The difference is that the 25 mile ride is intended as a training
ride, for young or green horses, or horses coming back after a
layoff. It is expected that horses in the 50 mile ride have more
maturity and conditioning.
There is, if anything, *greater* danger of over-riding horses in the
short rides, because with less distance and fewer vet checks some
riders are more tempted to just run the horse as hard as they can.
No thought of pacing or strategy.
It can be funny to watch the egos involved, though. I once rode a
75 mile ride where the last 25 miles of the 75 was the same trail
used for the 25 mile ride. At the 50 mile vet check I overheard the
first-to-finish 25 mile riders bragging about how fast they'd
ridden. I proceeded to ride the last 25 miles of the 75 about two
minutes faster than they rode that same trail, and I rode it in the
heat of the afternoon! Kind of put a damper on their "braggin
rights." Of course, Ol' Kahlil had over 5,000 miles under his belt
by that time.
Long's Law of Endurance Riding: If you're ahead of me, you're riding
too fast!
--Joe Long Rainbow Connection Arabians PC/LAN Manager home of Kahlil Khai Calhoun Comm. College AERC Hall of Fame horse jlong@hiwaay.net 11,450 miles completed