a well
known rider that advises horses will run better "empty" during a fifty than
as you describe.  And I also know straight alfalfa was a lot more common
then---one of the nicest things I've read all this week was that someone at
Wine Country (I think) had some mild metabolic symptoms, and the ride vets
told the rider to get him OFF ALFALFA.

>--in fact, I think many of today's
> riders could benefit from mentoring by some of the fabulous horsemen who
> rode "back then."  Before all the technology, one had to "read" one's
horse
> and be much more in tune to it--a skill that sometimes gets lost among the
> fancy gadgets and the wonder supplements.


I agree---and I'm certainly not bashing any of the riders back then (far
from it).  I think the up side to the new research and feeds and so on is
that it might prevent some borderline horses from potentially crashing.  And
might even prevent some chronic injuries (ie, renal tubular necrosis) from
accumulating and in doing so prolong the career of a horse that's already
doing everything 95% right.  The down side to all the new feeds and
formulations and such is that, yup, it can also potentially be used as a sho
rtcut and substitute for a new rider just doing their homework.  Anybody
that's ever heard me teach a nutrition seminar knows I harp pretty hard on
Doing the Basics instead of relying on a bucket of rocket fuel.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that new formulations and feeds will
never replace reading your horse and good horsemanship.  I just don't think
we should throw the baby out with the bathwater, either, and not take
advantage of New Stuff just because it's new.  I think the horses deserve
better than that.

Susan G





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