How do you know when your horse is ready for a 50 mile ride?

[wendybird]

I was told by an old hand to regard each loop of the ride as a new ride. He said trying to think of 50 was too stressful when you first start!
The other thing is to try and do each loop in the same time. So if you do the first 25 in 2.30, try and do the second in the same time. It’s really important to be able to gauge the speed you’re travelling. If you have a gps you can check on the speed.

We do our 25’s in 2.05-10, but if we’re doing a 50 I slow right down to 2.30 - 35 for the 25, depending on the terrain.

Most of the time I’m more tired than my pony, at the finish. lol.

[smokygirl]

I really think your boy is quite handsome

[Hoofbeats02]

Thanks for all the advice everybody!! Our 50 miler went GREAT! Player and I both did so much better than I thought we would…I shouldn’t have been so worried! We finished with a time of 6 hrs 29 min 54 sec and he vetted out great! Just an A- in skin tenting at the end. I always get off him and walk the last 1/4 mile or so into the vet checks, and at the last one he was still walking out practically dragging me in! He was great! And it was so awesome to see people at the finish line cheering us on (rugbygirl :D!) as I walked him across! I love how friendly the endurance community is!

They have decided to do one more ride this year in October so we’ll do another 50 there. I can’t wait!!

Thank you smokygirl I think he is too but I might be biased!

[smokygirl]

Well now you have confirmation, so you know you aren’t biased lol.

[SabalPalm]

Fantastic! It’s an amazing feeling, isn’t it? Now you can’t go back to LDs!

One of my horses finished his first 50 sidepassing in a trot, whinnying to all to announce his return. He’s an emotional kind of horse and very expressive. When he got home and I turned him out, he was all full of himself. It’s as if he knew what he’d done. He thought he was big man on campus and decided to chase the alpha mare. She was so surprised that she initially ran but you could see the light click on as she thought “Hey, wait a minute . . . I’M the boss!” She spun and it was funny watching Eclipse realize that despite his feelings of invincibility, he was not all that.

Hope you have many more 50s and one day attempt a 100. Once you finish a 100, you’ll never look at your horse quite the same.

Debbie

[Romantic_Rider]

Oh so happy for you!! Love to hear about people going up to 50’s and loving it!! And all A’s is fantastic! Isn’t it great when something isn’t nearly as big a deal as you are afraid it will be? :yes::lol: My little mare’s first 50, we were picking up the pace the last 2 miles because one rider blew by us, and I wasn’t going to try to keep up with her, but there another guy following that I knew would make a last minute move. So I asked Cheeks if she felt like cantering, and she went right into it. We pounded across the finish line a gallop, me probably laughing hysterically, and sure enough the guy tried to make a move but we beat him. And I was like, why did I ever worry about her? These horses are so incredible. They never cease to amaze me. And yes, I agree with what everybody else says – you’ll never be able to go back to doing LDs!! I promise. 50’s are soooo much better. Yay! Have fun at your next ride!

[Hoofbeats02]

Love your stories SabalPalm and Romantic Rider They both made me smile! I am still grinning about our ride yesterday, my hubby is probably sick of hearing about it LOL!!

And you are both right. I don’t wanna go back to LD’s ever!! LOL! Player did absolutley amaze me, he was having fun and really enjoying himself. I am so lucky to have such a great horse! He’s a blast to ride and such a goof ball, I’m so glad he handled 50 miles so well.

I’ll be bringing my younger gelding along next year (I’ll still be riding Player in 50’s too though, most rides here are 2 days so I can ride one horse each day) and will probably have to do a few LD’s with him to build him up to 50’s, I am hoping I have him fit enough that I only need to do two or three of them before jumping up with him too. I was thinking of doing an LD with him at the October ride but it’s only one day and I really want to do another 50 with Player at it! LOL! They are soooo much funner!

I would LOVE to try a 100 one day now!

[rugbygirl]

Way to go hoofbeats02! Player looked fantastic in the vet checks and at the end, it was fun to watch you guys come in!

[CosMonster]

I just checked back on this thread to see if you’d done it and I see you have! I’m so glad it went well, congratulations! And if you can do a 50, then 100 can’t be too impossible, right? :lol:

I got the dates wrong, ours is actually the weekend of October 15. It’s supposed to be a really easy 50 for those local to me, just flat on the mesa rather than up in the mountains, so I’m hopeful. It’s also only a little over an hour’s drive.

Actually it’s a 2 day 100 (so 50 each day) and you can join the second day later if you want. :lol: I don’t think we’ll be quite ready for that, though… I don’t know, maybe Lily will be, but I don’t think I will!