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[RC] Attention Newbies, slowbies, etc. - KarenHow about no emergency room visits? :+> I'm not sure I want to call myself an old rider quite yet. But I have a new horse. Well, he's not really new, I've had him three years and he just completed his 7th ride (355 miles, woohoo). Which in comparison to my other two horses, makes him 'new' at this. This is his 2nd season, last year he completed two 50's. My goal for this horse is to get him thru his first 1000 miles without any injuries or problems. I think that it would be a good base to get on him before he starts to go very fast. Right now my goals for him are to learn to start a ride calmly, walk out of camp without spazzing. Handle being passed. Take care of himself. Learn that we are going to have fun and enjoy ourselves and when it isn't fun, we are going to stop and back up however far we need--if he isn't having fun then I won't be, and vice versa. Teach him manners (standing while I mount, even if being passed, don't tailgate, etc.). I want to ride on a loose rein and be able to 'rate' his speed without arguing or fighting. He needs to stop on a dime in precarious positions and stand still while I take photos :-). He's already darn near accomplished all of those things, and now he just needs to repeat repeat repeat so he knows that is how it is. I am looking longer term than first year or two planning. I want this horse to last. Though, I know you can do everything right and still have failures. My goal is to have a horse that I don't have to worry about. That is what I want, more than anything. How fast he goes is not important to me. I want to be able to ride a sound, happy horse and have a good time. For now we are going to keep his trot speed in the 6.5 to 8.5 mph range, and once he gets that down we'll work on doing it more consistently. If he can keep a pace like that, he can win Tevis. I don't need a horse faster than that <G>. It helps me to have the perspective of riding my first two horses so much -- I can compare the differences in them and it's plain as day that when you've only ridden a horse on 7 50's you just can't really *know* them yet. You might think you do, but just keep riding and see. Later you look back and think about how much you have learned, and it's always an amazing amount. I can't imagine racing a horse with such low mileage, they are like babies no matter their age (Chief is 8 now) -- and so easy to hurt and damage in a lot of different ways. Besides, you can't know everything about an animal that is constantly learning, changing, and evolving at the same time you are. I think giving awards for something like 10 rides in a row with no pulls, might prove contrary (actually, I've seen that at rides in the NW when I've witnessed the extremes people will go to so they don't get pulled) -- better to recognize longevity or succeeding by not continuing with a horse on a ride before a real problem does develop. Karen in NV & Weaver, 5935 miles & Rocky, 6700 miles & Chief, 355 miles, he even gets beat by John Parke :+>Feedback please. Let's say you are a new rider, or an old rider with a new horse, or someone who wants to move up to 50's from LD. You need a first year goal. What's a good one? It mustn't be an automatic success for you or it will be meaningless. It must reward all the things we claim we want to encourage the first year.
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