Anybody use Appendix Quarter Horses for CTR?

[midwestrocket]

Anybody use Appendix Quarter Horses for CTR? I didn’t buy him for a ctr horse, I bought him as a barrel horse. ( a darn good barrel horse too). However, he has recently started to get stupid in the alley and I don’t like losing my horses brain, even for a second, when competing…A very knowledgeable trail rider, and fellow boarder at my barn, turned me onto the idea of ctr! I have since altered his diet and started conditioning for our first 25mile ctr comingh up this september. His athletic ability should prove to be more than adequate, BUT I can’t help but notice that, naturally, arabs, standardbreds etc etc are the mount of choice for ctr and endurance!

muscle is muscle, tendon is tendon, and bone is bone…I am sure with proper conditioning not only will he be a stronger horse, but maybe the happiness of the trees will settle his crazy behind down a bit!

Anybody use an Appendix? Or have advice for a unpopular breed such as mine toying with such an event???

[gubbyz]

Im planning on useing my QH for this. He was a heeling horse but loves booking along on trails. I am new to this, so here goes nothing! My guy should be able to keep up with any breed!

[busterwells]

I did use my Appendix Quarter in a CTR last summer. He did do pretty well. He passed the vet checks and pulse rates, his pulse rate was around 55 at the middle and about the same at the end, which if you go over 60 they will hold you for 10 minutes. ( I also think you are deducted points for going over a certain rate)

But mind you that I did this on a whim with him last summer and did not do alot of extensive training. He was worked about an hour to sometimes 2 hours a day and I would go on a few longer trail rides with friends about once a month (maybe three hour rides).

It does seem to me that the horses you mentioned do do alot better on these types of rides, I think I was the only Appendix Quarter on the whole CTR. But I have only done 2 of these rides and am not an expert.

I was proud of how well mine did over all but never expected him to place at the top of the pack like I did with my POA that went also.

Good luck and I am looking forward to reading others posts on this thread on the topic. I am sure it is not impossible with the proper training.

[midwestrocket]

I am inclined to think that anything is “possible.” Look at the men and women on the biggest loser!