Re: RC: LD: try now or wait?

[Mickie Newnam <akelakhan@earthlink.net>]

Karen,
Horses keep their conditioning better than humans and re-condition themselves
more easily.  It's called "muscle memory", I believe.  If your gelding was in
that good of shape last year, he should be ready for an easy (slow) LD with the
riding you've done this year. If in doubt, check his recoveries.  Just remember
that muscles condition faster than other systems (you'll probably get a more
detailed post about that from someone who can explain it better) so to take it
easy.  If the terrain is hellish, you might want to wait. If not, he shouold be
ready, I think.
Mickie

KarenBrat1@aol.com wrote:

> I have a 7-yr-old Arab gelding who was just started under saddle a year ago.
> He did about 400 miles last summer/fall of trail riding and was in very hard
> muscular condition (felt like I was patting a brick wall :-)  I've only been
> riding him about a month this year, 3-4 times a week, 5-10 miles a ride.
> Sometimes flat, sometimes mountain.
>
> Question:  I plan to go to KKS Windsong on Memorial weekend (in two weeks) to
> volunteer Saturday.  Should I try doing the 25 LD on Sunday if I take the
> maximum time?  Or would I be better off waiting til the next nearby ride at
> the end of summer (Lost Wheelbarrow Mine), when he'll have had a lot more
> conditioning?  I'm a complete newbie and have never been to an AERC ride
> before, just done a lot of fun trail riding.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Karen "Ready" Bratcher and Bender the Little Big Horse
>
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=