Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

On Mon, 17 May 2004 RISTREE@xxxxxxx wrote:

> What does it take, for horse and rider, individually and collectively,
> to be ready to successfully and safely finish a 100 mile ride?
Hi Patti, I've done one and it was a few years ago so I'm just barely 
qualified to answer here :) 

I'd like to tell you that I came up with the rigorous training program and
stuck to it and kept logs and knew everything there is to know about my
horse's fitness. 

However, if I did I'd be lying. I conditioned and rode just like I did 
for 50s. 

Mainly we did it because I *REALLY* wanted to do it. Everyone said "doing
a 100 is mostly mental" and I used to think "yeah, right".

Well, your horse does need some amount of conditioning - I'll grant you
that :) But you have to really WANT to do one. All the conditioning 
in the world doesn't get you back on the horse at 10pm with 40 more 
miles to go. Desire, however, will do strange things to us all :).

So, if you feel like you're horse is physically okay to do one then you 
just have to decide that it's a serious goal of yours. And then you'll 
make it happen :)

Tina


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Riding alone is when you teach a horse all the "tools" and "cues" he needs
to handle the trail, to hold a speed, deal with hills, etc. It's also where
you develop the "bond" that causes him to "defer" to you before losing his
cool.
~ Jim Holland

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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