Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Many, many horses, with less than perfect conformation can do the sport of endurance.

 

Excelling in the sport can take many forms...everything from finishing first, to finishing wherever and being satisfied with it.

 

For me, and that said, I believe we owe it TO THE HORSE, to pick the better conformed ones, the better-minded ones, knowing what lies before them on the trails. 

 

It reminds me of playing basketball with some of the guys I used to play basketball with.  Overweight, slow, but, they could play.  They could play all day.  They never missed a game.  But, I know, though they never stated it, though they never exhibited it, they suffered their enthusiasm, their willingness to participate, their need to not give up or give in.

 

So, to end this pontificaiton, I'll just say please forgive my need to say it, but just because a horse can doesn't always mean it should.

 

Pick the better-conformed ones because miles down the road, whether it's a thousand or five thousand, suffering our ambitions horses will usually give all they have.  (A sidenote for me:  I've always considered disposition part of the "conformation" of the horse).

 

Fair winds and no rocks,

Frank