This is kind of a survey, so please feel free to reply privately, especially if your reply is a Me-too. How many of you who are actively doing LD or endurance riding (meaning at least a couple rides per season) keep your horse in a situation (either home or boarded) where you don't have daily access to pasture turn out?
This question has come about because my riding partner moved her horses from the place I board, in large part because they don't get pasture time. I have convinced the owners of the boarding facility to let me turn my horse out occasionally, particularly before and after rides for a day or two. I KNOW this is not enough. I would really prefer my mare to be turned out on pasture every day for at least a couple hours. But I like the place I board because I have free run of the place, can borrow any of their horses if I can't ride my own or need to take someone out riding. I ride 3-5 times a week, and also turn my horse out in the arena some days that I don't ride. The people I board with were primarily a breeding and showing (Western pleasure) farm (30+ years) and don't really have a clue of the needs of endurance horses, but they are nice people. The place my friend moved to has been under several different managements in the past 6 years. The new owners are trying really hard to accommodate everyone, but aren't very experienced at running a boarding stable. The pasture that would be available is about a half acre. I have done LD with my mare, and have gotten her to the point where we NEED to start doing 50's. We have done 6 rides with steadily decreasing times, and are still coming in to the finish in good shape, and she looks good the next day. Every one who sees my horse says she is in excellent condition. So, if your horse isn't out on pasture part of every day, do you do anything special to make up for it in your training/conditioning program? Do you ride more often or longer? Please mention what length of rides you do, and what type of conditioning program you have. My friend insists that it isn't feasible to do endurance unless your horse is on pasture, because (among other things) pasture horses walk 10 miles a day and that is a necessary part of the conditioning program. I know that having the horse on pasture is the ideal, but how necessary is it. Your opinions? jeri =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
