Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

This speed for the is unbelievable. But, all the

grousing about it reminds me of the world of Sled dog

racing of which we were a part.

 

In the beginning it was enough to make it to the finish of

these long distance races. Then, the dogs were crossed

with faster and faster breeds. It was a delicate balance

to breed a dog with enough heart from his Siberian heritage

to go out and run for 3 days or more straight at top speed.

Training had to change too.

 

When Doc Lombard first went to Alaska with his team of

well fed, well vetting Siberians, he cleaned up. But, everyone

else was on notice. They soon fed better, cared for the dogs

better.

 

Then the experiments with cross breeding. And, because

the dogs got faster, the tracks had to get faster too. More

technology was used to create a hard packed surface to run

on. And, we heard the same kind of thing. They must be

on drugs. So, drug testing was brought in.

 

Then, the brought in teams of vets because every once

in awhile a dog would die racing. It happens even to the best.

 

We left the sport due to our own frailties about 10 years ago

now. I took up long distance riding and my husband took up

long distance running. We could still train together.

 

With the dogs we could no longer work all day and drive to snow

to train 3 10 dog teams arriving home well after midnight after training

mostly in the dark.

 

We've continued to watch with interest how high tech has changed

the sport. Coats for the dogs that can be taken off so one can breed

for a shorter coat. Dogs with shorter coats don't overheat on the

warmer days and they wear coats when it's cold.

 

At first, when there was no snow, we trained off specially designed

rigs with car tires and breaks. Then came 4 wheelers and we moved

up to training with those. A team trained to pull a 4 wheeler got stronger

faster and so got faster too. Strength will give you more speed when

balanced correctly.

 

Now there are treadmills and inside training facilities so that the dogs

can be trained all year long. And, the times get faster still. Now the

driver has to be as much of an athlete as the dogs.

 

These Dubai riders are not your heavy weight riders. I'll bet they

train as hard as the horses. Times will get faster. Tracks will

get faster. Support will get more and more technical. But, there

will still be a spot for the 100 miler just going out to finish. That's

what makes these sports so much fun.

 

I think the runners at the VT 100 still beat the horses in finish time

but they haven't seen these Dubai horses. Or, perhaps it is that

the Dubai horses haven't seen the VT hills.

 

One year in VT I talked to an older lady with a wonderful fit

Arab mare. She was in peak condition. I asked her how she

trained. She said she had a hill out back of her house. She

went up and down that hill and when the mare got to the top

she got a peanut butter sandwich.

 

PS: I'd love to see that training regime that came from France.

 

Warmly,

Dolores Arste

(518) 882 6485

www.zenhorsemanship.com