RE: holds at rides

["Steph Teeter" <step@fsr.com>]

I like to have at least one hold that is 45 minutes
or longer. 30 minutes is not enough time for the
horse to eat and rest - much of the time is spent
at the vet check, fiddling with tack, getting to
the trailer and back etc.

As far as 15 minute holds vs stop and go - I don't
think I've ever actually 'stopped and gone'. There
is almost always a line at the vetcheck and I usually
end up spending 10 or 15 minutes after pulsing
down anyway  - so I prefer to have it be actual
hold time. Otherwise some folks make it out in 5
minutes (enough time to be vetted through), some
spend 10 minutes - some may even wait 20 minutes
before they get out. This is pretty stressful on 
riders who are competing, and that translates
to stressed out vets and P&R volunteers. I realize
10 or 15 minutes is not going to do much, if anything,
for the horse, but from the rider's perspective
it makes a big difference.

Steph

-----Original Message-----
From: michael mcmurray [mailto:mmcmurra@micron.net]
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 7:11 AM
To: Ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: holds at rides


In the NW this year and especially in Idaho we have been having two half
hour holds and a 15 minute hold in fifty mile rides rather than a
stop-and-go after 13-15 miles and an hour or 45 minutes at the 25 mile
vet check. I prefer a 45 minute or hour hold at 25 miles. The horses are
more interested in eating then and the longer time period gives them a
chance to do that.  I also wouldn't mind seeing a longer hold at the 35
to 40 mile stop. The half hour holds end just as your horse is starting
to eat. What's the point of the shorter holds?

What are other people's opinions on hold lengths?
Martha McMurray


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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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