Rollin
Well-Known Member
Never say Never Again.
When I discovered that because our stallion was the youngest ever graded for the French Shagya Stud book, he would have to do 3 x90kms endurance at the age of 6, for his required performance. I appealed to our Breed Society. They just said do what you can and ask for a derogation at the end of the year.
I said he would not do it. However, we noticed he finished his second 60km endurance fitter and less tired than the first. We then took him on a 75km training ride and he was so fit, he would have done it all again the next day.
An experienced endurance trainer and Shagya breeder, advised us to keep his speed down. She said if he is fit it will be easier to do your three events this year than to rest him for the winter and train him again.
We have been very fortunate in that we have managed to space his competitions by 6 weeks and gradually increase the distance over the summer. All the events have been within 90mins drive and the weather has been kind, no really hot days.
In France 90kms = 80-110kms and his last two events were 84kms.
Yesterday's Event
The good and the bad. Neither my jockey nor myself knew anything about endurance a year ago. We have learned some gamesmanship. He goes into the first two vet gates as soon as possible to give him maximum time for rest and feed.
The last vet gate we leave it till the last minute. We had spent the last two weeks training down to 12kh as opposed to Woody's natural speed of about 13.8kh. Yesterday he was walked the last km.
We washed him down, took him to the gate with plenty of time to spare, Marius was to walk him for another ten mins. I went into the loo, came out and found Woody in the gate. "Why are you in the gate, you have another ten minutes?" Marius was told he had to present Woody after 20mins. I was sure this was wrong but wondered if I had misunderstood the rules as this was his first competition at Amateur rather than Elevage (young horses).
Another trainer who keeps Barb stallions and is always present with a team, heard us talking and told us to complain. Woody's heart rate was39bpm which is very good. He was amazed when I said "Our target was 32bmp"!!
We did complain and discovered that a new trainee 'helper' had got the rules wrong and Woody should have had 30mins recovery.
It was still a good result but we feel 'robbed' of a much higher position in the rankings.
He is in fine fettle not tired after the event and so next stop is Landes region in December. Then he is finished and can go back to SJ just for fun.
When I discovered that because our stallion was the youngest ever graded for the French Shagya Stud book, he would have to do 3 x90kms endurance at the age of 6, for his required performance. I appealed to our Breed Society. They just said do what you can and ask for a derogation at the end of the year.
I said he would not do it. However, we noticed he finished his second 60km endurance fitter and less tired than the first. We then took him on a 75km training ride and he was so fit, he would have done it all again the next day.
An experienced endurance trainer and Shagya breeder, advised us to keep his speed down. She said if he is fit it will be easier to do your three events this year than to rest him for the winter and train him again.
We have been very fortunate in that we have managed to space his competitions by 6 weeks and gradually increase the distance over the summer. All the events have been within 90mins drive and the weather has been kind, no really hot days.
In France 90kms = 80-110kms and his last two events were 84kms.
Yesterday's Event
The good and the bad. Neither my jockey nor myself knew anything about endurance a year ago. We have learned some gamesmanship. He goes into the first two vet gates as soon as possible to give him maximum time for rest and feed.
The last vet gate we leave it till the last minute. We had spent the last two weeks training down to 12kh as opposed to Woody's natural speed of about 13.8kh. Yesterday he was walked the last km.
We washed him down, took him to the gate with plenty of time to spare, Marius was to walk him for another ten mins. I went into the loo, came out and found Woody in the gate. "Why are you in the gate, you have another ten minutes?" Marius was told he had to present Woody after 20mins. I was sure this was wrong but wondered if I had misunderstood the rules as this was his first competition at Amateur rather than Elevage (young horses).
Another trainer who keeps Barb stallions and is always present with a team, heard us talking and told us to complain. Woody's heart rate was39bpm which is very good. He was amazed when I said "Our target was 32bmp"!!
We did complain and discovered that a new trainee 'helper' had got the rules wrong and Woody should have had 30mins recovery.
It was still a good result but we feel 'robbed' of a much higher position in the rankings.
He is in fine fettle not tired after the event and so next stop is Landes region in December. Then he is finished and can go back to SJ just for fun.
