Questions on Rest/Training

Email exchange between me and Debbie this morning. Thought it might be good for those curious, enquiring minds out there. Enjoy!
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Hey, if you don't mind answering a couple of endurance questions, I'll ask them.

Thinking back to Sand Hills.........that was our first 50 for the season after a rough winter with little riding. Oreo did fine and returned home w/o issue and we rode this past weekend so I guess he is in good shape after all. On the first lap at Sand Hills, I held him back. He wanted to go faster in the beginning and I pulled him back from the first group. I wanted to make sure he made it to the end. Now that I know he is in shape, what are your thoughts about letting him go faster in the beginning?

After the Saturday 50 at Sand Hills, the first week back home, how much time do you give Legs before riding again? What's the routine when you do start riding again after a competition? And in general, what is your workout schedule?

That's it....thanks again for your help at Sand Hills............I owe my 9th place finish to you

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Hey Debbie,

No problem at all! I love answering this stuff. I probably will even end up posting your questions and answers on my blog for fun.

You planned it exactly right with holding him back the first loop. A great way to run these races, especially if you're unsure of your horse's fitness, is to go conservative in the beginning and get faster as the day goes on. Once your horse is fit, you can let them go a bit but it's always good to still build up if you can and "negative split" (go faster on the last loop). That way, if you have to push at the end you've got plenty of horse left.

There are a couple of examples of when it's good to go faster at first, though. If it is going to be a really hot day, it's good to go fast at first while the day is cooler (this might be especially good for Oreo if he tends to get hot). Another reason would be if you had a young horse (like Legs) who was expending more energy fighting you than is worth it; you can let them go until they get the speed out of their system and then settle them down later once they are a little more tired/relaxed. I do this with Legs a lot; one of these days I'm going to see how hard and long I can run him before he's exhausted! :-p

Rest and training are really different for every horse. The general rest rule is 1 day for every 10 miles raced, with a very light stretch-out ride (2-3 miles) around day 3 or 4. For Legs, I actually let him rest a week before I went up and rode him again. I did that for a couple reasons; one is that I board him 45 minutes away so it's not the easiest thing to get up there. The second is because I know he loves to run and play in the pasture with his buddies, so he spends plenty of time keeping loose (it also makes it hard to keep weight on his skinny butt), so I knew he wouldn't need it. I train 2-3 times a week, with only one of those rides being a real workout/conditioning ride. Again, a lot of that is due to my work schedule but also because Legs holds his fitness so well. Our other two rides are usually in the morning, and are either a light ride on trail (no more than 5 miles, mostly trot), or messing around in the arena/round pen or practicing with the trailer. Legs has a terrible loading problem, so that is our focus at the moment.

After their rest period and when you start riding them again, it generally depends on the horse and what your ride schedule is going to be. I have a heavy ride schedule for this first part of the spring/summer, so well be going very light as far as conditioning because he just won't need it. In a way, the races are his conditioning, so most of his downtime will be spent resting up for the next one. To keep conditioning heavily with that many rides is inviting a few problems you can get from over-conditioning, like injuries and not to mention exhausting the horse. If I were doing rides months apart, I would keep a very similar schedule riding him 2-3 times a week, with one of those rides being a serious conditioning ride (10-20 miles).

When I'm getting a horse fit from scratch, I generally keep the same kind of schedule but start very slow and base it more around time in the saddle rather than distance. For example, I took my friend Kelly out this weekend with her horse, Jazz, and we did a 10 mile ride of mostly walk and trot. It took us about 2 hours, and we worked up very little sweat. This is called Long Slow Distance riding (LSD) and I really haven't found any better way to start conditioning an endurance horse. When I first started Legs, I was forced into it because he was so spooky. But because it was lower stress/low impact, it really got him in awesome shape.

Does that help answer your questions? Sorry it's kind of vague. As with most things horse-related, a lot depends on the situation and the horse.

