I would be greatly disappointed if the championship level (WEC) dropped to
a shorter distance just so the speed factor could be accommodated on flat tracks
so horses last longer. Are there any studies or proof that
horses raced fast on shorter distances say 75/50 miles are going to
hold up longer? Or, does it mean that 75/50 mile championships
will just be won in even faster speeds? I suppose that the marathon idea
that was popular in the middle east in the early 1990s could really make a
come back if shorter distances at very fast speeds will make horses last
longer.
It seems to me that a much better solution would be that only courses
that had a certain degree of technicality or difficulty be considered for a WEC
course. If a host country is not able to provide a certain amount of
technical difficulty perhaps they should not be hosting a world
championship.
Kim Fuess
AERC #6648
In a message dated 11/26/2008 6:52:39 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
stephteeter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I
absolutely agree. I still believe that horses are built to go really
fast, or really far, but not both at the same time! The heart
and muscles can deliver, we have seen that proven, but the limbs
don't hold up over time. I would greatly prefer that technical
trails be the norm for endurance riding, at any level. But given the
variable geography of this planet, that is not always possible.
Perhaps if flat tracks are all that is available, the distance
should be shorter?
