How did you condition for your first 25 miler?

[LMH]

i have read the articles on the AERC website but would love more input.

I have 2 friends on the edge of committing (HoneyB Come out come out) mainly because of the fear of time investment.

So how did you do things?

[rainechyldes]

Time is an issue,
I work fulltime, have kids, do ponyclub, as well as hang out at PTA etc etc.. and I have 3 horses in training.

I'll admit, I spend alot of time lunging, and doing schoolwork in the arena during the week, and weekends is when I hit the trail. I figure as long as my horse is getting exercise somewhere during the week, I can use my freer weekend time to work on interval training, hill work, etc and increasing those times.
I tend to think alot of people 'over condition' their horses, but that's my personal opinion as a rule.

[Prieta]

Now that I have a horse with laminitis and am starting to plan out very carefully on getting my horse back in shape for the sport. I notice that you say that you think that many people overcondition their horses. Just what do you mean by that?

Let me explain myself....

I'm training in rowing and do need to row many meters a week. Thus, with that in mind, I have to row at least 25,000 meters a week. That is considered to be very light in comparision to seasoned rowers who pull in at least 50,000 to 100,000 meters a week.

In medical research world, researchers found that humans need to exercise - get their heart rate up to 70% for at least 5 hours a week just to stay in shape. Anything more than that, we begin to lose weight.

I do not find any such data on what is under, good, and over conditioning for horses. I need that for my fat Arab who is now on a very strict diet to get her down to "ideal weight" not in shape. Thus, what is a good conditioning program to help keep horses in shape?

[islandhorse]

Luckily with a 25, there isn't a huge time commitment UNLESS you have a heavily muscled breed (stout QH, draft-cross, etc). For a 25, you can ride 2 or 3 times a week (I would suggest 3 x week, at least most weeks). Only one of those days can be a long ride. For example on a Saturday or Sunday when people typically have more free time, you and your friends could go out for a long (10 miles in the beginning, more towards 17 miles when horse is more fit and you get closer to the competition), leisurely (walk/jog in the beginning and then mostly medium trot towards the competition date) trail ride. Day 2 could a shorter, faster ride (~1 1/2 - 2 hours of walk, trot, and maybe some cantering). Day 3 if you have it could be trot around the neighborhood or 45 minutes in the arena).

[islandhorse]

Prieta, you can not apply conditioning/exercise theory for humans onto horses. I DO NOT know a lot about it, but from my limited research and talking with many people much more experienced than me, two examples:

1. Horses hold their conditioning very well (fit horses stay fit for a few months without futher exercise, fit humans stay fit for only a few days without exercise).

2. Horses realize the benefit of exercise roughly a week later. With humans it is much much sooner. Therefore, what you do within the week of competition is not benefiting them. It may be hindering them.

[rainechyldes]

I guess I'm using the experience of several of my friends who I think overcondition, and I'm always telling them to slow down, and take it easy. One particular horse of one particular friend was getting ridden everyday, at least an 1 1/2 hours of hard trail work- hills, etc. 7 days a week, usually more on the weekdends. Drove me nuts, and this year, we are now fighting a popped splint on same horse. I felt that amount of training was over the top, and probelms would develop.. sadly they did, and no, I haven't said 'told ya so!!' she's a good friend, just new to the sport, and overly enthusiatic about getting her horse ready.

A horse in average everyday condition can walk 25 miles in a day and think nothing of it. And most new riders or new horses aren't going to expect to race for top ten, if they do, well.. have fun with that. I never race new horses, no matter how fit they are, makes for bad trail habits quickly, as well as injuries.

it can take up to 2 years to develop the soft tissue and bone required to really 'run' a horse competitively. Therefore I take that into account when I'm bringing a horse 'up' for their first season, it means that even in training, I'm not going to over run my horse, work it everyday hard, etc etc,, because I want my horses to compete long term, injury free if possible.


Also consider that most horses don't lose their fitness as fast as we think they do. A 50 miler horse tends to keep their racing condition for something like up to 6 weeks of non-work, after they've raced. ( I think it's actually probably closer to 5 weeks myself:) )

Here is a good book to start with /online/I suggest everyone read it at least once, I do quite often, never hurts to refresh
Aerc handbook.

http://www.aerc.org/AERC_Rider_Handbook110303.asp

as well, there are many sites on conditioning endurance horses.
I tend to read alot of them, just that I find by google searches, and then remember to compile it with my own mantra, 'slow and steady' - racing is for the big boys! - when working with my newer horses:)

[islandhorse]

at least an 1 1/2 hours of hard trail work- hills, etc. 7 days a week, usually more on the weekdends.

