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I have been reading with great interest about the Malibu ride and the
thoughts that it was easier this year and the additional comments this
generated.
I wish to pose a question for the Ride Camp participants to ponder.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A HARD RIDE??? WHAT CONSTITUTES AN EASY RIDE???
My thoughts on this subject tend to have me think the majority of the riders
consider the terms hard/easy in human levels. The ride was easy or hard for
them. They finished in three hours and it was easy, or it took them eight
hours and was hard.
In my personal terms I look at it in a very different manner. If I have a
flat smooth terrain and push the horse into a canter for much of the time
and do a fast ride, this I consider a hard ride. It was hard on the horse
both metabolically and physically.
Then again the eight hour ride, up over hill and dale, cross country on
trail so the speed is much less, hardly ever more than a trot. Tough on the
persons body all the twisting and turning, the uneven ground but much easier
on the horse to say the least. Heart rate is seldom if ever in the upper
reaches. At the finish the horse trots across the finish line and has a good
nights rest while you, the rider may contend with cramps and other aches and
pains because you are not in the best of condition.
Another example of an easy ride for the horse is what I did last Sunday.
Followed a pack string for about 23 miles in the mountains. The stock (pack
strings do not use horses they use STOCK) never got out of a walk. I dare
say even many of the hundred mile riders would have been sore and considered
it a "tough ride" but the horses did not have a hard time in the least.
So good people tell me what you all think are the easy rides and the tough
rides. Are you considering just the rider, just the horse or both???
Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
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