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PREPARING TEMPESTAD For Endurance or any Discipline by Eric Hought Return to Directory of Log Entries

1/20/02 Keepin' Track Many years of riding colts have led me to keep track of the number of rides on each colt. I have been able to make specific observations about the progress of the colts. Its interesting to see some of these generalities seem to ring true on all those colts. The colts that I started from the first ride consistently showed me that at about ride # 7 they understood there was a program. Consistency from me. I most always ride them 7 days in a row with no day off. The rides are as easy as possible and the distance is determined by the colt. Usually by about 16 rides, 4 rides per week, I have learned their name. Grin. My program is very horse, first priority, oriented. The way the first month works out is that days off, happen when things are progressing in a positive direction. These milestones seem to ring true consistently. I have only sent two horses home after a month or less. The first was a mare that truly had low intelligence. She was a nice mare but not smart. My program didn't help her and I will not put a square peg into a round hole. The second was a gelding that had lots of wrong miles before he came to me. He needed the kind of riding that I was not willing to do. I sent him home after 2 weeks. My program is successful because all a horse has to do is try, it will be successful and find it easy. The whole secret is well put by Ray Hunt, "less is more." I think that is the correct quote. I changed it to fit my verbiage to say, "the less you do, the more you get done." We just go the distance. I can wait for a long time as long as I can "feel" the talent inside of them. Some have more talent than others. That doesn't matter. If they are willing to try and show progress, that's all I ask.

1/28/02- MATCHING