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Re: [RC] Decline in 100's - heidiI actually don't see the jump from 50 to 100 any bigger than the jump from 75 to 100. From some work done by Mike Maul some time back he showed that pull rates are pretty consistent up to about 75 miles but between this and a 100 there is a big jump. So that wall is somewhere between 75 and 100. As both a veterinarian and a rider, I can tell you that for the rider, the gap between 50 and 75 is more significant than the gap between 75 and 100. As a veterinarian, I see the effect of modern breeding for specialization (show ring and track) taking its toll. For horses of modern breeding, there IS a wall between 75 and 100--and this ups the pull rate. For the classic horses, we never did find the wall--even back when we used to run 150s and 200s (yep, not multidays--150 run in 36 hours, and 200 run in 48 hours). I never did vet a 200, but I did vet some 150s--and the horses just seemed to be able to keep going, and going, and going.... But I also see a big segment of the modern equine population that does indeed start to struggle at around 75 or 80 miles. (And as a breeder, I find this tragic.) Heidi ============================================================ One would think that logic would prevail. But then, if logic did prevail, men would ride sidesaddle. ~ Bob Morris ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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