Re: [RC] Small horses and endurance riding - jspoone
Title: Re: [RC] ??Small horses and endurance riding
My gelding is 14.3 and I am just over 200lbs
without tack, with it I have no idea. He carries me on 6-7 hour trail rides and
has plenty f go at the end. Don't let somebody discourage you because your horse
is small. You know her best and if you think she can/will do it go for it.
Subject: Re: [RC] Small horses and
endurance riding
on 7/2/03 5:55 PM, Dr. Liz Faletti, DC at efaletti@xxxxxxx wrote:
I am 5'5'' about 140 pounds, about
185 with tack. My husband is about 185 without tack. I have a
friend who rides dressage who is adamant that Winter won't carry either of
us for the longer distances. Even my endurance riding friend thinks
Winter wouldn't carry my husband.
Are we just dreaming or can this mare do 50-100 miles with either
of us? I have ridden five 25 mile rides over a 12 year period.
My other horse is a 20 year old 1/2 Arab/pinto, 14.3 hands. She
feels like riding a tank after riding Winter. Last year we did the Cascade
Challenge two day 25 miles each day. Meriqa was doing better each day.
I put all this in, because I haven't ridden longer distances yet, and I
don't want to ask this beautiful, good horse to do something that is going
to hurt her. I know she would make a wonderful child's endurance
horse, so long as the child wasn't a rank beginner. My goals are to ride
multi day rides and to ride a single horse 3000 to 10000 miles as I've heard
of other people doing.
Well, my mare is
small, 14.2 and very fine boned, but stronger than heck and has more heart
than any horse I have ever met. I'm about 165 without tack, about 195 with
tack. She has no problem and neither do I. She has done 4 50 milers so far,
and been in heavy training for several years. Never been unsound or had a sore
back once. She does have a nice short back though. I don't think it is too
much to ask-your husband might be, but I am sure there have been small horses
that have done very well. And stay sounder.
I'd take my little mare
over any other horse in the world. Her heart speaks so much louder than her
size. After almost 5 years with her, I have discovered that size means very
little. Heart and athleticism and inherent mean much more. Tiffany
