Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Ready for 25?

Actually he NEVER sweats, all the horses around us can be sweating , but not him (except when I take the saddle pad off) The sweating today was because it was 94, and he was cantering the last 2.5 miles ,I actually made him trot some and it was mostly uphill except we walked the last 3/4 mile. But we were only out 1.5 hr.so I have no idea how fast he trots ,when in his fast trot. Where we conditon, you can't get a car in ,I could only measure one 2.5 mile section, so I know his walk speed, but it's too damaged now by dirt bikes and 4 wheelers to full out trot it in a measurable way(I think his working trot is around 7mph, but his fast trot like today is really fast, it's hard to stay balanced because I have to post so fast., short back, short stride, though he does reach under and oversteps his front feet about 4-6"). ie. you have to slow down for the huge ruts or go around every 200 feet or so. Keeping a sustained trot is hard here because of the nature of the terrain, mostly hills, rutted, rocks, ruts so deep he jumps them, etc. We have to do more of either all walking, up and down or interspersing, trotting or cantering uphills , walking down he loves to trot down , but i heard thats bad on the joints, so I don't let him do it too much.I know he needs to be conditined more, because we weren't as consistant this spring, summer as last year. I thought of pre riding, but I'd have to go somewhere, and ride alone. Seems safer to do it at a ride for 25, where there are other riders and vets.I was looking at rides close by, but Nov. seems too soon. There are some in Jan.03'I could make, if he is worked 3-5days a week. When I was in conditoning mode I basically rode him every other day. I can tell by this one slope he used to steadily trot up or canter like it was nothing, and I can tell he isn't as good of condition as last year, because he started walking part of it near the top, and and his respiration was up near the top. I let him get a bit fat and out of shape a bit.(I'm not sure if this makes sense it is after 12:oo and a house bound mysquito ihas bitten me 3 times while I was typing. If there is West Nile In my property, I will get it first, I am the first to get bitten and often.Day or night. I am really getting excited about our "first", tried and almost gave up last year. Families aren't always the "brady bunch".But riding keeps me sane.After my Walmart visit and seeing all the new hunting gear and them standing in line to buy hunting stamps, I just got to get out my orange vests, jacket, ,helmet cover, breastplate and browband cover, and whistle and I am all set for conditioning this fall (only after 10:00am and before 4pm during hunting season.) I only saw 5 deer stands last year, I wonder if the count is up this year?)I am digressin'---Of course now I have one reply that says , maybe do a 50 firstand another that says he may not be ready for 25. hhhmmmm Confusing. Boils down to how many weeks, at every other day, riding 1.5-2 hours, mostly hills about 100-200 yards long, and at what speed, figuring I can only trot about 1/2 of the terrain(or canter) I am trying to incorporate some interval training. I also can do some ring work. . . . . Laurie and Rascal

Re: [RC] Ready for 25? - Laurie Durgin