~Sarah

I also forgot to mention, if you have access to the equipment there are a couple of other conditioning things you can do as your "light" workout once a week (Heather and Jeremy love this stuff):

Swimming: just like for people, this is great low-impact and strengthens up ligaments and works muscles that wouldn't otherwise get worked.

Treadmill: No hills, no problem! Stick your horse on an uphill treadmill for 30 minutes at a fast walk. It's low-impact, and really helps develop those hill-climbing endurance skills.

Hot Walker: Just having your horse walk on a hot walker for an hour (30 minutes in each direction) is an amazing way to get them some slow, low-impact work.

Hope that helps too!

Failure's Not Flattering

Just a forewarning, this one will probably be depressing...

Well yesterday was a disaster. Went up to meet my good friend Kelly and go for a nice light right at the summer pasture. It was the first time riding Legs since Sand Hills last weekend. Legs doesn't need much work right now since he is fit and her horse Jazz is just getting back into shape after the long winter. It all started when he wouldn't load. I fought him for an hour, then when he still refused went and picked up Kelly to help me. We got him on in about 15 minutes without too much effort, got to the barn, saddled up, and then went off for a lovely 10 mile ride (I'll post my Garmin report later today). We went very easy, just some trot and lots of walk, which was very relaxing. Legs was a little spooky but not too bad; I attributed it to being fired up from having a week off.

We then went to load up to trailer the 2 miles home. He wouldn't do it. Kelly and I worked him for over 2 hours, using a few different methods and even trying her trailer too. Then finally gave it up since we were both exhausted and he had shut down. For anyone who's had a horse with bad loading problems, I'm sure you can sympathize. But for those who haven't, it is the most depressing awful feeling in the world. I have never felt so defeated in my life. Thankfully, we were at the summer pasture, so I just put him in the corral with his food and left him there (Joy checked on him this morning, he is fine). But it still felt like I was deserting him, though he left me no choice. I literally went home, crawled into bed, and then just cried for 2 hours. Didn't know what else to do.

Judie told me she would work with him for a week if I can just bring his food; I will probably do that. The vet is coming on 4/6 to do a new coggins, so I will look at bringing him up on 4/10. Then I can just leave him there and pick him up for Foxcatcher the following week.

Many thanks to Kelly in all her patience and moral support in sticking around to help me!

Garmin Data for Sand Hills

Here's the Garmin account of the race...started about 5 minutes late, as usual for me. Sorry!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Untitled

Sand Hills Recap

Yay for a successful weekend! Legs and I got 8th place in a race-off with our friend, Debbie Bader and her horse Oreo. Here's the general recap:

We drove down to South Carolina on Friday, 3/19, starting early in the morning. I got packed up and loaded in about an hour, Legs did okay with the loading part. I didn't take him off the trailer for fear I wouldn't be able to get him back on by myself, but I did stop a few times to offer him water and more hay. He seemed nervous at first but halfway through North Carolina, he really started going to town on his hay so I think he is starting to relax and get used to it. When we arrived at the ride, many people were already there and I had a very tough time finding his corral. It took an hour to finally get the campsite management to help me, only to find that his corral was all the way back in where the RV hookups were across camp. Being that I have a very primitive rig with no electric needs, and that many of the spots were already full, there was no way I could park there. So I got him settled in his pen with plenty of food and water, and went to find a spot near the vet check so I could crew from there. The good part was that his pen was in the shade, at least, so he got some relief from the heat.

After getting Legs and Jack settled, it was time to unload and set up camp. My truck tent, apparently, is a beast. It took me the better part of an hour to get it set up, and was absolutely exhausting. Many thanks to the people parked next to me for helping me get parked and letting me borrow the extra hands/strength! We got it figured out, though, and I will know for next time exactly how to set it up so it goes faster.

After setting up my tent, it was time to vet in. Normally, I go for a little warm up ride to loosen him up first. But because of the fiasco with the corral and tent I simply didn't have time. He vetted in with all A's (an A- in Skin Tenting, which is normal because he had a long trailer ride and was a little dehydrated) and a heart rate of 40. So we were good to go for the next day!

