Strider's First Official Conditioning Ride (Week 1)

Saturday conditioning ride

Goal: 8 miles in 1.5 hours

Actually done: 7.25 miles in 1:51

Fastest mile: 12:53
Slowest mile: 17:14

Average speed: 3.92
Max speed: 9.77

There were many issues on our first conditioning ride. 

We were stuck on the side of the property with shorter trails, which Strider finds boring.
Leaving his buddies back at the pen, Strider finds it upsetting.

We did get belly deep in one of the stock tanks, and I took some time practicing tossing a sponge off his back, in to the water and then dribbling it on him.  I want to make sure that on race days he is already used to it so he doesn't lose his damn fool mind and kill us both.

Or, so that we don't re-create Angie McGhee's notorious "Sponge" story.  Haven't read it?  Do yourself a favor, go get "The Lighter Side of Endurance" from Angie herself and read it.  Cover to cover, I had a good laugh at each story. 

Now, I had put my heart monitor on Strider, and it worked great.  Until it didn't.  Very confusing and frustrating.

Of course, when I dismounted, I figured out what the problem was.  The positive lead had slipped out from under my saddle. 

I have a strong suspicion that Strider could almost make a good search and rescue horse as he LOVES to go bushwacking, and he's actually fairly careful with his feet when going up and down hills.  He has ZERO comprehension that there's a person on his back though. 

So maybe he wouldn't. 

So, while the original conditioning plan laid out was for 12 weeks, I don't think we can do it.  Not at the current speed we went.

However, there were a few areas where we'll work on improving.

One of the most important is to get my ass in the saddle before 10am.  That's just too late in the day, even if you're gunning for an hour and a half in the saddle.  Especially in the Texas heat.

So, my tweaked plan is to get out early on Saturday and have my butt in the saddle no later than 8am so that I'm wrapping up by 10 and can leave the barn by 11. 

I've given up "sleeping in" apparently.  A part of me laments this, but a part of me is happy about it. 

I'm earning my hours towards my Pasos for Pleasure patches.

I'm conditioning my horse.

I'm riding with a purpose.

I'm having FUN!

Someone wrote a beautiful piece about how endurance riding isn't about race day.  It's about the hours in the saddle spend prepping your horse.  Building a bond together and forging yourselves in to a team.  That's what I feel like we're doing.  We're going to eventually get there together.