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Re: [RC] Question re Running up hills-easiest way? - Joe LongOn Fri, 23 Dec 2005 02:25:36 -0800, Diane Trefethen <tref@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Bill Bentham, an endurance vet and rider, used to say that a horse has only so many downhill miles in him so don't waste them on conditioning rides. He meant that going downhill at speed was extremely stressful to the front legs. So while it may be easier to run downhill than up from a cardiovascular or muscle point of view, it is definitely more stressful on the tendons, ligaments and joints. We learned, though, that the idea that a horse has "only so many downhill miles in him" was incorrect. It is BECAUSE downhill is more stressful, and downhill at speed more so, that we need to condition downhill, to toughen the horse's ability to handle it. The overriding principle is, never ask a horse to do in competition what he hasn't been trained and conditioned for at home. Walking, trotting and cantering downhill are all part of my conditioning regimen. Which pace I use on a given downhill depends on many factors, including the steepness of the hill, the quality of the footing, if the horse is fresh or tired, and (in competition) our position relative to our competitors. I don't run full-out downhill, but one time I had no choice. About a mile from the finish of a one-day 100-mile ride, we went up a hill and down the other side. I raced up as fast as we could run trying to break away from the other senior rider, but she stayed right with me, so I tried to slow to a trot at the top. No way -- Kahlil was a runaway and ran DOWN the other side wide-open. I sure was glad I'd trained him downhill that time. -- 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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