Newbie

Okay, here is an email that I sent to someone's endurance riding website, hoping to get help. I know your all very brilliant as well, so I figured I'd post it on here also to get some of your opinions!

"My name is Ashley, I'm 15 and I live in Minnesota. I own a four year old 15hh Appaloosa gelding whom I broke myself. He's absolutely wonderful and just the most beautiful boy!
I've been riding since I was about seven years old, and I took riding lessons from age seven to age twelve. I know how to ride western, english, and bareback.
Well, to get to the point, I was recently watching hidalgo and I thought to myself: "My! It would be fun to get into riding endurance races!" Of course I know I wouldn't be able to do a 3000 mile race in a LOOOONG time, but I would love to get into it!

I was wondering if I could get some tips from you two on how to get started and how to train myself and my horse for endurance riding. Whiskey rides on the road and on trails pretty well. He does well with other horses and I've ridden him on the road once by myself (with a few others on foot). Oh, and he also crossed a river for the first time with no hesitation at all! He just plodded along through it a few meters behind the other horse that was ahead of us.

He doesn't seem to have any vices. He generally trailers well, he ties, he doesn't kick (He's only kicked once or twice and that was in the round pen when he was still green) and he only attempts to crowhop when I ride bareback at more than a trot, and he's not a biter. However, when out in the open at a fast pace, (and he is quite a fast horse), he can get excited and doesn't like stopping and occasionally travels at an angle.

He's got some racehorse blood in him; mostly of secretariat lineage. (Secretariat is just off his pedigree). I believe he has QH in him and it appears that he has some arab in him, but I'm not sure about that. But the majority of his blood is Appaloosa and Thoroughbred."

http://image38.webshots.com/38/4/88/31/322748831jKqkVU_ph.jpg (http://image38.webshots.com/38/4/88/31/322748831jKqkVU_ph.jpg)
http://image42.webshots.com/43/1/52/47/322815247GcNrTx_ph.jpg (http://image42.webshots.com/43/1/52/47/322815247GcNrTx_ph.jpg)

Okay, so I have no idea what to do in order to get into endurance riding. I've read a few things and came up with a 9 month training routine. Here it is:

1 week: walking vigorously for 30 minutes
2 weeks: walking up a hill for 30 minutes
1 week: trotting comfortably for 30 minutes
2 weeks: trotting up a hill for 30 minutes
1 week: cantering vigorously for 30 minutes
2 weeks: cantering up a hill for 30 minutes

Gradually switch to high performance grain

2 weeks: walking vigorously for an hour
2 weeks: walking up a hill for an hour
2 weeks: trotting comfortably for an hour
2 weeks: trotting up a hill for an hour
2 weeks: cantering vigorously for an hour
2 weeks: cantering up a hill for an hour

switch to Equiflex horse shoes

3 weeks: walking vigorously for an hour and 30 minutes
3 weeks: walking up a hill for an hour and 30 minutes
3 weeks: trotting comfortably for an hour and 30 minutes
3 weeks: trotting up a hill for an hour and 30 minutes
3 weeks: cantering vigorously for an hour and 30 minutes
3 weeks: cantering up a hill for an hour and 30 minutes


I also have a book with two or three training routines in it which I may post for you all to look at later.

Thanks for your help everyone, it's greatly appreciated.

first off nice job on keeping up riding and training and breaking a horse. love the movie hidalgo by the way. i think that your planning schedule is very organized and in perfect distribution but make sure that you stick to it because one or two days off can mess it up. so just be carefull. not sure what more i can say but good luck.

Thank you, I am so excited about getting into this with whiskey. And thank you for your complement on my training routine. I know I can work him nearly every day, because I did that the first year I got him, I practically cried when I couldn't go see him! And I didn't go to see him that often last summer, but this summer, and even in the spring, We're going to kick it up to high gear. All I need is tips, advice, and compliments! :D

just let me know cause i can supply compliments galore lol.

Yay! lol they'll always help, never hinder. I love my horse, I have confidence in his tremendous talent and ability. He's strong and fast and willing, and he's really only spooky when dogs are running towards him or when something rustles in the bushes (but thats expected). And to top it off, he's absolutely gorgeous.

he is you are so lucky to have him just like i am to have my nellie

Very. :) I'll definately have my work cut out for me though, but that's okay, it'll be good for both Whiskey and myself. I'm looking at a totally sweet endurance saddlel; the thing is, it's WAYYY expensive: 2950!! It's got safety features though such as ginormous leg rolls to prevent falling forward if your horse suddenly stops or if your going downhill. It also doesn't have a horn so you can bend down really close to your horse to go uphill.

https://secure1.nexternal.com/shared/StoreFront/default.asp?CS=slypner&BusType=BtoC&Count1=839412868&Count2=756553292&CategoryID=3&Target=products.asp&category=3

There it is! *heavenly sound*

its gorgeous. i hope you can get it.

Thank you, Me too. I must go to bed now, thank you! I hope to hear everyone elses opinions, tips and advice as well! Thanks again!
Night!

night!!!:D