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[RC] mixing the two - Patti KuvikDeb... What a wonderful opportunity for these kids to learn how to properly feed/condition/read their horses! Even for a short (15 mile or so) "fun" or "training" ride, they will need to learn to condition and rate their horses. At Scorpian Sting (my first exposure to endurance - as a pulse taker) most of the "fun ride" horses had trouble pulsing down; a couple of horses that did really well were 4H kids that ride the bejeebers out of their horses every day yet seemed really tuned in to caring well for them. A "show horse" that is conditioned by trail work is prettier (the rounded curves come from well conditioned muscle instead of obesity), carries himself better (and with the new AQHA judging emphasis away from peanut rollers and toward forward movement this could be an advantage), is more sure footed and agile and is less likely to "anticipate" gait changes (as they learn to do in the ring). And the kids will "naturally" become better riders by having to adapt to terrain and gait changes and not worrying about "how they look". And they might discover the "pleasure" in their "western pleasure" horses. Patti K Vail AZ From: DAldr94141@xxxxxxx Subject: [RC] mixing the two Hi. I'm just interested in knowing if anyone has an opinion. I have a reason for asking so here goes. Does anyone think that it's possible to mix horse showing and endurance/CTR with the same horse? I mean, anything is possible but I think it would be tough to do. An adult friend who is heavily involved with his kids in 4-H and not into CTR or End. wants to introduce the western pleasure 4-H show kids to the sport. I mean, he would like the kids to do a small novice ride and thinks (and he's right) that the kids would get to know their horses better, you know, read their horses better. I know doing one isn't going to do it and that they would have to do many trail rides and who has time to do that and show every weekend? But, I've heard comments on how a show horse has a hard time going on trail because it's too spooky for the horse, etc. because they are too conditioned for the arena atmosphere. I had a mare who was coming along well at CTR's. I entered her in a fun show and she tried to race around the ring to "catch up" to the other horses. Wasn't fun at all. I was asked to help with this "project" and thought I'd get some feedback before committing myself. Thanks in advance. Deb ============================================================ Black care rarely sits behind a rider whose pace is fast enough ~ Theodore Roosevelt ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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