This is somewhat related to the topic of the pull rate at Fort Howes, but not really.  I would really like to see a program put together for safely bringing horses to a very high level of performance.  I believe that USEF should be the organization to do this.  In what sport do you not see "coaching" at the highest levels.  In track and field, soccer, baseball, tennis, there are programs or clubs for those that have the potential or desire to perform at the highest levels of their sport.  These programs don't start when the athlete is ready to compete on the profession circuit but starts from the moment the athlete shows potential.   This is really what is missing in endurance. 

 

It looks like 90% of AERC riders really just want to do endurance riding as a hobby and have a good time with family, friends, and their horses.  At the most, they consider endurance riding "serious fun" :)  Certainly what AERC offers in terms of education, seminars, etc. is excellent for this 90% of the membership.  When you think of the USEF endurance member,  their goals are ususally a lot different from the average AERC member. It seems at this level it goes well beyond "serious fun".   And though the information given by AERC is good it really does not address how to bring a horse along to successfully compete at the highest levels of endurance racing.  US endurance riders that want to ride at the most competitive levels of this sport are really on their own when it comes figuring out how to get the most potential out of your horse without bringing harm to that animal.  Now, can you imagine someone trying to make the US olympic track team or a professional baseball team without a coach or a program to get you to that highest level.  Wouldn't it be considered strange that the first time an olympic athelete had "coaching" was when he either made the team or made the short list for the team.   This is really what is going on in US endurance.  I don't think this system is set up to bring horses to their highest potential for olympic level competition.  This doesn't mean that there are not individuals that are good enough that do this with their horses but collectively, the sport does not provide a platform for this and therefore the pool of competitive horses is not only smaller but many are not ridden and race to their highest potential.  By the sport, I do not mean AERC specifically as I believe it is the obligation of USEF to provide this platform.

   To me it would be in USEF's best interest to develop a program that is geared towards horses that will be ridden competitively.  Instead of concentrating on horses the last 12-18 months before competition, they should be grooming horses from the time they start their endurance careers.  Of course this doesn't mean "racing" babies.  What it means is teaching riders the fundementals and theory of conditioning principles and guiding these riders/horses, having riders apply these principles from the LD level to the 100 mile distance, through a program so both the organization and the riders know exactly where their horses are at and where they need to go to reach the long term goal.  Having a coach or coaching program for guidance and feedback as well as having the data (not just ride results but training logs, splits from all previous rides, etc.) can give a wealth of information on if that horse is talented enough for high level competition, on what the horses strengths and weaknesses are, etc.  It might also give an indication if the rider is relying on the horses natural ability more than using racing and conditioning strategies to get the desired results.  Just this alone would be extremely beneficial when you are talking about getting ready for one big performance like a WEC or Pan Am ride.

 

    Right now, when I look at the current system, I see horses that have been brought along in a system that is really geared towards the amature that are being expected to make a huge leap to the "professional" ranks in a very short time frame. They are then expected to perform at the top of that professional level.  Logic tells me that the odds for success are low just based on the way this is set up.

 

    Over a year ago, I wrote something up with great detail along these same lines.  I don't think it was even considered as a possible option or solution.  Now, after becoming a little more knowledgeable how some other systems are working, I am even more convinced that a major change should occur in the structure of bring horses up to a competitive level. I know it is certainly working for my personal horses. But, thinking outside the box, is not an easy or popular thing to do. Again, it would be a great opportunity for USEF to have a larger pool of competitive horses to choose from when selecting squads.