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[RC] Big horses in endurance - Alexa OlneyI 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
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