My horse’s & my first ride was a 50. I’d
done several 25-30 mile conditioning rides in the year prior to it though, and
I had also volunteered at a ride so I knew what to do at the vet checks. It is sometimes better for the horse that
is conditioned for 50, to do a 50 as their first ride, just in case they turn
into maniacs for the first 25 or 30 miles (which mine did) they then learn in
the last 20-30 miles that there is more work to do. I just started my new horse
on 50s also. It would have been a big mistake to stop at 25 or 30 miles on him.
Our last 25 miles was a good ride, the first 25…well, his brain disengaged
at mile 5 and didn’t show up again for quite a while.
