Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Mad Science

Howard,

I so enjoy your posts, but you lost me on this one. I like tiny piece puzzles as well as the next guy but this is even worse. My head is still reeling. I am not even going to TRY to keep up with you. But I do love my HRM and use it as a training tool. I may be a bit too dependent on it as when the electrode pad has slipped and suddenly my horse shows a HR of 181 and we are in an easy trot. Yikes!!!!  But then I come to my senses and rely on common sense and knowledge of my horse to know that she is just fine and that it is my HRM that is in trouble.

It is a gauge only and to attempt to use it as any more (for me) is beyond my talents or mind power. Using this computer is a huge stretch and the most I need to tackle this decade. Now when you get a GPS, things should get very interesting.......

Pat

----- Original Message -----

From: Howard Bramhall

To: JUDYK89@xxxxxxx

Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 12:59 PM

Subject: Re: [RC] Mad Science

The only horse I'm using here, so far, for these numbers, is my Paint.  I'm not using the Arabs, and comparing me riding an Arab to Jen riding my Paint.  The numbers are with me and Jen riding the same horse, my Paint, Moonlight Princess. She rides the Paint during one training session, with the heart monitor (so far we only own one), and gives me the numbers (I'm riding one of our Arabs) as we go down the trail.  Then, the next session, I ride the Paint, with Jen on another horse, and I record my numbers.  We use the buddy system, meaning I record the numbers when the Paint is with another horse (not alone), and Princess usually leads.  She is 15 hands 1 inch tall and weighs 985 lbs.  Her breeding is 3/4's Thoroughbred with 1/4 Quarter horse.  She's not muscled up like a lot of Paints get and her metabolics are quite good. 

 

I plan on continuing this experiment, in the future, using my two Arabs, since this is the breed of choice in endurance.  So far, the numbers I'm getting with them are a bit lower, but the difference in weight of the riders and heart rate of the horse is quite close to my 4.285 lbs per one percent difference in BPM heart rate using the same horse.

 

I'm trying not to compare apples to oranges.  All of my stats will be on the same horse, with different weights of the riders being the main variable.  I try and keep the ride conditions (terrain, like that's going to change down here, weather conditions, and overall speed of the ride) the same, as much as possible.   I do realize that the difference in weight, between Jennifer and myself, is high, but, so is the difference between a featherweight and a heavyweight rider, which is what my hypothesis is all about. 

 

Who the heck knows how accurate this all is?  I mean, look who is conducting the experiment.  But, your inputs are important to me so, I'm open to all ideas.  All I can say is I JUST LOVE THE FRIGGEN HEART MONITOR!

 

cya,

Howard (if only I appreciated the cell phone as much)

 

----- Original Message -----

From: JUDYK89@xxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 12:23 PM

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: [RC] Mad Science

 

Hmmm...

Okay, what I want to know is what is the weight difference between your paint and your Arabs? 

What I've always been told is this...

You have a 1100 pound horse, and your daughter weighs 107, the horse will work harder than an 800 pound horse with a 200+ rider. 

It is the total weight that matters with the horse and rider and tack. 

So the point to remember is to look for those small powerful horses?

Of course I weigh about the same as you and have a 15.2 hand horse that weighs about 1000 lbs.  We are at a distinct disadvantage but good conditioning can overcome the weight obstacles.

Judy