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Re: [RC] who is captain of the ship - Jim HollandDreamWeaver wrote: A horse should learn from a ride what YOU, the rider, intend for him to learn. He will only learn to race if YOU LET him race. If you can't keep him from racing, you should not have gone to the ride. You might not have realized that till you got there, I understand, but don't blame the distance, blame the rider!There is another side though. It's not just what you teach the horse, but what the horse isn't learning by going on the shorter distances. Some horses are mental works of art :+>, and do greatly benefit by 'going the distance'. Karen, both you AND Truman are right. I don't do 25's either....now...but I started Endurance doing 25's. I think this was of more benefit to me than it was the horse. If you are an experienced rider and have a strong conditioning program, 25 miles is just an easy training ride. Sunny's first ride was a 50, and he Top Tenned his second ride. He is never "out of control" and would not have been that way on a 25, but by doing a 50 at the beginning, he was out there longer, got to go through more vet checks, spent more time dealing with all those horses, learning to pace, etc...and I wanted him to be out there long enough to relax and get a little tired. He just would not have learned as much from a 25 as he did a 50...he had already done 50 miles and more in training...just didn't need LD. He needed to be in the "environment" of an Endurance ride as long as possible to "grow up" more quickly. LD's would have done the same thing, but it would have taken me longer. Depends on the horse....AND depends on the rider. Both are acceptable choices...whatever works for you...AND that particular horse. Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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