Re: Can't condition for a 50?

["Linda S. Flemmer" <bluwolf@earthlink.net>]

Deanne Del Vecchio wrote:

> I can
> figure out all this stuff about endurance in this 25 mile ride.  <snip>
> Walked Gabe out to loosen him up........after he had just done 25 MILES!  Then the
> 50's came in for the lunch stop and Gabe went bannanas trying to follow.

Sounds like when I started my latest new horse (several years ago).  We
decided to do a slow 25 since he had never been through a vet check,
ridden in large groups, etc.  My husband who was on the 50 rode the
first loop with me, then went on to his second loop.  Rocket went
ballistic!  He would have done less distance on that loop than what he
did in his pen & on the lead.  His next ride was a 50 which he completed
at the back of the pack, but prancing across the finish line.  The
distance is as much a mental barrier for the rider as anything.  I've
found that if I divide a ride into segments, I can <always> ride 5 or 10
more miles.  Besides, the horse doesn't know how far you're going
today!  No mental barrier for him.

As an aside, I had a mare who had only done 25 & 30 mile rides.  The
first ride with me, she got into the mid-point vet check at 28 miles and
refused to leave.  She had done "her" ride and was ready to quit! 
Nothing wrong, not tired, just a "I'm finished" attitude.  I could see
this as a potential obstacle for moving up to another distance if the
horse got very set in her ways.

I agree that any horse who has a regular amount of excercise (turn out &
moderate riding) can compete a 25 mile ride.  The sanity of the 50 makes
it worth entering over the hype found in the 25 with lots of new
horses/riders.

Until we moved to WV, we had to trailer 45 minutes to an hour in order
to be able to ride & train.  In addition I worked 50-60 hours per week
and my husband had a full time job as well.  We were lucky to squeeze
one day a week of training in.  As a base, we'd ride 15-20 miles on the
weekend at a 5-7 mph.  We included sprints, slow trotting, and rolling
canters.  We taught the guys to cover ground <walking> so that they made
progress while resting.  When we started to compete, the competitions
<were> our training.

After a year off, I was thinking about putting Rocket in the Old
Dominion No Frills 25 to see how he handles it mentally after his
layoff.  After writing this, maybe I should just bite the bullet & do
the 50  :)  (All assuming that my new job lets me off!)

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton MIlls, WV