Re: watch your step! - Trotting downhill

["Robert Morris" <bobmorris@rmci.net>]

Interesting the comment<<< However, I've heard people say that "horses only
have so many down hill miles>>>

After all the horse has only so many miles on the flat also. When the end
comes it can go no further!!!

These are all "old wives tales" (now comes the flames for being sexist)
Champagne, 8,000 miles in competition and now 28 years old trotted up hill
and down hill and is still going strong.

We train to strengthen ALL muscles not just those used on the flat. It is
natural for the horse to trot down hill, any hill. To walk down is
difficult and in the natural world with out human intervention, you will
seldom if ever see the horse walk down, If walking they will traverse back
and forth across the hill to get down. 

So, the end advice is to train for trotting down hill and then just do it.

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID

----------
> From: TrotALongK <TrotALongK@aol.com>
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: Re: watch your step! - Trotting downhill
> Date: Tuesday, May 19, 1998 1:00 AM
> 
> << Not running fast down steep hills, ditto.  Although we trained for
downhill
> and would canter down mild slopes and trot down moderately steep ones; I
would
> get off for steep downhills.>>
> 
> I've been wanting to ask this question for a while, just kept forgetting
about
> it. John's post brought it back to my mind: 
> How much downhill trotting is safe for my horse?
> I live in the Santa Monica Mountains near L.A., those of you who've ever
done
> the Malibu Ride know that there isn't much flat ground around here. It's
> either up or down, and in order to get a good, long work-out we have to
trot a
> considerable part downhill. I often get off and jog next to the horse
(helps
> the horse AND me...) and both my Arabs have learned well to balance
themself
> even on steeper trails, with or without rider. 
> However, I've heard people say that "horses only have so many down hill
> miles".
> Is there any truth in this or is it more a matter of how carefully you
choose
> where and when to trot? 
> I can imagine that this kind of exercise might cause a lot of stress on
> tendons and joints. When do you know that you're over-doing it?  
> On a typical conditioning ride (anywhere between 6 and 12 miles) I have
about
> 1/3 to 1/4 of downhill trotting, some at an extended trot and some at
just a
> jog (depending on the terrain and the degree). I usually let the horse
pick
> what he's comfortable with. Should I be more conservative?   
> How much down hill trotting do you do? And how fast? 
> 
> Kirsten 
>