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<<If that horse has a consistent record with no extended layoffs, I'll bet
you'll see that horse was ridden conservatively at first.>>
Depends on what you mean by conservatively. Mesaud's Peeco now 16 and due to
foal soon has 5,000+ miles with all but one in the top ten and most of them
in the top five. She was started at five and by seven was doing many
hundreds. Champagne, now 26 was started at five and ridden hard the first
time, then averaged about 800 miles per year after that, had three foals and
more or less retired at 8,000+ miles of competition. Many hundreds and quite
a few top tens (about 80%)
<<<O.K. Regarding great endurance horses who have lasted into their middle
and late teens - What age did these horses start their training for
endurance? Anybody know???>>
Most all of ours have been started at five with the exception of Amiri
Trkeeta +/ who was not started under saddle until nine years old when we got
her. She did 3,000+ miles and died in foaling last year.
The most telling factor in how long the horse will last is conformation.
Champagne is almost entirely correct, Amiri was not quite as good but not
bad. Peeco has a long back, along with being barely 14 hands high. However
her attitude and conditioning has made up for these faults. Her back is
sagging now she is ready to foal and I do not know if it will come back up.
One difference we have with our horses and their success, longitivy and
distance is the way they are kept. They are out in the hills all year long
and are not coddled. Their feed is in front of them all day and they move
extensively while grazing. It is rough feed stuff and we do supplement with
some grain and grass hay(when they condescend to come for a meal) They get
more exercise on their own than most horses get under saddle. We ride hard
but not fast and seldom see a flat more than a half mile long.
Hard work, good feed, sensible competition and you can expect your horse to
have a good life.
Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
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