In a message dated 12/22/2005 3:59:54 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
Chipnml@xxxxxxx writes:
A few years ago I was able to do a little experiment, since the loops on
a 50 mile ride took us up the same long steep hill three times. The
first time I let Cheers just zip up at a gallop...my heart moniter read
230. The second time we walked up and it read 180. The third time
I got off and tailed up, and the heart moniter read 110. That made me
realize just what kind of stress is put on your horse taking him up a hill at
various gaits. Another thing you can do is try it yourself....first run,
then walk up a hill and see how you feel at the top.
Yeah, and if you think there is a strain on the cardio-vascular responses,
imagine the hyper-flexion of tendons and the ripping and tearing of those
important fibers.
I've always thought just working up the hills at an easy
quickstep (read "amble" for Arabian owners fortunate enough to have a horse that
does that gait), then, I get off and jog down the other side, horse in hand,
stepping carefully BEHIND me. In the days when I used a heart monitor (on
the horse), it sure seemed the way to go. Tailing up the hill (you know,
off the horse, holding onto the tail and a nice lead (NOT one attached to a
hackamore, but maybe affixed to the bit properly)), and THEN, asking for a jog
trot for the horse sure seemed to be an awesome thing, particularly on
switchbacks like those encountered on the Tevis trail or the Big Horn trail,
where the horse is asked to take charge. I always found it interesting how
I would tire out BEFORE my mount. You gotta know I filed that little
tidbit away when I (every now and again) got the urge to blow up a steep climb
while ahorse.
The rider has got to know the cost before spending the dough, if you
know what I mean.
Going up a hill, and climbing a steep grade are NOT the same thing.
My maxed-out credit card worth, anyway, (I don't have "two cents to
use"),
