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RE: [RC] LD/50 racing vs none racing times - heidi

David is right. 
 
Here are some more "real life" examples that illustrate the variation in terrain and the impossibility of coming up with an average.  In both cases I was "racing"--but on a fit horse able to do the speeds (the same horse in both examples).  Back in 1975, I "raced" the Oregon 100 and ran 6th, just 31 minutes behind the winner.  The winning time was 8:15 (Elwin Wines and Misfit).  I lost an actual horse race for 5th and 6th to Elwin's son Forest when I blew a stirrup.  My riding time was 8:46.  Just a few seasons later, I "raced" the Fossil Bowl 50 and won it (Arlene Morris was 2nd, Bob Morris was 4th--remember that one, Bob??) in a time of 8:20.  Here are two extreme cases--but the terrain and the ambient conditions were SO different that at the latter ride, they accounted for halving the speed at which the front runners could go.
 
Heidi



Christina Hykw said:

>>>Kim, I understand that there are variables.  I would like to see what
everyone thinks the average is, otherwise, how can there be all this
discussion about racing, and what is too fast, too slow etc....  There must
be a certain amount of time that is average, otherwise how could you know it
was too fast?  Maybe the question could be what would an 'average' winning
time be that was not racing?

First of all, everyone on this list won't agree to much more than that we
all like our horses. Too fast depends on lots of things. What's that horse
capable of? Did it recover in well under 5 minutes (preferably 2-3) at the
vet check? If so, then you're probably not going too fast for the horse's
cardiovascular system.

Are you racing over rocks? That's rolling the dice, and on average those
people will lame their horses more often than others. Those people are going
too fast, but maybe some of them have extremely sure-footed horses with
strong tendons and ligaments. Too fast for me might not be too fast for
them.

It's also very strongly dependent on terrain. For example, a 7:47 ride time
got me tied for 3rd one day on a 50, and that ride time usually gets me
about 30th or so.

There's nothing wrong in my book with racing. That's why we time these
things. What is wrong is hurting horses. The real winners can do one without
the other.

My $0.02 -




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