Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] Big horses in endurance - Alexa Olney

I now ride a 14.1 hd arab but I used to ride a 16 hd quarter horse.  She was a 
light muscled quarter her breeding was for the race track.  She had been to the 
race track and had been in really good condition before so it was easy to get 
her legged up.  She did great on endurance rides if you lived through the first 
5 miles (attitude problem not physical hence I no longer own her).  We have had 
many horses of all different shapes and sizes that we have done endurance on.  
We tend to just finish our rides, come in in the middle to the end of the pack. 


If your horse is heavier muscled it may take him longer to cool out and this 
could lead to a hanging heart rate.  Standing heart rate is one thing but we 
have found that you never know until you start working them and find out what 
their recovery rate is like. Thats were you get stuck.  

As far as getting him legged up goes my suggestion would be to just take it 
slow like with any other horse.  Remember it is going to take quite a bit of 
feed to keep your large friend going.  The more muscle the more fuel that is 
used. But on the contrary I have a 15.1 hd very slight built arab who I have to 
feed like crazy even when he's not working and a large foxtrotter who looks at 
food and is a big fat pig.  

This foxtrotter has alot of go but she is heavier muscled and has a hanging 
heart rate (typical in foxtrotters but not all) so endurance is out for her but 
she is still a kick in the pants to ride.  

Every horse is different so I say give it a try you never know.  Figure if he 
doesn't make it in endurance you have a nice trail horse.  It's nice to have 
one of those around since your nice trail ride can be ruined for you by an 
obnoxious endurance horse.  Hope my info was helpful.

Alexa

 


     

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=