Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I'd like to see the statistics of those who start a horse right out of the pasture that are still competing years down the road.  Seriously, I'd like to see those statistics.  I equate that statement to the race trainers that say, "yeah, I took this horse right off the farm three weeks ago, put a few miles on it, got it's gates done, and entered it into a race and he/she won!"  Well, unfortunately, most of those 30 day wonders didn't last more than 30-60 days at the track or on the Fair Circuit!  As  a matter of fact - most Fair Circuit horses don't make it to the Class A tracks!  They are pretty used up by the end of the Fair Season!

 

Speaking for myself and my own horses.  I'll take my time!  Case in point is my Valentina, a now, twelve year old, Arabian, mare - raised in a stall much of her life until I took over the stable that she was housed.  When I took over the stable she was 5 years old (abandoned by her previous owner).  I let her run the 30 acre, very hilly, pasture for two years before I attempted to do ANYTHING with her.  Why?  Because she was a neurotic MESS!   You don't keep a 16 hand, Arabian, in a 12x24 pen most of it's life!   After two years I had a local girl working with her.  I found her, the local girl,  behind the lower barn one night, beating on Valentina.  the girl said, "I am teaching her some manners!"  I took the reins from the girl, stepped back and fell over a rock (very dark night) and Valentina went over the top of me, trying to avoid landing on me, but caught one of her hind legs into my pelvic.  Yeah, fractured my pelvic, and, put me out of riding for about three years!  Off Valentina went to Denny Hansen.  It took Denny six days a week, for six months, to get that horse's brain!   Denny worked with Valentina for about a year.  So, at 8 years old, she came back to me after we bought the ranch in Placerville.  Over the next four years I have slowly and methodically put the time and miles on Valentina.  Exposing her to many different horses, riders, riding venues, etc.  While trying to get myself back into condition after so many years off of riding due to the pelvic injury and a neck and back injury, by an accident,  when loading a stallion for transport (he was furious he was being taken from his herd).  So, here we are, four years down the road. 

 

Where are we now?  Jay Randle, while here from Australia, in March, came out and road her 15 miles (from the Overlook to Cool and back).  When I asked Jay what she thought, she said, "she's ready D'Arcy!"   At last!!!  Now, what is the hold back.  As I mentioned earlier in one of my emails - she likes to be FIRST all of time.  After our outing with Ranelle and Fellow - she is ready for a 25 - with me!  She is probably ready for a 30-50 with someone else.  I know my limits and I know my horses limits.  So, making a blanket statement might not be the most prudent when discussing whether a horse is or is not ready for it's first 25, 30, 50 or 100.  When all is said and done I will have SEVEN years into Valentina's training.  Because that is what it took for THAT horse!

 

What is the next best when trying to figure this all out.  Use the MENTOR SYSTEM on AERC.  The list is long and wide!  No matter where you live in the US or Canada - there is going to be someone on that Mentor List for you to get help from.  Meet them at a ride.  Arrange a consultation!  Take a horse to ride even if you are not going to ride (still pay the money) and have your horse 'hang out' to get acclimated to the Ride Camp venue! 

 

We are quite fortunate, here in the heart of Endurance Country, there are so many more experienced TEVIS individuals  who are willing to mentor someone.  It never ceases to amaze me how helpful everyone truly is.  Even at the cost of their own training agenda - to take the time to mentor a newbie!  Thank you Mentors!  You are the BEST!  

 

D'Arcy 

On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 10:45 AM, Kathy Mayeda <klmayeda@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I don't think it should take 2 years to condition a horse for LDs.  Yes, of course your first year on your horse's back should be Long Slow Distance, keep your horse sane types of rides, but it sounds like you are beyond that. I was told by someone that you can pull a horse that is kept in pasture and be able to finish an LD without any conditioning.  Maybe they are just talking about Arabs, I dunno.

 

If your horse is ridden on the trail regularly and is manageable in groups, I don't think it would be a problem to finish the LD.  I finished my 1st LD without much "scientific" thought, and so have several of my friends.  We are just all avid trail riders.  I went on to riding 50's after my 1st LD because he did well and continued to ride 50's until I somewhat retired him several years ago.  We do an occasional LD right now just for fun to ride with people on their first LD's without a whole lot of conditioning.

 

I do like to do a big hill ride two weeks before the ride, especially for 50's.  I think after a month you would be losing some of that condition.

 

K.

 

On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Beth Walker <bwalker2@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Sounds like you are pretty much on track.  A couple of things:

       1.  Get a new stethoscope.  It is one of the best ways to tell how she is doing. If she is tired, but her pulse is down, you are probably OK.  If she is tired and her pulse stays elevated (above 56 for more than 15 minutes), she isn't ready, and you are training too hard.  Take it with you and do your own "vet check" ... find a spot 1/2 way through your ride where you can stop.  Take down your time.  Take down the time at which she recovers to 56 bpm.   Do the same thing when you get back from your ride.  She should be down to 56 within 10 minutes.  There are lots of ways to test recovery .. the above assumes you are walking into the vet check, not racing in at the top of a hill.

       2.  This depends on how you do your training rides.  If you put in water stops and "vet checks" ... and you are averaging 5 mph then you are probably OK.  However, what I found for my first LD was that the pace needed for a ride was faster than what I had been conditioning at.  I had been doing 5 mph average, too.   However,  doing an average 5 mph for 10 or 15 miles with a 5 minute break for water does not translate to doing 25 miles with time out for water stops and a 30 minute vet check hold.  Instead, your riding pace has to be nearer 6 mph.

       3.  Now -- this is overkill, however, since it is your first LD, it would give you a better idea of how she would handle the actual ride.  You might try putting in one or two longer rides of 20 miles.  Do one two months before your ride, and another one month before your ride.  Don't do a "long" ride any closer than a month before, and don't do more than one a month.

 One thing -- don't increase training distance AND speed at the same time.  You are already doing 15 miles.  Increase the speed and keep the distance the same, so that she is doing 6 mph average.  When she is good with that, then you can try adding an extra 5 miles if you want to.


Anybody else ... feel free to jump in.  I don't have loads of experience, but I did get my 25 year old through an LD in good shape after a 15 year "layoff" -- I just took 2 years to condition him.

-- 
D'Arcy L. Demianoff-Thompson
cest.mon.virage@xxxxxxxxx