>For all you riders who have successfully trained your horse/s in the
>sand...
>
>Can you give me some idea of how/how much one would/should do this in
>order to prepare for doing rides in deep sand?
>
We have no choice down here in FL but to train in sand.
Deep sand requires the muscles to be used differently and changes the way
of going for many horses. Horses have to pick their feed up out of the
sand - which many are not used to doing. Depending on how your horse goes
you may also want to change the way you ride. If your horse is a "dasiy
clipper" you may want to gallop and trot less because he will have a harder
time at the trot than a horse that has a little more action at the trot.
Power trotting a daisy clipper through the sand usually doesn't work very
well.
There is something in the FQA's about this in the advance training section.
My suggestion is to start slow and work up to a lot of sand training.
Work up to riding in the sand at least 15 or 20 miles a week - here I am
assuming you are doing 50 t0 100 miles of sand. Start about two to three
months prior to the ride with sand conditioning - here I am assuming your
horse has no previous experience in the sand.
Good luck
Truman
Truman Prevatt
Mystic "The Horse form Hell" Storm with a lille hellion on the way
The Rockman, a.k.a Misty Jr.
Jordy - Finaly getting his shot
Sarasota, FL