I met up with Carolyn Vavala, Becky Supinger, and Mary Howell to hang out with for the rest of the day, and together with Jack we went to ride meeting. After getting our debriefing I borrowed Carolyn's clippers to clip Legs; he has a nice woolly coat and I knew it was going to be hot hot hot tomorrow afternoon. He did great with the clippers, especially since it was dark. I did his neck and chest and a little on his hidquarters and belly. Then it was off to bed. Lesson learned for next time: get a better air mattress. I had brought plenty of blankets so I was warm, but my air mattress really sucked and I kept waking up to find it deflated and me sleeping on the hard truck bed. Jack didn't like it either. No good.

Race time the next morning was 7AM, so I got up at 5AM. Fed Jack and brought Legs his breakfast (complete with electrolytes), then went to go get some coffee at the ride management office. Unfortunately it wasn't ready yet, so we dropped by Carolyn's rig again to be rescued! Carolyn has a beautiful luxurious trailer and is an incredibly gracious host, she really saved my butt several times this weekend. I then went to grab a granola bar, get Jack set up for the day, finish packing my saddle, and tacked up my horse. He was definitely ready, he was excited to get going. I had someone help me hold him while I mounted up, and then we warmed up by walking around and meeting Carolyn and Becky and their horses on the other side of camp. Then it was time to be off!

The first loop was just over 15 miles and we went a little faster than I originally planned, though we did start in the very back. Legs was fired up and ready, he fought me hard. I think we may try a different bit or a running martingale so he doesn't keep flipping his head up at me. I was worried, but he didn't breathe hard the whole way. We finished the loop, walked right into the vet check with minimal sponging, and got great vet scores. Mary helped me crew all day, she did a great job! Especially since she was also helping our friend Joanie, who had 4 horses out on the LD. Thanks again Mary!

The second loop (14 miles) I went out with a group of 4-5 people (I was a few minutes ahead of Becky and Carolyn since I vetted in faster). I stayed with them through the entire loop and we passed some more people on the way. Again, Legs was going much faster than I intended but he was still pulling and fighting on me, he wasn't breathing hard, and all of his vet scores were great again. Mary trotted him for me so I could see how great he looked, he was sound as a bell! Did I also mention he was barefoot? :-p My little guy has granite feet....He was a little muscle-sore at the end of this loop (he's not used to sand or hills), so we gave him some myoguard and rubbed him out a little. He also didn't eat as much as I would've liked.

The third loop was the hottest and longest of the day. Having vetted in quickly again, I started with my friend Debbie and another rider, we were 16th-18th. Debbie really wanted to make top 10 but wasn't feeling great (her ankle hurt), but our horses were both doing great, so I told her I'd give it my best shot and get her up there. Legs led for the first 10 miles. He drank like a champ at every water stop and ate whatever was available, so I knew we were okay. He really knows the game, chug the water, take a bite and eat on the go! We passed 4-5 people right at the start of the loop, then I set off on a much more reasonable pace (10-12mph). This is what I meant to do today! Halfway through the 20-mile loop, we elecrolyted and shortly after met up with a guy who had gotten lost. This fired Legs up again, and it was off to the races for another fast pace. We passed 4-5 more people, and it was then I knew we were on the back end of top 10 but would probably have to race for it. I knew the last water stop was about a mile from the finish line, so when we got there I whispered to Debbie that as soon as the horses were done drinking we were going to take off fast. She was hurting, but I convinced her to stick to me and go for it!

We got in the lead right after the water, and as soon as I saw the finish it was off at a gallop, Debbie right behind me cheering us on. As we neared the finish line, I felt Legs getting nervous and realized he was going to spook. I kept pushing him and while he did a little jump to the side (see video), he remembered himself and pulled it off at the last second, beating out our little pack. Debbie came in right behind me at 9th. Mary was there with water to help us cool them off (see photo), and I jumped off and walked him the rest of the way back to camp. He was down with a light sponging by the time we got back, and we vetted in. The vet gave him all A's, his CRI was 52/52, and we were encouraged to stand for BC. I didn't think we'd get it, we were 45min behind the leaders, but I thought, why not?

