Re: [RC] Prineville, Injured riders and horses - heidiwhether or not your horse was the offending animal in this melee, I don't follow the logic that being intact helps him stay in better shape and race better. I have to second Chris's observation. Although it is true that I've had some stallions that would "self-condition" to some degree, the testosterone is a definite DIS-advantage to endurance performance. There have been a few stallions that have "raced" well--but I would bet breakfast that every one of them would have "raced" better as a gelding. This isn't like the track, where they can just bust out the gate and run their brains out for a few minutes on a testosterone high. They may get "race brain" early in a ride, but when you get to doing any distance, they get to be real pansies. And if you hurt their feelings, they're done. The people who have successfully campaigned stallions are very special people who know how to deal with their rather fragile psyches. They know how to contain their egos in the beginning without bruising their feelings, and how to sweet-talk them through the "third-quarter doldrums." I've seen a lot more stallions soured on the sport than successful, over the years. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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