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Re: [RC] Training to 'top ten' - Diane TrefethenI agree with Angie. Top Tenning is not about "training to Top Ten". In conditioning, you want to prepare your horse physically and mentally to go the distance. Then once your horse is there, ie, able to do 50 miles and finish looking like he could do another 50, you are ready to start "moving up". Now it's time to train YOU. When you get to a VC, if your horse is anywhere near criteria, do NOT go straight to water or food. Go to a P&R person. If he is just above criteria, wait there and retake pulse as soon as he is down. If you think it will take AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES to reach criteria, water your horse (no food) and go straight back to the P&R people. Only after you pulse down and get your time (NOTE YOUR OUT TIME EXACTLY) do you let your horse relax with all the food and water he wants. Becky used to say Rio could have anything he wanted and that's what should govern your stop at the vet check - what your horse wants and likes, not what you think he should have. If he doesn't like electrolytes, don't jam them down his throat. If he LOVES Equine Senior but you only feed it at home as a treat, be sure you have lots on hand to mix with water. He prefers alfalfa? Feed him alfalfa. The actual amount of feed he will consume over the course of 3 or 4 VC's is relatively inconsequential but the pleasure he will take from being treated special will permeate his attitude for the whole ride. Hey, it can't hurt that he wants to get to the next VC as quickly as possible :) Rub him where he likes, check his legs. If he likes being made a fuss over, do it. If he's a "business man", mostly just let him eat. Be at the out timer NO LESS THAN TWO MINUTES BEFORE YOUR TIME IS UP. As soon as you're called, LEAVE. 1) Eating raises pulse so that could add an extra 5 mins. 2) Watering first when your horse is almost down, another 5 mins. 3) Late for the out time, another 2-5 mins. Total lost, 12-15 mins per VC. And don't forget the lunch stop is just another VC. Don't lollygag there either just because you have an hour. On the trail, play to your horse's strengths. If he is a hill horse, trot or lope (per your conditioning) up. If a downhill horse, make your time there. If neither, you'll have to boogie on the flats. "Shorten" the trail, not by cutting (that's cheating) but by always taking the inside of all corners and riding straight lines from inside corner to next inside corner. When it comes to water on the trail, know your horse. If you know he won't drink in the first 10 miles, don't stop. If you WANT him (or he NEEDS) to drink in the first 10 miles, you should have already trained him to do that. Contrary to popular thought, Top Ten horses do a fair amount of walking, sometimes as much as 1/3 of the trail, especially on 75's and 100's. Do most of your walking in the shade and move out in the hot sun. Some rides don't have shade but for those that do, remember the less time in the pounding sun the better, ie, move out there. Don't joyfully gallivant through the woods and then walk across the meadows. Always keep your head about you. If you are running with the hotshoes, don't get suckered into riding THEIR ride. Have your plan based on your horse and stick to it. Some of those riders play games (duh, ya think?). Hide and seek - you think you're behind one and suddenly he comes loping up behind you and passes, jazzing your horse. Or the betcha can't catch me trick. You come up behind one and they take off and gallop away from you. DON'T follow. Maintain YOUR pace. Or towards the end of a ride one comes up behind you and just hangs, letting your horse pull his horse along. If you've got a lot of horse left, pick up your speed and leave him behind, especially if you are on an uphill. If you can't shake him, join him, or let HIS horse pull YOUR horse :) It is psychologically demoralizing to a horse to pull another. I don't know why but it is. There's more but that will do for a start. Top Tenning is about thinking and planning as much as just having a horse that can go fast. Sure you can screw around with a fast horse and still Top Ten but if you want to do the very best you can and also finish with a happy horse, race after race, then YOU have to be in the race too. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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