Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

This has been my first season of endurance, I have several season of competitve trail prior to this.  I will admit that I need to really manage my guy through a ride.  He has some muscle, so heat is an issue.  He can also burn himself out by going to fast in the first loops and not saving himself for the end of the ride.  As a result of this, I have become very good at this and I watch everything at the vet checks to see if I have an issue brewing.   We ride in the middle of the pack because that is where I feel most comfortable with him and where he performs best.  There is too much stress for me to be a front runner because I need to know that I am riding my ride, not riding to win.  If I happen to win, that's fine, but that is not why I am doing this. 

 

Carolyn Burgess

 

From: "Mcgann, Barbara"
Subject: RE: [RC] Standardbreds and Part Standardbreds in Endurance


Its kinda a chicken and egg question, though, isn't it? Which came =
first..."Arabs do so well in this sport because there are so bloody many =
of them competing." OR "There are so bloody many of them competing =
because they do so well in this sport"? :>))

When people go to rides and see the winners are arabs, the top ten are =
arabs, and the other breeds are basically middle to back of the packers, =
they come to the conclusion that they need an arab to really compete. =
This ain't true, but its almost a self-fulfilling truth. I'm like you, =
Carolyn. I like to ride both standardbreds and Saddlebreds, but I am a =
middle to back of the pack rider and so I contribute to the feeling that =
they aren't suited for running up front. I have ridden several horses =
in each breed that would have happily been a front runner if they had =
just had a front running rider!

Barb McGann

Carolyn Burgess
Email: carolyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Website: http://www.doubleheartranch.com

Phone: 1-978-897-6624
Fax: 1-419-735-1117