 |
Re: [RC] new riders; proposals... - Truman PrevattJenna,This was never envisioned as a sport where a jockey climbs on a horse for a race. It was envisioned as a partnership between the horse and rider. When it works the best is when the rider knows the horse better than the horse knows itself. It is said on one given day the lowest of baseball players might hit three home runs. They can have a day. One day my horse had such a day. She ran a 50 in 3:40, won BC and had the best vet score. The vet said she looked better at the end than in the beginning. I knew her and knew it was safe to let her run. She was absolutly awsome. She was as good as Michael Jordan that day. I didn't always let her run that fast (although she would try if I didn't take responsibility as "Captain of the Ship." ) So yes to me the concept of a horse and rider team is one of the fundamental concepts of endurance riding and yes it does take a few races to know how your horse responds to the stresses of race day. You can't simulate that on the training trail. To gain this knowledge takes time and it is time well spent. Truman Jenna Pywell wrote: whether one is on an experienced and seasoned horse or not i still think it is a good idea to go slow the first 3 or 4 races; if not simply for the fact that the horse and rider are a 'new' team. it seems to me that many accidents happen when people misread their animals. thus if they HAVE to go slow it gives the rider the opportunity to pick up on their horses individual quirks etc...which potentially could be picked up too late if one rides fast and doesn't catch that their horse is ADR cos they don't know them well enough and is not familiar with that particular horses signs. of course problems can still happen at a slower pace but i do believe speed is a factor. personally when i go fast i like to be certain that i KNOW my animal and by this i do not mean from riding at home, there are certain aspects that can one can ONLY learn in an endurance ride situation. i know my horses have taught me many things i would never have known about them at endurance rides and not at home. JMHO :) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|