Desiree,
You have to train in what you ride in. If you don't train in the heat and
humidity you can't expect you horse to be able to compete in it a peak
efficiency. Since Florida is the heat/humidity capitol of the world, we
have to train in it. In the summer there are three choices. First is to
get up very early (before dark) and ride when the temp is only 75 to 80,
but the humidity is usually 99%. We can wait until it dries out a little
but by then it is 85 to 90 with a 75% humidity. By the evening it is 95
and I don't even like to be doing anything. I perfer the very early
morining and take it easy at first and hope for a breeze. At least the sun
is not high at that time. The training is tailored to the conditions. On
the bad days we work on LSD with a lot of slow trot. If we do get a breeze
or a coolish morning we will do a little more speed.
We also train in a lot of sand, Florida is nothing but a sand bar. Florida
riders do well in sand, but we don't train in mountains and to be able to
do mountain rides we have to take our horses to the mountains and prepare.
To prepare for the WEG last year Valerie Kanavy spent a lot of time riding
in FL in the sand.
So my advice would be if you normally get hot, humid rides you need to
train for these conditions by training some in these conditions. At first
just watch your horse and take it easy until he is comfortable with the
conditions.
Truman
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The race is not always to the swift, but to those that keep running.
Truman and Mystic "The Horse from HELL" Storm
prevatt@lds.loral.com - Sarasota, Florida
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