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Re: [RC] 100, Part 1 - Joe LongOn Sat, 06 Aug 2005 11:52:21 -0600 (MDT), jan mutchler <jmutchler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: I have heard that it is preferable to have a horse that turns over from trot to canter at about 16 mph. Reason being, a trot any faster than that becomes too hard on the biomechanics of the horse (front end) plus, the faster trot is more likely to cause a stiff back. What are your thoughts on the canter gait being easier on the horse than the fast trot gait? And, how early in the horse's conditioning program should the canter work be implemented? Are you talking about as soon as the horse starts going down the conditioning trail, or waiting a few months/year before implementing canter work? Jan Mutchler Oreana, ID As speed increases there is a point at which cantering uses less energy and causes less stress than trotting. However, there is no set speed where you should change from trot to canter. It depends on the individual horse, and for a given horse, the terrain and other factors. The "crossover" speed was much lower than 16 mph for my horses, and I've spent many miles on rides cantering beside horses that were trotting, then pulling away from them late in the ride.. A heart rate monitor can help you find these speeds for your horse, but without one if you are in tune with the horse you can often still tell reasonably well which gait is using less energy and stress at the speed you are going. On the question of whether a horse whose crossover speed is higher is better suited to racing endurance, that depends somewhat on the nature of the race. On most of the rides we have in the U. S. I personally prefer a horse whose crossover speed is lower (they are generally smaller and more compact, and better equipped to stand up to the rigors of endurance and stay sound). Also, I start doing some cantering fairly early in a new horse's conditioning. I don't have the time or patience for a lot of LSD, so I mix up the gaits. It is light cantering, though (not fast) and only for short stretches until the foundation is built. -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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