Ridecamp: Re: [RC] 1886 Endurance Ride Story--Texas to Vermont

>In three months, "Joe" was in the
> best of shape-fifty miles a day, three days each
> week, without a bandage on his legs or artificial
> courage (such as stimulants) of any kind.
<snip>
>   I do not think it is good to rest too long in
> the middle of the day. Some riders do rest their
> mounts two or three hours but I have learned that
> a long rest is not good for horse and rider will
> both get tired. One hour is plenty.
<snip>
<I might say that a horse that
> has plenty of endurance in him is not without a
> background-even "Joe's" ancestors were of the
> Arabian blood. The pedigree of a horse does not
> stand for much if there is no bottom or stemming
> in such an animal, although they get along in
> their own class and are thought quite a lot of.
> The real Morgan horse that I knew years ago was a
> very hardy animal, but those horses have been
> crossed with the thoroughbred from time to time;
> this crossing did that breed more harm than good
> for they neither look nor act like the old-time
> Morgan. Each breed of horse should be kept in its
> own class.
<snip>
>   A large, heavy bodied horse with too much day-
> light under him will not make an endurance horse
> for he will pound himself to pieces on the long
> run. I would not train a horse, for a long hard
> ride, that weighed over 1,000 pounds. He must be
> close to the ground and well muscled with a short
> back and neck-the horse with a long slim neck
> will tire quickly. Today most riders want mounts
> that stand 15 hands or more-that is the first
> thing they will ask-"how high does your horse
> stand?" There are many other things to look at
> besides the height of a good mount.

Interesting points.  And to think they were arrived at 120 years ago by a
horseman of considerable experience--simply by observation....  Funny how
science is now validating what the superior horsemen of the past had learned
by observation.  Frank had already figured out that during conditioning, the
horse needs rest, that roughage matters, that moderation in size matters,
and a great many other things.  Thanks for sharing this quote, Linda--ol'
Frank has long been one of those old-timers that I greatly admired.

Heidi


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