Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Yes, just because the horse "can" or "wants" to go fast, should you let them?  
I have asked myself that plenty of times.  The answer usually boils down to:  
"I'm the pilot.  The horse may not know HOW far it has to go today.  It's MY 
ultimate responsibility to take care of my horse." ....and then we slow down to 
a pace that is reasonable/do-able for the terrain/distance AND what I know my 
horse can handle. Then there's the ol' saying, "ride your own ride."  Don't get 
caught up in the moment.

THEN there are times when all is going well despite the best preparation and 
life throws a wrench into your ride plans and then $hi# happens.

For any performance athlete, I can't imagine many that are "fresh as daisies" 
at the end of a serious! competition effort.  THAT's where the training and 
preparation shows through I would think.  Those that are best prepared will 
have horses that still look pretty darn "fit to continue" at the end AND can 
pulse down in a reasonable amount of time.  I'm always amazed at the horses 
that show for BC at Tevis.  Dang!  How do they go so fast AND still look great 
the next morning.  Outstanding horses and riders.

Melody


---- Natalie Herman <eponashoes@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> <<Question: If April's horse was going strong and recovering well all day, 
> how could she know he was too tired to run into the finish? Please explain. 
> Cindy K>>
>  
> Just because a horse has an issue at the end, does not mean it was having 
> issues throughout the day. He was doing great all day cause he wasn't tired 
> then...the fast day finally caught up with him during the last loop. Heck, my 
> horses get that way often enough (tired at the end, that is), and I am not 
> even a racer... after about 35-40 miles they start to lag...that is til they 
> figure out where camp is, LOL...then they usually perk up the last 2 or so 
> miles and pull towards home...and that is even if they ARE tired. I often 
> times have to convince them NOT to canter back to camp, cause I KNOW they are 
> tired, but adrenaline makes them forget...that is where the rider's brain 
> kicks in vs the horse's and where April's mistake happened...she got caught 
> up in the race, even though she knew her horse was getting tired, even though 
> he wanted to go home (as she said, she didn't have to beat him or anything, 
> just drop the reins and squeeze to say go...). If you haven't felt that with 
> a horse yet, then you are lucky to have one that tells you early in the day 
> it is done, or that doesn't care it is back near camp and will rate itself :) 
>     Nat (who has had most her horses going from "loose rein, low head, dude 
> horse" to  
>      "freight train pullers" in almost every ride once it was clear to them 
> where "home" is)
>  
>
>
> “Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down
> like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. 
> It seizes a person
> whole and, once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life
> will be radically changed.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson.
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service.
> http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222984/direct/01/

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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!!

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