The most common > comment I heard from the judges (in the videos where I can understand what > the judge is saying...)? Needs more speed...not fast enough... needs more > lift...canter not fast enough...yada, yada... Most of the horses look > nervous and rushed to me as they are, and way too many are fighting the > bit > and constantly breaking gait.
What a shame this is. I've been around horses for a really long time and have been able to observe trainers starting youngsters for the TB track, the quarter horse track, dressage, hunter/jumpers, working stock horses and now endurance. The one common thing that I have seen is that effective trainers start their horses slowly. If you have the right horse, the speed is there. If you don't, then the horse needs a different job anyway. There are way more homes waiting for quiet well-trained saddle horses than there are for bug-eyed off-track rejects. Most of the horses Tosca babysits will be endurance horses. She will not be able to keep up with them a year from now, but Bev wants them first to learn to be quiet, well-mannered and brave on trail. Once that and a basic fitness program have been completed, the speed may be added. And that does not mean next month. Or even next year. They will probably have at least one, possible two seasons of going relatively slowly before they are allowed to race. Nancy
