ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance] Conditioning Time /More ??'s

Re: [endurance] Conditioning Time /More ??'s

Karen Chaton (karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us)
Wed, 3 Jan 1996 12:45:37 -0800 (PST)

>Karen, I am sure you have already received replies, but just in case. If
>you are cruising in LD, then you are probably ready to do a 50. Back off
>your pace alittle, and pay attention to bad footing,since your horse may be
>more muscle tired than usual in the last half of the ride. I would never
>spend 40 hours a week on any of my horses. I think you'd be using him up in
>training. If your horse has been in conditioning for 4 months or so, you can
>spend three sessions a week of 2 to 3 hours, and perhaps a 4 to 5 hour
>session on the weekend and be in shape for a 50. That's less than 15 hours a
>week. The idea is to condition the soft tissues to support the bones and
>tendons. It takes time, not hours to condition bones and tendons. You have
>to give them time to respond to the work. Less hours for more months is
>better. Plan on 2 years or longer to get total conditioning.
>If your conditioning program is too aggressive, you will end up having to
>start over with another horse
***************************************
Hi! Thanks for your reply! Guess I should clarify that just because I
spend that much time with my horse every week, that I'm not necessarily
riding them that many hours (sometimes I hit "send" before thinking-sorry).
Anyway, this will be our third (3) year of slow conditioning - and lately
I've only been getting in maybe 10 hours a week on him - most of it over the
weekend. I get off a lot and run/jog/walk alongside him- so even still I'm
not riding him all those hours.

I hope I haven't overdone it with riding him - I try so hard to be careful
and do the right thing - and have been learning so much from other endurance
riders. The two 50's I did on him- he got stronger and stronger as we went
- and finished both rides with straight A's on his vet card (the ride mgr.
even let me keep it!) - I'm more interested in having him finish in great
condition than winning.

Before I ever started really conditioning him, he spent a year in the show
ring - learning his manners and obedience. I'm so glad I did that now. I'm
really glad to be finding out that I don't have to spend as much time on
conditioning as I previously thought (whew!) Now that I have him in pretty
good condition I'd like to keep him there. I've had a lot of riders tell me
that to prepare him for a 50 that I need to spend 8-12 hours on him so he is
used to being out that long - do you think that is necessary now that he has
already done a couple of 50's? I'm sorry to be asking so many questions,
but I really want to learn and do what's best for the horse. So please feel
free to give advice - especilaly if you think I'm doing something wrong.

Thank you - Karen