Re: MECHANICAL FATIGUE

[truman.prevatt@netsrq.com (Truman Prevatt)]

>
>        I wish the long distance sports were geared to promote the attention to
>condition first and THEN speed.  I know -- soap box time -- BUT the 3 day
>100's (CTR) (based on the old cavalry tests as ECTRA and SEDRA type rides
>are) provide an excellent venue to produce horses that can go on and on
>---- most of the successful eastern FEI riders include CTR's to provide
>base without the stresses of speed.
>
>IMHO  (O.K, maybe NOT so humble!)
>Barbara

Goodmorning Barbara,

The 3 day 100 is a good test - a good way to bring a horse along.  But I
fear that is not the case for the shorter CTR these days.  I think the
horses have become better than the test in a 25 mile CTR.  I think the
conditioning methods used for endurance - selective use of speed for
anarobic conditioning along with LSD has is producing animals that can tick
off a 25 with no sweat.

What critera does one use for placement when all the horses at 48/48 at the
10 minute CRI and all the metabolic parameters are "A". This is the case
for most SE CTR's.  I fear that what is happening is the 25 mile CTR is
becoming a horse show where beauty of movement is replacing condition as
the critera.  This is tending to turn a lot of people off to the sport and
the low attendance of the FL 3 day is a result. I don't know how the three
day 100's in other states are fairing but the FL 3 day has to be losing
money with the small turnouts the past several years.

I see the judges becoming so picky in order to get placements that it is
turnig people off.  I see judges hiding in the brush and horses spooking
and losing points because they spooked at something in the brush moving.  I
see a lot of stuff that doesn't make much "horse sense" at these rides.
That is really too bad, and because of it a lot of people are going
directly to LD without the sensitivity to the horse they need before they
add speed to equation.

Truman



Truman Prevatt
Mystic "The Horse form Hell" Storm
Little Stormy - "She wasn't with us long - but boy will we miss her"
The Rockman, a.k.a Misty Jr.
Jordy, a.k.a. Bridger - Finaly getting his shot
Danson Flame - finally sound and back on the trail - YES!

Brooksville, FL