Week 1: 3-5 miles at a brisk walk (5 days) (Work out any tiny tack fit
problems here before they get big.)
Week 2: 5 miles/day, walk and trot (Patti Pizzo told me that you don't have
to ride every single day, just add the total for the week and get in that total
in the days that you do ride. Give day-rests after stressful rides, use common
sense as you observe your horse's signs)
Week 3: 5 miles/day, mostly trot, with one 10 mile day
Week 4: 5 miles/day, all trot, with one 10 mile day in 2 hours
Week 5: 5 miles/day, with one 15 mile day in 3 hours
Week 6: 5 miles/day - fast trot, with one 20 mile day in 4 hours
Week 7: 5 miles a day, with one 20 mile day in 3 hours
Week 8: 3 miles a day, with day off before the ride
For those of you with full-time jobs, this means a long ride each weekend (how
wonderful)!, so put them on your calendars first. Then look at your activities
around those days to plan the horse's rest after that day. Then schedule in
the other conditioning rides around your evening appointments (such as trail
maintenance), as well as shoeing and worming.
Find someone else with the same goals that is within hacking distance from you,
ideally. To find this person, call around the local clubs (all of them you can
think of) to ask them to put it in their newsletter. Volunteer at all the
local rides (call the local competitive and endur. riders). Ask questions.
Endurance people are the friendliest and most helpful people in the horse
world!
Any questions? If I can't answer I'll tell you, and direct you to someone that
could help you better. I just have to fit it into my work schedule (lunch is
45 min)
Have lots of fun! Bridget Brickson in sunny SE PA