Ridecamp: [RC] Jobs and Training - The Minimalist Approach

My job typically only allows me to ride on weekends except perhaps for 3/4
hour on equitation work
in a ring during the week so I have developed a minimalist approach to
conditioning and training.
BTW I believe many people over train their horses.

So here is the approach that works for me for training for tough 100s.

1.  Be patient and build your horse up over 3 years to get them ready for a
100.  Add another year before increasing speed.
2.  Include regular equitation lessons on your horse to teach him rhythm,
balance, and alignment.
3.  Do serious conditioning only one day a week but make that intense.
Note that I have the advantage
of living in the mountains so a typical training ride consists for 1 and
1/2 to 2 hours with several 1000 feet
of climbing.  We aim to be able to do a 2000 foot climb trotting and
galloping when the horse is at peak.
( Becky Hart and Dr. Jeannie Waldron taught me this).  On some weekends we
will do less climbing but
go 20 to 25 miles in typically 3 to 4 hours.
4.  Use competitions for conditioning.  I will use a 50 as conditioning but
I rarely race 50s, rather I pace them.
5.  After a tough 100 give the horse plenty of rest.  (For example after
the Old Dominion 4 weeks off).

Note that the following program works well for an athletic Arab that is not
to big.  A heavily muscled horse
will probably need more conditioning.  And those folks without mountains
will have to do more riding.

While some may say that such a program will result in an underconditioned
horse, it works for me as noted below.

I used the following program with Jayel Super in 2001 and the running fates
were kind to me.
In March Super did the Hallelujah 100 with my wife riding and finished 3rd
(much to our surprise - we thought we were much further back).
In April we did the Middleburg Research 50 and finished 9th.  These two
rides were conditioning for the heart of the season.
Then in May Super won and got BC at the Biltmore 100.  Super then got a
couple weeks of rest.
In June at the Old Dominion Super won, set the course record for the course
used since 1994, got BC, high vet score, and the Old Dominion trophy.
Super then got 4 weeks of rest.
In August Super was 4th at the Pan American Championship and shared a team
gold medal.  He then got a long very well deserved rest.

Admittedly I was very lucky to get a very good athlete in Jayel Super.
Thanks to Janice Leinhart and Dr. Dwight Hooten!

Note that same season my then 18 year old veteran Ramegwa Drubin did the
Hallelujah 100 ride (March) and finished 4th,
the Middleburg Research 50 (April) and finished in the middle pack, and
then finished 6th at the Liberty Run 100 Memorial Day Weekend.
Drubin was NOT ridden between the those rides.  He did free run with Super
on some of his training rides.

Admittedly Drubin had quite a base having at that point done about 30 one
day 100s in his career.  (Heidi probably remembers
Drubin when he was at the top of his form in the early '90s)

So my theory is to:
   minimize the training miles to save the horses legs,
   teach the horse proper equitation,
   build the horse's strength up over years, particularly the tendons, and
   ligaments,
   and then train the heart  and lungs through intense work at most once a
   week.

I believe Dr. Jeannie Waldron who has won the OD 3 times and has several
FEI medals has a similar philosophy.
Would be interested to hear if others have a similar approach.

Stagg Newman


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