Thanks for your post, but first I have some clarifying to do.
First, as I said this has been a learning process for us. Renee' did ride
two fifties in 2003. She and Rosie were doing the slow, "learn by
doing" thing. The first one was a flop. The mare finished but
cramped...dumb mistake on our part. It was nice and warm at the beginning or the
race, but the temperature dropped approximately twenty five degrees by the
finish. We had not brought a rump rug. The vet gave us thirty minutes to rub the
cramp out, but it took me forty five minutes. So she was pulled. The second
fifty she did really slow and just didn't enjoy herself., and that was the end
of slow,. OJT for the Farnham family. 2004 was spent training racehorse
style. Renee' and Rosie competed in one LD. Renee's mom (74 at the time, I
believe) came up from Florida to do a twenty five, and Renee' decided
to ride with her mom. The four of them were in last place at the break. It
had come a very cold rain during the freezing rain during that first loop of
fifteen miles, and Renee's mom decided that she just was too cold
and cramping to go on. Of course Rosie was becoming quite fit; so,
when they took off in last place after the break, they managed to catch up to
Top Ten (tenth place) by the finish. Charging off was a great release for
both Rosie and Renee'. By 2005, Rosie and Renee' were fit and ready to have a
fun season. Sorry if I mislead anyone. But I believe that I that they won their
first fifty milers in the 2005 season. If I didn't I should have.
Anyway, Things I have learned:
1. Always carry a rump rug.
2. Bruce, you are right. Picking the right, gifted equine athlete is a
whole lot of it...then again I learned that from the TB's. I think it's even
more important in distance racing because it takes so long to develop a
competitive horse. It would be very disappointing and sad to invest three or so
in a horse to come to the conclusion that he/has no talent or a physical or
mental flaw that is a "deal" breaker.
3. Never take more than a horse is willing to give. My teacher was a
master, or should I say mistress of knowing, when to quit Never urge
the horse beyond what he/she wants to offer, and add the speed and distance as
the horse offers it. And don't go back to that exercise effort/musculo-skeletal
group until the horse has fully recovered, tail over back, snorting and
generally feeling great. In essence, stress and then rebuild. This is
where crosstraing and good pasture turnout are so important. It's a long
road, but you don't ever want the horse to associate you or the activity with
pain or force. The bones and musculature will remodel to adjust to the task at
hand...if given the time. Be sure to feel the legs and the joints before and
after each session, and to not return to any activity before everything is
cool.
4. Beware of stall courage, overfeeding, adrenaline. They make you and the
horse think that it is much more fit than it actually is
and create the perfect environment for injury...physical and/or mental.
Now I must return to lurkdom for serious. My wife has threatened me with
divorce if I ever post on ridecamp again...and she ain't kiddin'.