OMG!!! Poor horse!! Even a horse in training for Tevis wouldn't work 5 or 6 day a week, much less 7 days a week!!!

[rainechyldes]

Agreed, and I did mention it to her many many times,
but she's was eager and hooked on getting her horse ready for endurance.
things are better now, we've gotten her a secondary horse, and she's now riding alternate days and realizing that she needs to relax about conditioning. Huge improvement.

[Rachel L]

I did my first 25 mile ride this spring on my paint mare. My endurance friends assured me that since she was "riding fit" for the dressage and the trail riding I do, especially since she lived in a hilly pasture, she didn't need any further conditioning. She finished the 25 mile ride with plenty to spare, I was amazed.

[Beverley]

I would second what Islandhorse suggested. I did a few 25 milers on my round bodied quarter horse, and he did fine. I did a 15-miler some years back on my OTTB (not hunting fit at the time) and at about mile 12 he settled down out of the bucking, leaping, I want to win the race syndrome!

I am accustomed to conditioning horses for foxhunting- lots of walking to build the base (and keep the manners) and trotting to build the muscles and canter/gallop to build the wind. And indeed once I got my horses hunting fit, they stayed fit (being on 5 acres w/shelter 24/7). When pressed for time especially in winter, a 20 minute workout on the longe line sufficed. A 25-miler is pretty much equivalent to the average day of foxhunting.

[HoneyB]

I did my first 25 mile ride this spring on my paint mare. My endurance friends assured me that since she was "riding fit" for the dressage and the trail riding I do, especially since she lived in a hilly pasture, she didn't need any further conditioning. She finished the 25 mile ride with plenty to spare, I was amazed.

See, that is the type of stuff I need to know! My reluctance to commit to LMH's hair brained, er, fabulous :lol: :D plan is because I normally have time to ride only 4 days per week. (Darn pesky job....) So, if I do 1 long ride w/ LMH per week, 1 jumping session (I'm supposed to be weenie eventing this year - not doing endurance), and then 2 rides per week that are a combo of dressage/trails/galloping on the track, is that really enough to get my OTTB ready for 30 miles? (FWIW, my typical eventing training takes about an hour.)

[islandhorse]

So, if I do 1 long ride w/ LMH per week, 1 jumping session (I'm supposed to be weenie eventing this year - not doing endurance), and then 2 rides per week that are a combo of dressage/trails/galloping on the track, is that really enough to get my OTTB ready for 30 miles? (FWIF, my typical eventing training takes about an hour.)

YES, perfect! You are doing a variety of activities using various muscle groups which is great, plus you are riding 4 days a week. Give you horse the other three day to recover and have fun in the pasture.

[LMH]

HA! HoneyB I got you now!!!! We are IN for Big South Fork in September!!!:D:lol::D:lol::D:lol:

Lucy and Ethel on the 2 TBs will ROCK (notice I did NOT say Thelma and Louise-we are SO far from Thelma and Louise and SO Lucy and Ethel it is FRIGHTENING).

My plan before asking was to do:

1. one 'medium' ride per week...say 5-6 miles now building to like 8 miles one day a week (so that would be like one ride of 60-90 minutes)

2. One long trail day a week with Honey B--building over the next 3 months to hitting maybe 15-17 miles as the ride approached.

3. 3 days of dressages, jumping or ground work as my schedule allows. These days would be about 45 minutes to an hour each.

Would this be a safe plan?

[JackSprats Mom]

My endurance friends assured me that since she was "riding fit" for the dressage and the trail riding I do, especially since she lived in a hilly pasture, she didn't need any further conditioning. She finished the 25 mile ride with plenty to spare, I was amazed

This is EXACTLY what I did for my first 25 last month. I ride four days a week (maybe 30 mins dressage stuff) and try and get out once a week for a trail ride (maybe 2 hours fairly relaxed) so nothing major and my guy cruised through the 25 miles (in fact was too fit for it!) and felt like he could have gone on...and on....and on.

25's IMO are harder on the rider then the horse :winkgrin:

[Rachel L]

25's IMO are harder on the rider then the horse

The experienced endurance friend who rode with me on my first LD didn't even put on a bra (!) because "its only 25 miles."

Edited to add: LMH and HoneyB, watch out. This sport is addictive.

[HoneyB]

Trust me - this chicky will be wearing a sports bra (too much boobage :rolleyes:) but I can see the addiction coming a mile down the road! :winkgrin:

For our long rides, how many miles should LMH and I build up to in order to do 30 miles in Sept.? Should we practice the full 30, or do 20-some and then let adrenaline take over at the ride?