The BC vet was tough. She said Legs moved the best out of all the horses she'd seen so far (Mary trotted him for me, I didn't eat enough and wasn't feeling well). But she gave him low marks on some other areas where the other vets marked him high. But every judge is different, and in any case it's always good to have the vets get one last look at your horse. We ended up placing 6th in the BC judging (right behind Debbie, Oreo's heart rates are CRAZY low!), and won some big engraved plates with the race logo on them.

That night I made sure to feed Legs lots and lots and give him plenty of water. I gave him a nice walk before bed and he seemed to be recovering nicely, a little stiff but who wouldn't be after 50 miles? He still wasn't eating as much as I liked, but he was munching here and there and seemed alert and very happy with himself, so I didn't worry. Jack and I slept in Carolyn's rig (THANKS AGAIN CAROLYN!) to ensure that I got good rest to drive home. Though he kept checking on everyone and patrolling the place, it was a nice restful evening after a long day.

Sunday was basically just the trip home. Chatted with Carolyn over coffee, packed up, loaded Legs (he jumped right on, NO LUNGE WHIP!), stopped and turned Legs around because he untied himself (doh!), then headed out. I stopped twice, getting gas once and offering Legs and Jack water and refilling hay again both times. He was finally hungry, attacking his hay like a MANIAC but also making a total mess. We made it home without incident, other than getting confused and missing the 295 exit, having to drive through Richmond (YIKES!). Legs was very happy to see his friends, and took off trotting to his favorite roll spot, rolled both sides, and then galloped full-speed to the far side of the pasture to play. I also made sure to watch until he got a drink, since he had a long ride.

So, while we went much faster than planned, it was an overall very successful weekend! Enjoy the video of our race-off and Legs' spook, courtesy of Debbie's husband. :-) Also, most of the pictures are all courtesy of Debbie and her husband, too. It's hard to get photos done when you don't have extra pairs of hands....

PS Follow up for the day...Joy reports that Legs looks AWESOME today and even took a nice long nap in his stall with fresh soft bedding. awwww so cute!

Morning Workout 3-16

Great Start to the day! Rich came up super early this morning to film Legs and I doing our loosen-up workout in the arena. Legs did awesome and showed off his beginner dressage skills (despite my terrible form, I'm so used to the Freeform saddle that I'm rusty!). Then we worked on trailer again, he got an A+ for today! One brief pause, then he hopped right on and let me shut him in. We also backed off successfully using Joy's technique. Should've filmed that too, but I forgot. Oh well maybe next time.

Looking at getting a hackmore for him, to make it easier to eat and drink on trail. Amanda Taylor (www.tayloredtack.com) has some nice hacks, I'm looking to get one to try out and send back. Just want to make sure he likes it first.

Enjoy the video from this morning! Again please ignore my poor form.

PS When Rich is talking, he's mostly talking to Jack (he was being a pain). You'll also see me yell at him once when he tries to heel Legs.

Weather Forecast for Sand Hills

Weather Forecast for this weekend:

Friday (travel day): High 71, low 44. 0% chance of rain.
Saturday (race day): High 69, low 52. 0% chance of rain.
Sunday (travel day): High 65, low 40. 40% chacne of rain.

Solid forecast, wish it were a little cooler. Gotta remind Mary to let me borrow her clippers and do his neck for ventilation....

Trailer Update

"Look Mom, I'm on the trailer!"

SUCCESS!!!

Jack and I headed up to the farm mid-morning today to "discuss" the trailer situation with Legalas. I had planned to spend all day up there working on it with him; I HAVE to be able to load/unload him by myself in case I need to travel alone next weekend to Sand Hills. I got the trailer ready, got a bucket of grain to use for reward treats, grabbed him from the pasture, did some grooming, and headed out.

