tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post283191166176884997..comments2024-03-28T03:28:50.712-04:00Comments on Starlight Lane Farm: Conditioning/Competing a Quarter Horse for EnduranceLiz Stouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-69269038075938091842017-08-18T08:43:49.343-04:002017-08-18T08:43:49.343-04:00You are very welcome!You are very welcome!Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-4168178466426006532017-08-17T14:18:51.026-04:002017-08-17T14:18:51.026-04:00This is absolutely amazing, thank you for writing ...This is absolutely amazing, thank you for writing it up!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16071037752920853786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-35079356909104083392017-08-15T07:16:33.920-04:002017-08-15T07:16:33.920-04:00To line up pieces more easily, I'd recommend g...To line up pieces more easily, I'd recommend getting on aerc.org and using their calendar to find out what events may be near you. I put all rides within 6 hours on my calendar at the beginning of the year to see which ones may be feasible. Before I did that, I was missing out/planning last minute a little more than I liked.Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-83038649298577463322017-08-14T13:24:01.342-04:002017-08-14T13:24:01.342-04:00I saved this to read when I had time to really foc...I saved this to read when I had time to really focus on it -- after my weekend I am even more desperate to try an LD with Ruby, just have to get all the pieces lined up. She eats up the trail and she loves it. Really fascinating to read a post aimed at conditioning the non-Arabs!TrainwreckInTealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557554448624901955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-73554490789287820322017-08-13T09:56:19.544-04:002017-08-13T09:56:19.544-04:00"He's just so flabby." OMG lol! But ..."He's just so flabby." OMG lol! But he's so pretttttyyyyy. ;-) And yeah - I remember Nilla's CRIs from your past posts. That's fuckin' amazing. I hope she can heal back to 100% with some time...still so frustrating though!Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-33305923778267195202017-08-13T09:54:18.961-04:002017-08-13T09:54:18.961-04:00I haven't been as involved with endurance grou...I haven't been as involved with endurance groups lately, but that is really awesome to hear about the breed-specific groups! I think the knowledge shared in groups I have been a part of on FB is so, so valuable. The hive-mind of the equestrian social media world is a really wonderful side effect of the uptick in technology in recent years.Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-32501673470399919992017-08-13T09:52:57.067-04:002017-08-13T09:52:57.067-04:00That's awesome re: string horses. And I'm ...That's awesome re: string horses. And I'm totally with you on Arabs being easier. I definitely enjoy the lower stress of competing Q vs. Stan and having more flexibility with electrolyting and how I have to come into a hold. There's something to be said for micromanaging and thinking outside the box so far as the quality of horseman it makes a person, but sometimes I just want to turn my brain off and RIDE haha.Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-89240508701059513222017-08-13T09:51:01.765-04:002017-08-13T09:51:01.765-04:00Thank you! Trail riding has always spoken to me so...Thank you! Trail riding has always spoken to me so much - I think it stems from my love of being outside and in nature. Combine my love of horses with that and there are few things better, in my opinion. =)Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-26246084727205081872017-08-13T09:49:30.895-04:002017-08-13T09:49:30.895-04:00Ozzy is such a tank! And your stories about him ar...Ozzy is such a tank! And your stories about him are still some of my favorites. =)<br /><br />Arabs absolutely have advantages! And personally, I enjoy the sport more with them just because there are less factors in the equation overall (electrolyting, pulsing, blah blah blah). I definitely appreciate the fewer factors involved with competing Q after my experience with Stan. Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-37074411597279685412017-08-13T01:51:44.175-04:002017-08-13T01:51:44.175-04:00I'm so glad Stan did so well for you. I love e...I'm so glad Stan did so well for you. I love endurance and wish my equines would heal themselves so I could do it again. I The mule is possibly better than Arabians when it comes to metabolics (resting heart rate in the 30s) but she's slow. Eugene as a Mustang can do pretty well for pace and energy and sure footedness, but his heart rate is higher than the arabs. I don't know if I can get Levi through one unless I dedicate him to it solely and spend a ton of time conditioning. He's just so flabby.Olivia @ DIY Horse Ownershiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16138490796669110523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-12718972412903587622017-08-13T00:13:28.010-04:002017-08-13T00:13:28.010-04:00I'm years away from buying my first horse, but...I'm years away from buying my first horse, but endurance is on the to do list. There are enough non Arab breed endurance groups on FB now (STB, ASB, WB, etc) that I hope anyone would be confident having the resources to tackle LD's and 50's, even eventually 100's, with a non Arab.