Another thing, the ladies I know who have done endurance/CTR say horses often get crazy at competitions. Any advice for 2 newbies on TBs? (Mine in particular is a SAINT until he hits sensory overload then it's jig/jog/jig until he regains his sanity.)

[Romantic Rider]

Last year we only did L.D. rides. But we did very well, all but one top ten, and mostly top five. And we never rode more than 15 miles on our long rides conditioning. And we did that in an hour and a half. Our normal rides were usually an hour long, at a pretty brisk pace. Now, we tried to ride at least 4, sometimes 5 days a week like that. And I think our horses were overconditioned. I mean, my little mare was in superb shape, and looked great. But she didn't enjoy it. This year I haven't been riding quite as hard, partially because I am also working on a 50 mile horse. But she is so much happier. She loves to go for rides now, and she really wants to be an endurance horse. So even though she might not be in the shape she was, we're both much happier. Luckily she's naturally quite athletic, and can still do L.D.'s with ease and briskly. So, no matter how many different opinions you get on how much you should condition, listen to your horse. :)

[JackSprats Mom]

Another thing, the ladies I know who have done endurance/CTR say horses often get crazy at competitions. Any advice for 2 newbies on TBs? (Mine in particular is a SAINT until he hits sensory overload then it's jig/jog/jig until he regains his sanity.)

Let the racers go first, head out about 10-15 mins after the mob goes :winkgrin:

[LMH]

Thanks for all the great responses.

I am SO excited for this...honestly I feel like I am learning about horses all over again and it is a BLAST.

SO HoneyB are you signing on the dotted line yet?

Heck...you know you are.

Big South Fork here we COME!

[ChocoMare]

LMH/HB: While I don't "do" LDs or CTR, I would love to play ground crew for ya's. I can feed you, help with the horses, make sure you go the right way and just play gopher. If you need me, you just holler ;)

[islandhorse]

For our long rides, how many miles should LMH and I build up to in order to do 30 miles in Sept.? Should we practice the full 30, or do 20-some and then let adrenaline take over at the ride?


The rule of thumb is to ride IN A WEEK what you'll be riding at the competition.

So for a 25 or 30 miler the most mileage you would do in one day on one trail ride would be 15-17 miles, the other 2 or 3 days would make up the difference.

Keep in mind in the beginning, you will have to start out slower and do shorter distances! Depending on how fit (or unfit) your horse is already, your mileage could be a lot closer to 10 miles/week. Give yourself plenty of time before your first competition to work up to 25-30 miles a week, then once you get to that mileage and you still have several more weeks till the competition, you could if you want, work on upping your speed a tad.

"Speed kills, not miles"

[LMH]

OH great rule of thumb! That makes things easy to organize and know we won't be doing TOO much!

[HoneyB]

LMH/HB: While I don't "do" LDs or CTR, I would love to play ground crew for ya's. I can feed you, help with the horses, make sure you go the right way and just play gopher. If you need me, you just holler ;)

Susan, that would be really cool. We'd have so much fun at rides! :)

[ChocoMare]

Susan, that would be really cool. We'd have so much fun at rides! :)

It would be an honor. :)

[LMH]

Susan-would you bring Egg Salad????:lol:

[patti]

... is that the ride (even a 100) is more about the ability to repeat a 10-15 mile effort than the ability to go the entire distance.

Does that make any sense at all?

While it's probably not a BAD idea to do a 20+ mile ride once, at least two weeks before the competition (you'll want to taper down before the ride, just doing light riding the week or two before the competition), it's probably just fine to do a 2 hour ride once a week (in addition to your other riding, which sounds fine by me) without every actually practicing the entire distance in a conditioning ride.

Trust me, to condition my seasoned horse for 100s, I rarely ride more than 2 hours, other than a 50 or two that might work into my schedule (which I also consider "prep").

Your horses are probably ready right now.

Do also practice some of the other ride stuff, like being vetted, trotting out in hand, learning to eat and rest even amongst what might feel like horsie chaos, camping, spongeing out of creeks, etc. That's what's more likely to give you grief on ride day than the actual miles on the trail.

Good luck! Do report back.

--Patti

[LMH]

thanks patti!

Great thoughts.

I was doing 6 miles the other day just to get a feel for time and pace and start getting a read on my horse (we had been doing hour rides up to that point).

I just broke it down into 6 1 mile rides.

I had my GPS set for 1 mile alerts and a 9 minute mile alert. I went a mile then rested until the 9 minute mark, rinse and repeat.

It made the ride very easy mentally on both of us rather than thinking of a glob of 6 miles.

So your suggestion makes perfect sense-just with bigger miles!:)

[ChocoMare]

Susan-would you bring Egg Salad????:lol:

For you, dear Leah, you bet! :winkgrin: