LD's training to move up

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>but along those same lines it seems to me that the endurance riders >are
doing >the racing thing on 50's. Times are comparable 2 -2 1/2 hrs for LD
and >4-5 >for 50 what is the difference? maybe all distance placings
based on BC 

O.K. Let's keep this totally seperate from any "LD vs. whatever debate."

On the subject of TRAINING a horse to be an endurance competitor.  I've
thought about this and you really can often get away with running a horse
25 miles in 2 to 2 1/2 hours  without him eating and drinking properly. 

 I did my fastest 50 ever last weekend (4:19) and did it ONLY because he
was eating and drinking so well.   In the past every time we tried to
move to the front, the gut sounds suffered.  This time he actually
stopped and drank at a tank 4 miles out and the rest of the day he was
just as good.  Vet checks were a non-stop eatathon.  It took a lot of
slow 50's and some 100's before he got to the point I could get away with
this.  I'm sure some relax and learn self preservation much sooner.

 Most of my horses when they first start doing 50's don't really want to
drink until they've been 25 miles.  By encouraging racing 25 it seems
you're really hurting this horse's chances of ever moving up
successfully.  He'll just learn to wait till it's over to tank up.

Angie

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