I wonder? Many breeds of horses can go long distances, even every day. Why
the old time work horse could go out and work 6 days a week, pulling oh so
much weight. They would do that week in and week out, during the planting or
harvesting season, or the season for clearing the timber and dragging it out
of the forest. Now that definitely requires a horse with great endurance?
I wonder? As AERC has lowered the P&R requirements, this seems to have given
the edge to the breed of horse who meets these extremely low criteria the
quickest?
I wonder? Does this low criteria protect the fit Arab from abuse, but maybe
at the same time prevent a very fit, large muscled horse from being a
successful competitor?
I wonder? Would some of the larger type horses who succeeded on many
thousands of AERC miles 25 years ago be able to reach today's criteria
quickly enough to encourage the rider to continue in the sport?
I wonder? Wind and heart recovery can be built so quickly in an Arab, that
his muscle and more importantly his tendons and bones do not keep up. The
Arab loves to run. He almost instantly develops great recoveries, our major
test for fitness. So you have this young 4 or 5 year old Arab who can fly
over the hills with the greatest of ease, running on a body that is not
mature till 7 years old. (I know, that is my opinion, which is why I allow
my Arabs to get to that age before I use them. Yes, I am an Arab rider.)
I wonder? Do you think that AERC might look into and see if some breeds of
horses may be quite fit to go on, even if they do not hit the low numbers
that an Arab does? Each fit horse has a different resting P&R number, the
Arab breed seem to be capable of developing a lower basic number than many
other breeds. Are we, or have we already developed a one breed sport?
I wonder? Is endurance simply a matter of P&R? That is the one perimeter
that the novice can easily learn to judge, yet achieving great P&Rs early in
life may just be the reason so many Arabs sustain serious injury to their
legs.
I wonder? Could it be said, 2 months to great P&Rs, 2 years to great legs?
I believe that it is not as quick for other breeds to develop those great
P&Rs.
I wonder? Do I have to turn off my computer to protect myself from flames?
Lynge
West
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