How much training is too much?

[Sarah McIntosh <smcintos@rapidnet.net>]

Hello fellow endurance riders:

I am new to endurance riding but have been riding since i was young and
have been doing major trail riding the past 2 years.  This is my third
year with the same horse (17 year old Appy mare (Tiki)who loves to go).
I have the good fortune to have my horse living at the bottom of a
mountain, so we can go up and down the mountain (about 2000' climb) or
do flat road riding on a scraped, semi-packed gravel shoulder for miles
and miles.  Tiki did not have the winter off, i rode once a week for a
few hours on the mountain.  The past two months we have usually been
doing 2 mountain rides and one flat ride per week.  Mountain rides are
usually 2-3 hours, flat ride only about 1.5 hours but at a much higher
speed (mostly trot and canter).  Her recoveries are very good, and her
legs and back are always fine.

I plan to enter 2 - 25 miler LD rides this summer (one in june, one in
july).  My aim is completion, not near the front of the pack.  I also am
a Backcountry Horseman member  and we do a lot of slower trail rides.
(just so you know what i am aiming for).

Now for my question, (don't laugh), last night i was talking to one of
the ride managers for the ride i am going to, and she says i am pushing
my horse too hard.  She has done lots of 100 and 50 mile rides
successfully but i'm not sure who i should listen to.  She says she is
only training twice a week to get ready for the 50 mile rides this
summer.  Tiki has been doing what we are doing for two years now, and we
haven't had any problems so far.   Would it be wrong for Tiki to be more
fit than she needs to be for 25 milers?  Tiki is always strong on long
rides away from home because the terrain isn't as tough as what we train
on.

One other thing, (which might be why the RM was so concerned about me
and Tiki) about 3 weeks ago did a training ride away from home mountain
with another endurance rider.  Some incline and LOTS of sharp rocks (pit
run, go figure).  Tiki picked up a stone bruise about 5 minutes down the
trail.  She didn't seem too bad so we continued for another few hours,
taking breaks here and there.  Tiki refused to drink the whole ride and
hadn't drank the night before, so we cut the ride short, got back to
trailer and after i was off her, noticed that she had a mild case of
thumps.  This was the first time this had ever happened, but she was
also dehydrated which wasn't normal.  (i didn't even know what thumps
looked like before this).  Got her drinking and eating, gave her shot of
electrolytes and within the hour she was good to trailer home.  Gave her
a week off, and she was fine after that.  Got pads put on and i have a
new horse :)

sorry to be so long, but i just want what is best for my horse, don't
want to cause her damage out of ignorance.

Any input or advice will be gratefully accepted.

Regards

Sarah & Tiki
Abbotsford, BC
Canada

p.s. been on ride camp for 1 1/2 years and have learned a lot from you
all.... Thank you all and Thank you Steph!!!!