Re: Fun with Fitness!!

["Frank Mechelhoff" <fmechelh@c-s-k.de>]

Tivers@aol.com wrote:

> On flat terrain, measure out an 8th of a mile.
> Do a good warmup, including some lope--for about two miles. Once the heartrate
> has settled, clock yourself through the 8th (660 feet).
> ...

> Unfit Thoroughbreds start out at 6.5 ft/bt and become race-ready somewhere
> around 14 ft/bt. Standardbreds come race-ready at about 12 ft/bt.
> ti

Hi Tom,
I read this in your book two years ago and did some tests with my Ligeira, on a
reasonable flat part (1000m) of one of my training courses. Ligeira did 9.1-9.9
ft/bt around HR 140 (canter), that means 59% of her HRmax. In her best days she
could go that speed "all the day". (She is only 14.2 hands high and was carrying
remarkable weight, ~175 pds)

What I found out is that a slight gradient (maybe 10m uphill at 1000m) invisible
to the eye affects the results significantly. So I tried to make the test course
back and forth. Also footing (hard grass is best). And, at least for this horse,
agitation and fighting to be regulated. For a very fit horse, therefore it would
be best to take the test at HR160.

One time I took 11 ft/bt, not so accurate, but probably at peak-performance. (she
believes to be the fastest horse in the world, the problem was her legs are not so
strong as her heart... )

I did not make any exact tests with Nataja, but she should perform more efficient,
around 12 ft/bt. but at a higher individual rate of HRmax.,  ~225 (she's bigger).
I will check that out next Summer.


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU,

Frank