Re: Newbie query: why required weight?

[Susan Evans Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> On Thu, 3 Sep 1998, Teddy Lancaster wrote:
> 
> > I must vehemently disagree with you. Weight carried by a horse,
> > especially over long distances has been proven over and over again to be
> > a MAJOR decided factor in the outcome of ANY race.


K S Swigart wrote:
> > 
> Show me the statitics.  The only studies I have ever seen where anybody
> actually tried to figure out what the effect of weight carried had on
> outcome of an endurance competition came to the statistical conclusion
> that weight of the rider (and all its tack) is "insignificant."


Teddy, I have to agree with Kathy---it has NOT been shown in any
research project that weight makes a difference, especially over a long
distance.  There's only been ONE empirical research study that ever
looked at weight-carrying ability in endurance horses and that was
mine.  I've looked at over 600 endurance horses now and the statistics
are crystal-clear that weight makes NO difference to completion rate,
finishing time, or in pulled horses, how far they went before they were
pulled.  If the study weren't published, it would still be just my
opinion---but it's been dragged over the coals by a whole lot of
extremely nit-picking researchers that dearly love to find mistakes and
they all agreed with the conclusions.  WEIGHT IS NOT A FACTOR AT
SUB-ANAEROBIC SPEEDS.

Susan G