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RE: [RC] Shorter Loops - Jerry & Susan MilamJohn, Sue and Howard et al, I very strongly agree with the Greenalls about loop length. I think it is a MAJOR key to keep up with how our mounts are doing during long distances. I've been at a few rides that have had loops of 25 miles and yes, it's nice to get that 25 mile loop out of the way, but horses can and do get into trouble with the longer loops. I have a very hot horse and haven't done a lot of competition but I've done enough 50's now to have figured out finally how to ride my horse in the safest way for him. We went from doing fairly fast LDs to fairly fast 50's and we're not having the best scores on gut sounds. Our last 50 we did purposely slow to teach my horse to enjoy the ride, to smell the roses, and take nice long drinks along the way. We planned to take about 8 hours ride time and because of some other factors I believe it took even longer. We came in dead last and my horse was totally confused about the pace. He was not any where near as stressed at completion and I wasn't even a bit sore! It was very enjoyable, but the rush we get from the race scene was a little missed by both of us. In the past, I've posted my problems with Fly Bye and that I had to RO pull twice last year on our 50's because I didn't put a bit in his mouth on the first loop and that I thought I had over-grained him another time. Both those pulls were at rides where there was a 25 mile first loop. Had the first loop been 11 or even 15, I may have been able to make it to the vet check without pulling. That first loop is so very critical on how much horse you have left to finish the ride with too. It just seems that a lot of the investigation concerning the deaths and just metabolic stresses in our sport point to a need to shorten our ride loops away from rest stops and vet checks. It makes sence to me. In His Hands, Susan, Fly Bye & Dandy "All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you." ??? -Gandalf the Grey from Lord of the Rings? ??????????????????????????? -----Original Message----- From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of John & Sue Greenall Sent: Friday, October 17, 2003 2:44 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] Howard...what's your point? I am always glad to read what Howard writes because the man does not mince words. But...I think, Howard, is that you have missed the obvious. It is not the newbie riders who are losing horses! The one lost in Vermont last weekend was very tragic and when I step back and take a look, it is the sport at fault. Calm down, I love endurance and I think everyone is trying for the same goal, the interest of the sport...but the fact remains that we need to be protected from ourselves..and that goes for the horse too. The only way I can see that happening is to have more holds. More holds means more rest time for the horse, more opportunities for the vets to evaluate the horse and less time on the trail to get into trouble before it's caught. Loops of 20+ miles are simply too long. The Pan Ams had three loops - 20-20-21 miles. The Vermont ride had the first two loops - 18-21 miles. The horse gets into a deficit but is willing to go on despite itself. By the time the horse or rider recognizes that there is trouble, it can be too late. No vet can be expected to pull a horse out of metabolic trouble every time and I feel sorry for those vets that do everything in their power but cannot save a horse. I feel even more for the rider who can second guess themselves forever about what they missed in their horse before it failed. I feel the most for the horse because this is just a game we play and we invite them to join us although we all fully understand the risks....they do not. John and Sue Greenall mailto:greenall@xxxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.vermontel.com/~greenall =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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