ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] re: first 50
[endurance] re: first 50
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Tue, 10 Oct 1995 08:26:42 -0400
> There are a lot of riders who are moving away from the long trot as the
> standard gait. A fast extended trot tends to put more stress on the legs
> that a gallop at the same speeds. Many riders are ... galloping more and
> trotting less. But of course if you don't train with the gallop do use it
> in a ride.
>
> What I have found that works for me is to pick the speed and let the horse
> pick the gait.
I agree with you guys. This is one place where I had a startling revelation
when I began using a heart monitor. Ben Amil has a big trot and can literally
do it for an entire fifty. We started cantering some because I needed a
break! Anyway, I found that if he was doing an extended fast trot at a pulse
of say, 140, we could change to a hand gallop and his pulse would drop 10 to
15 beats and we were going faster!
Now, if the terrain and footing allow it we use a fast canter or hand gallop
as the gait of choice.
I suspect that he would have been changing to a canter on his own when he felt
like it if we had not done our first six 50's at a trot alone. Also, we did
ALL our conditioning up to that point at a trot (literally, no cantering). He
developed a very strong trot because of it but then, it took some effort to
develop a relaxed, steady canter. I don't regret all the trotting when he was
green because I think I have a stronger horse because of it. But I am not so
insistent that my young horse stay in a trot all the time, either....
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Dave Bennett
e-mail: idj3q.office@mhs-tva.attmail.com
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