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RE: [RC] re: any horse can do 25, etc. - Catfish Daniels

Hi Becky:
Thanks for your comment.  Yes, you are right - this was supposed to be a
learning experience for my gelding, and it was apparent to me that on
this day we did not learn much, and it didn't look like the day would
change a whole lot.  I certainly didn't think that waiting for him to
hurt himself would fall under the guidelines of "good lesson".  

Before the next ride, I think I'm going to do a bit of interval
training, pay a bit more attention to my heart monitor and get my
youngster to learn to raise his heart rate and calm down again.  And
riding in groups is definitely in order for the next bunch of training
rides to come.  My other gelding who's doing Tevis with me this year
started off the same way about 5 years ago.  Today he's a dream horse to
ride - his recovery rates and control on the trail amongst the worst
commotion is unbelievable.  I have to say, even though this past weekend
didn't work out well for my young gelding, dang, I fell in love with'm.
He just didn't know any better.


Happy trails :-)
Catfish

DBL Realtors


-----Original Message-----
From: bechack@xxxxxxx [mailto:bechack@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 9:56 AM
To: CatfishDaniels@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC] re: any horse can do 25, etc.

Good for you at having the good sense to call it a day.  This was not
a good learning experience beyond what you did.  Do you have a riding
partner?  I would play leap frog A LOT with anyone I could find.

Since he is in such good shape, starting closer to the from might
work. A buddy down the trail....joined at the hip as it were?  The
race horses are the hardest to figure out....

Good luck!


---- Original Message ----
From: CatfishDaniels@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC]   re:  any horse can do 25, etc.
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 09:57:49 -0700

Hi Cindy:
I WOULD have agreed with you up until this past weekend when I took a
superbly conditioned young gelding, new to the sport to the Malibu
Ride
here in the PS region.  He came fresh off the race track after two
years
of racing, and I had spent a good amount of time putting him into my
own
endurance training program consisting of 8, 13, and 24 mile training
loops which he does with great ease, and acting and moving like a
perfect seasoned gentleman.  This horse looks and is in phenomenal
shape.

This past weekend was the Malibu Ride - his first endurance
experience.
Having a conditioned horse is one thing, getting him used to the
sport
and keeping him calm is another.  Approximately 3-4 miles into the
ride,
even though we were towards the very back of the pack, he was so
hyper
that he was foamed all over and literally dripping like a wet rag.  A
complete wash-out.  His heart was racing a million miles per hour. 
At
the first vet-check I was forced to do a Rider-Option pull after only
14
miles because after an hour his heart rate was still jumping around
between 60 and 80 bpm.  The vets all checked him out and although he
seemed a bit dehydrated due to all the sweat he had lost, he ate very
well and had strong gut sounds.  Metabolically he was doing very well
actually.  He was young and acting stupid - the exact words from the
vets - prancing around whinnying and wanting to do anything but calm
down.  

So, I agree with you that most horses that are ridden a reasonable
amount would indeed be "fit enough" to complete a 25 miler, but I
have
learned that there are many more factors involved in getting a horse
thru a ride and getting him to meet criteria at the vet check.


Catfish

DBL Realtors


-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Cindy Collins
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 8:28 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] re: any horse can do 25, etc.

Just fyi-`When I say that any sound horse can do 25 miles, I am
saying
that physiologically, many of my friends who ride their horses
regularly
whether it be in dressage, eventing, trail riding, etc. could take
their
horses and walk, trot, (and canter a little) through a 25 mile ride
within
the 6 hour limit with no problems or harm to their horses.  I am not
talking about some "cowboy" pulling a fat horse, that hasn't been
ridden
in months, out of the pasture and "over and undering" the horse
through
a
25.  One of the reason so many of us "old timers" detest 25 milers is
because that's the type of behavior we believe 25 milers bring out in
folks...it is because doing 25 miles is within the reach of almost
any
sound horse of any breed.  There is something about bumping up the
distance to 50 miles that becomes "endurance" and only a relatively
few
horses can go that distance.  (Remember, we're around endurance
horses
constantly and we get a skewed view of horse flesh...our horses are
exceptional at distance).  So, some local yokel is less likely to try
a
50, but may try a 25 miler on a whim with no education or
preparation. 
Getting angry at folks for stating the truth is silly.  But, most of
our
arguments here are just that!  Cindy

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We are talking about all the tools we can use to keep our horses safe
and
alive at the rides. Training/conditioning is one of the best tools
available. It makes us better horseman and women, it benefits our
horses
and could quite possibly be the key to preventing most crashes.
~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm

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

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The two best drugs to have in your kit are Tincture of Time and a
Dose of
Common Sense. These two will carry you through 99.999% of the
problems
associated with horses and endurance competition.
~ Robert Morris

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

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Becky and the gang

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REAL endurance is taking your non-horsey family to a ridecamp with you!
~ Heidi Sowards

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

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