Re: Can't condition for a 50?

[Chris Paus <paus@micoks.net>]

I don't recall saying I "couldn't" train for 50s. My personal situation is
some physiological problems. I will get to 50s ,but have to condition my
own body more than my horse's. He's ready to go.

Teh distance riding group I belong to has 15/30 CTRs and 25/50 endurance
rides. I started out with 15s until those got easy, then I tried my first
25. When I no longer hurt for 4 days after doing a 25, I'll move up to 50s.
This spring I plan to do one 15 CTR to get  back into the swing of things
and then move up to 30 CTRs and do 25 LD endurance until I am comfortable
at that and then move to 50s.

I think the whole crux of the matter is not how much we woosies pay for our
rides or what kind of prizes we get, but the fact that we are out there
doing what we can deserves some atta girls and atta boys, adn if not that,
then at least we deserve to do our rides without scoffing from the other
riders.

Maybe I've been hanging around with an exceptionally good group, but no one
I've ridden with has looked down on the shorter distance riders and we've
been encouraged to do our paces and have a good time. In fact, one very
experienced rider told me that one mistake many distance riders make is
moving up in distance too soon and getting discouraged.

However, that is not the same feedback we are getting from many ridecampers.

To people in the non-distance riding world, 25 miles sounds like an awsome
feat, 50 and 100 mile rides are not comprehensible to them.

P.S. I've also seen many longer distance riders do the shorter distances
also. Maybe they have an injury or their horse has one and they are coming
back slowly. Maybe it's a terrifically hot day and they want to take it
easy on their horse. I don't know, but it seems that many do drop down in
distance now and then for whatever reason. I don't see anyone getting on
their case for doing so.

chris paus & star (let's go mom)

At 01:00 AM 1/28/98 EST, PEGGASIS wrote:
>I've read lots of LD riders say they can't condition for a 50. When I started
>endurance I had two Quarter Horses. Not the A-1 type of endurance horse, so I
>just entered 50's anyway and used the LSD of the 50 miles to condition my
>horses. I could only ride one day a week, but it was in the mountains. My
>little un-conditioned quarter horses racked up 765 miles, they enjoyed the
>trails and camping out and the extra care they recieved; while giving
myself a
>true sense of horsemanship, knowing we did it. If you really have the Heart
>for this Sport, then go for it. It's not all about competing.....it's you,
>your horse and the challenge of the trail, use it to reach your own goals,
>don't say I can't!
>
>Just my 2 cents worth.
>Peggie Norton
>Las Vegas Distance Riders
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