For the first hour or two, I went at it alone and didn't get very far. He routinely would get up to the point where he just needed to step in, and refused to do it. You could tell he wanted to; he kept stepping his his feet and would rear in frustration, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He literally had his entire head, neck, shoulders in and was stretching for the grain, but was just worried. I worked between two different methods, using a gentle lead from the front and pressure from the back with flicking the lunge whip. Before you animal lovers out there get too upset, the whip is more of a scare tactic than a physical one. I did give him a few solid smacks to let him know I wasn't kidding, but generally just the motion and the noise of the string is enough to motivate him to move his feet. This is definitely a feat of coordination and I needed to adjust my technique as I got tired, let me tell you! This seemed to work better with him than the other method, which is winching.

Winching is where you loop the rope through the front rungs on the trailer, and when the horse gives closer you tighten all of the slack. The idea is that it gets them into an uncomfortable position, with their neck stretched tight, and eventually the step in of their own accord. Well, this did not work so well. This is the method I used when I got stranded at Sandy Point, and it is when he got caught in his rope and tried to go through the escape door. So he really doesn't like it. It actually works well if you use a heavy boat hook and rope for a lead, because it gives you extra weight and you don't have to use as much muscle. A lot of people like to use a rope behind the butt as well, to help push them from behind. Well, in the past year Legs has managed to break 3 butt ropes in this way, so we know that doesn't work so well for him either. He seriously hates being forced like this, and I could quickly see that it wasn't the way to go.

So I stuck mainly with the first technique, forcing him to back up when he pulled/refused. Then along came Lexie, Joy's young granddaughter. At first, I was hesitant to accept her help. For one thing, I really wanted to get it on my own since will have to do it alone in the future. The other worry is that Lexie is very young, and while Legs would never maliciously hurt another person, I still worried he might step on her. But after a few hours of going no where, I decided to give in. I figured, once we get him on together a few times, then I can do it by myself. I made the right decision. Lexie did a great job using the lunge whip to encourage him forward, and caught on quickly that he needed to stay out of her personal bubble (training a la Judie Ricci style!). Within 15-20 minutes, we got him on and shut in as if we were going somewhere, happily munching grain as a reward.

We loaded him and backed him off a few more times together, then I started going myself. While he still gave me some refusal, I managed to encourage him on with just a few light flicks of the lunge whip with very little contact. He got better and better each time, and was more and more relaxed while eating his grain.

After loading him by myself 3-4 times, Lexie and I went on a light ride for 1-2 miles to clear our heads and give everybody a chance to relax. Legs was great, very enthusiastic and happy to be out and doing something he knows well. After getting back, I pulled his mane and gave him a bridle path, and cleaned him up a little nicer. Then it was back to the trailer, where he continued to load fairly well for me (still a little refusing).

The one tricky part was unloading. The trailer is just big enough that he can turn around and come off forward. This isn't a terribly horrible thing, except that he can't really do it calmly and managed to skin his hip bones (not too badly, I patched with a little antibiotic ointment dressing and he'll be fine. it's just ugly). By myself, I couldn't find a way to untie him and keep his head forward to go off backwards.

Well then along came Joy! Joy and Michael had just returned from Northern VA and she had some great tips to show me! For one, we figured out a different way to hook up the "butt bar" since it was hanging too low. Normally, it would hook up higher to the divider. But we took the divider out to give him more space, since it was a bit of a claustrophobic squeeze and causing some of his nervousness. But we found a better space for it so it wouldn't hit his legs too low. The other trick was backing him out; Joy showed me to take the lunge rope out the feed door to keep his head forward so he couldn't turn around. Then I could unhook the door, come back to the front, and ask him to back up through the feed door (he's really good with this part), and then catch him as he stepped down. This worked great, and will be key to saving the skin off his hipbones! For now he kind of looks like Frankenstein, but thankfully he's not a show horse!

So while we didn't quite get to my dream trailering scenario, it was a VERY successful day. Someday, when he gets more comfortable, I would love to be able to throw the rope over his neck and just point him on the trailer. Then for backing, just give a little tug on the tail. I have no doubt he will get there someday, but for now loading as he is is great progress.

Thanks Lexie and Joy for all your help today!