Events
Groups
Rider Directory
Market
RideCamp
Stuff
I think you stated much more elegantly what I was kinda trying to say in
a clumsy way (sorry, I was sleepy :->). I shoulda pointed out more that
yes, Vicki does try to top ten when she can and win, when she can. As
you said, she just doesn't make it a precedence over the welfare of the
horse. She doesn't goof off and does her share of the work to put
herself into a good position, but if the horse just isn't quite 100% and
all she can do is twelth or whatever, then she won't force him into
Winning No Matter What. I guess that was the point I was trying to
make, which you made for me much better. Maybe when I get close to
11,000 miles I'll learn to not trip over my own tongue <g>!
See ya,
Susan
Joe Long wrote:
>
> On Sun, 28 Sep 1997 17:50:24 -0700, Susan Evans Garlinghouse
> <suendavid@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
> >I once asked a friend up North if she "plans" on winning or top tenning
> >rides---and believe me, she has plenty of BCs, wins and top tens,
> >including a 3rd, a 9th and multiple top twenties at Tevis. She told me
> >that she had figured out a long time ago that the best way to lose a
> >race AND ruin your whole day AND possibly ruin your horse was to "plan"
> >on winning, top tenning or whatever.
>
> Well, different strokes for different folks ... what works for one may
> not work for another.
>
> Throughout most of Kahlil's career, when we were racing for points and
> Championships, I had a "game plan" for most rides (and ALL major
> rides). For example, at the 1987 Race of Champions in Utah, I knew
> Kahlil was not in top form (due to a forced layoff in training prior
> to the ride) and the "game plan" called for the middle of the Top Ten,
> not first place. We finished fifth (that was the year only 16 horses
> finished out of 88 starters).
>
> So, why did he stay fit and sound into retirement despite 11,475 miles
> (over 10,000 of them Top Ten)? Because the "game plan" was *ALWAYS*
> subject to revision during the event. If he wasn't doing quite right,
> if the conditions weren't as expected, or for any of a hundred other
> reasons, we would adjust our goals and/or ride strategy for the day.
>
> But it is not necessary to have no specific goal, or plan, at the
> rides to properly care for the horse and keep him sound and healthy,
> as long as the goal never takes precedence over the horse's welfare.
>
> --
>
> Joe Long
> jlong@mti.net
> http://www.mti.net Business
> http://www.rnbw.com Personal
Events
Groups
Rider Directory
Market
RideCamp
Stuff