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Re: [RC] Fw: Slowing down speedy horse (Easy Early to Win Later) - Stagg_NewmanThe question was asked if one should slow down a speedy horse early in a race, even if one has to fight the horse. ABSOLUTELY! You should slow down the horse for three reasons, the first two two of which are for the welfare of the horse. 1. Horses that go fast early have a much higher probability of metabolic problems. The combination of the stress from the flight hormones kicking into gear, the more rapid build-up of heat and lactic acid, etc. just sets the horse up for problems. 2. Horses that go fast early, particularly early in their career are more likely to have soundness problems. 3. Riders that let their horses go too fast early are much more likely to not finish at all. If your goal is "to finish is to win" or even if you goal is to top ten and get BC or even win, careful pacing early greatly increases your chance of "winning". So now here is one of the "trade secrets" that many experienced riders have learned: SAVING HORSE EARLY PAYS HUGE DIVIDENDS LATER. Many people to not realize how fast miles early really deplete the reserves of horse!!! And will penalize you later, particularly for young horses. Now for some specific examples. Joe Long noted that when the sport first went to gates into holds, he came into the first checkpoints well behind the leader. His horse Kahlil recovered right away and Joe had just moved past the blitzing front runners. For many years in the '80s and early '90s the Race of Champions was the AERC ride that drew the best competition from around the country. While I do not have the detailed stats, I believe year after year less than 25% of the early front runners even finished. At the 1991 North American Championship, my wife and I were on the P&R Crew. At the first check we kept looking for the favorites, Becky Hart on Rio, who had at the time won two World Championships, and Darla Westlake on Muffy, who had won more rides and BCs than any horse in AERC history. They came in well back of the leaders, maybe in 20th place or so. At the last checkpoint Rio and Muffy came in together and pulsed down within a couple of minutes in the lead. It was at least another hour before the next horse came into the check point!!! BTW Muffy won that day in a sprint at the finish. At the 1992 AERC National Championship in Iowa we started in 19 degree F weather. Many riders let their horses go fast in the cold weather. My wife and were somewhere around 17th and 18th at the first check point. We finished first and second. At the Carolina 100 last year, 9 riders, some rather experienced, set a blistering pace in the cool windy weather. Steve Rojek, one of the best riders in the country was not among them. Steve won the ride, while I am not sure any of the 9 finished. At the Biltmore 100, earlier this year I did the first 14 mile loop about a minute slower than the front runners (and was told I was somewhere between 15th and 25th at the first check point). However, my horse, Jayel Super, recovered in two minutes, so I made much of the time up as the front runners took 10 minutes or so to come down. Again on the second loop the front runners went a bit faster but I made up time at the hold by again recoverying in two minutes. So after about 33 miles, the front runners had ridden the trail 15 to 20 minutes faster than I but only had a few minutes lead. Needless to say my horse was the fresher horse. And we were fortunate enough to stay sound and go onto to win and get BC. BTW I have repeatedly learned this lesson the hard way. The rides that I have not finished (and I have had my share) have frequently been the rides where I did not have the discipline to force myself and the horse to slow down. So how do you teach the horse to not race. Typically with the hot horse (and my two best horses have been hot), with lots of hard work over several years. Some of the ideas I recommend. 1. Lots of basic equitation lessons so the horse learns to obey the aids. 2. Lots of training on the trails with other horses, where the horse is taught to let other horses go. 3. Starting rides well after the leaders go, particularly with young horses. Wait 5 even 10 or 15 minutes if necessary. 4. Quickly try to get with just a couple of other horses traveling at the type of pace you want to travel at. 5. And yes fighting like hell if necessary. After Drubin's first 50 in 1988, I had bursitis for several months from pulling back on the reigns. It went away until I took Super on his first 50 in 1998 when I again got bursitis. :>( But it was worth it. As Dr. Matthew Mackay Smith, AERC HOF rider and vet (and the only person to win Tevis and OD in the same year on the same horse!) says: "Never hurry, never tarry." +---------------------------------------------------------+ This message may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the addressee or authorized to receive this for the addressee, you must not use, copy, disclose or take any action based on this message or any information herein. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this message. Thank you for your cooperation. +---------------------------------------------------------+ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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