re: TRAINING

[benamil@juno.com (David Bennett)]

John - I can tell you what I have found works for me and the  new horse I
started a 
year ago.  He was going great on the trail and working with a very loose
rein 
on training rides for a couple of months so I figured he was ready to do
some slow
completion-only endurance rides.  My plan  was 
to take him to a few 25's to get him experience at camping with lots of
horses around 
and experience all the other stuff that goes with an endurance ride.   We
waited until 
everyone left before starting our ride and I still had a nutcase.  I 
made it through the second
one safely only because I had a junior on an experienced, steady mare
along.  After two 
25's like that I decided we might as well move up to 50's because he was
handling those 
like a champ and pulling my arms off for most of those 25's, despite my
snaffle and 
running martingale.  

So, we started the 98 ride season with a goal of doing back-of-the-pack
completion rides
just so we could get training miles and so that in competition my horse
could keep the fine 
mind he has most of the time.  We hid at the back of camp and started our
first ride 10 
minutes after the pack left.  He was still excited because he *knew*
those other guys were 
up ahead.  We caught up with a few other horses and passed them.  Also,
passed a couple 
in the vet checks because of quick recoveries.  But, we did not push
ahead and just tried 
to stay steady.

After that one we did six more 50's.  All were middle-to-back-of-the-pack
finishes with no pulls.
Starts are much better but he is still hot at the start of a ride.  We
still spot everyone else a couple
of minutes so he won't get too excited.   And he is learning that he can
catch up with others and
pass them as long as we don't rush it.  IT IS STILL PRETTY EXCITING. 
But, after the first 
10 miles or  so we are cruising!  So, this season we are going to try
some slow, 
completion-only 100's.  If slow 50's are too exciting then he will get to
do more distance.  And 
he will keep his mind...   It's a slow process but is worth it.  I
believe that  I will eventually have 
a horse that can go faster in a steady business-like manner....

Good Luck to you and Meshack!

Dave Bennett
& Rocketeer
Chickamauga, Georgia


John wrote:
>However in competition he gets excited.  I have invested SUBSTANTIAL 
>amounts
>of time and money in training the horse and myself.  I have signed up 
>for
>pleasure rides to give him more exposure to other horses. An excited 
>horse
>could be a danger to himself, his rider and other horses and riders. 
>He
>takes much of the pleasure out of the competition for himself, his 
>rider and
>others!
>
>HOW DO YOU TRAIN A HORSE NOT TO GET EXCITED???
>
>John and Meshack