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06460442949320451254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-68259074084827649132017-08-12T22:41:12.827-04:002017-08-12T22:41:12.827-04:00I do the heavier saddle bit + load it up with ever...I do the heavier saddle bit + load it up with every saddle bag and water bottle I can find. I also put a man in the saddle on the horse that I need more conditioned. Nicole Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09817619834026667737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-66093659532016621792017-08-12T21:26:07.604-04:002017-08-12T21:26:07.604-04:00I think a lot of non-Arabs would be more successfu...I think a lot of non-Arabs would be more successful at the sport if they weren't electrolyted as Arabians. Arabs have distance in their blood to the point where their requirements are nowhere near what a non-Arab's are. I never would have been able to complete another distance ride on Lily if it hadn't been for Dr. Arthur King's recommendation to elyte as aggressively as I do. Aarene Storms competes a large, dark Standardbred successfully in the cool Pacific Northwest on an elyte protocol that is exactly what I use. (She wrote a detailed post about Fiddle's electrolyting a while back.) Non-Arabs have a higher potassium requirement than Arabs too, which is something that has been told to me over and over and over by more experienced riders that also ride non-Arabs in the sport in this region. I initially trailed Gracie wth a different, less aggressive protocol and she had both an arrhythmia and a hanging pulse at her first LD because of it. How did I fix it? Potassium. And she completed. My one metabolic pull with Gracie last year? I didn't elyte her enough due to the saddle bag snafu at Fort Valley. Once I got enough potassium in her, her heart rate dropped. Same thing with Lily at Fort Valley in 2014. She wouldn't have needed the potassium IV if I'd been giving it orally throughout the day. Another thing to note: the elyte protocol for a non-Arab doesn't change when it's cooler. I elyte the same, and so do most of the people I have talked to on the subject. We sometimes supplement with more sodium if we're concerned about not drinking due to cooler weather, but I find it dicey because even in cooler weather, even the best-conditioned non-Arabs can still run hotter than an Arab. I still want mine getting their potassium in addition to my elyte of choice (Perform n' Win only. I was told to avoid Enduramax in non-Arabs because it's more likely to give them hanging pulses and cramps. Can't testify as to that, but I just stick with what has worked so far. *shrug*)Nicole Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09817619834026667737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-28270651520887457472017-08-12T15:40:41.690-04:002017-08-12T15:40:41.690-04:00I agree Arabs are just a bit easier to do enduranc...I agree Arabs are just a bit easier to do endurance on, although i pretty much proved any rent string horse who is ridden regularly can do a 25mi, maybe not place, but complete. Had way more fun on am Arab who knew pretty much taught me the ropes of endurance while on a 50, he'd done so many already.Kitty Kathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10320015015309570032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-22208296732263285632017-08-12T10:45:22.747-04:002017-08-12T10:45:22.747-04:00I have often said that any horse in regular work c...I have often said that any horse in regular work can do an LD, provided that he has no medical issues. Most can be conditioned to do 50's as well. With that said, as someone who started in endurance on non-Arabs and has ridden about 50/50 Arabs/non-Arabs, the Arabians do have certain advantages. It is interesting to read your thoughts regarding Stan specifically. In some ways, he is not your typical QH, which probably helps you out in some ways. I would love to see you do the longer distances with him and continue talking about how you condition him for it. As you know, Ozzy did 50's and is a 16hh TANK of a horse. The journey to get him through was definitely a learning experience for me and made it so much easier when I started riding "real" endurance horses down the line :)Domhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00139769676714813261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-27451721494875267222017-08-12T10:41:51.856-04:002017-08-12T10:41:51.856-04:00Austen, I'm not sure of your EXACT location, b...Austen, I'm not sure of your EXACT location, but there are lots of people in what I think is your area :)Domhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00139769676714813261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-46015641612628661422017-08-12T09:32:51.196-04:002017-08-12T09:32:51.196-04:00Let me say that Stan in that photo above looks AMA...Let me say that Stan in that photo above looks AMAZING! I would love to do a short ride not a long one with Carmen. But really I probably just want to go on a long trail ride. :)TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-20928141226912884812017-08-12T08:17:14.920-04:002017-08-12T08:17:14.920-04:00YES, Austen! Spot. On. I've met several people...YES, Austen! Spot. On. I've met several people in endurance (usually men) who like to do all of the conditioning with their horses using a heavy saddle and then on race day they like to throw someone our size on board with a much lighter saddle. The horses fly! I should maybe utilize the 50# saddle at our barn more in the future.... lolLiz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-52042224933239801242017-08-12T08:14:40.889-04:002017-08-12T08:14:40.889-04:00Dang, Pete! That's nuts about his pulse not dr...Dang, Pete! That's nuts about his pulse not dropping with that kind of weather at that time of year after his conditioning schedule. I've witnessed the same from a lot of non-Arabs over the years though. It's just crazy how much genetics can play into the whole equation for different breeds in this sport. Your Gem is still one of the most impressive I've ever seen with how she displays her fitness at a ride. Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-68329231513393415602017-08-12T08:06:52.527-04:002017-08-12T08:06:52.527-04:00Oh yeah. Turnout plays a HUGE role for sure. Stan ...Oh yeah. Turnout plays a HUGE role for sure. Stan was on 20+ acres for most of his life, though this summer he was only on 2½ acres for June and July! It's definitely a benefit to training to have a great turnout situation though. Good point!Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-3767585569232364072017-08-12T08:04:20.059-04:002017-08-12T08:04:20.059-04:00That's AWESOME! And yes, there are so many fre...That's AWESOME! And yes, there are so many freak of nature horses in endurance re: fitness/metabolics. And YES to not riding the crap out of them. Once I found success at 50s with Q and my mind eased a bit, I realized how important REST is for them. All those micro tears build up if you ride the piss out of them. I think they benefit from time off as much as conditioning. <br /><br />The more time goes on, the more I love POAs. I have 2 friends with them and have met a third through endurance. My first 100 at OD I rode with one for a third of the ride and leap frogged with a second near the end. The one I met near the end completed OD as her 5th 100 in a pretty short time frame. So amazing. What an incredible breed of horse.Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-33536522119559855882017-08-12T08:00:09.956-04:002017-08-12T08:00:09.956-04:00The bond built during conditioning is such a speci...The bond built during conditioning is such a special one. I enjoyed spending the time with Stan, even if he wasn't exactly convinced at the time lolLiz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-53589323932266512492017-08-12T07:58:13.607-04:002017-08-12T07:58:13.607-04:00Hunter paces sound like they keep a similar - if n...Hunter paces sound like they keep a similar - if not faster! - pace than an endurance ride, too. So while the distance was limiting, you've got a feel for how you'd keep pace on an endurance ride which is a leg up if you ever decided to give one a go. I hope to one day find a chance to try a hunter pace - they sound like so much fun!Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-8962505689872152312017-08-12T07:56:11.711-04:002017-08-12T07:56:11.711-04:00Oh yeah TWH are out there in the sport! A blogging...Oh yeah TWH are out there in the sport! A blogging friend Funder competed her spotted TWH mare through a 100. It's all documented on her site at fundersgoodidea.com As well, I read threads on the endurance groups pretty often about people competing TWH. Gotta watch your electrolytes more it seems, but no reason not to get out there and do the thing!Liz Stouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18267806576736655184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543945977774319437.post-87322313033372659602017-08-12T07:46:17.292-04:002017-08-12T07:46:17.292-04:00Congrats again on your completion. When we were co...Congrats again on your completion. When we were conditioning Pete (draft cross) for an LD he did all the same miles as Gem and lived the same lifestyle and barely pulses down to criteria even on a rainy late October day in the Midwest. It really is a whole different sport when on an non Arab and your great completion just speaks to how much care you put into both the conditioning and the ride day. I honestly believe one of the biggest issues in the sport is over conditioning. Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03346020257901575574noreply@blogger.com