Exercise Schematic (Continued)

Preface that in horse prep there are many different ways to skin the cat, if you'll pardon that expression.

Is there an optimal way, a better way?  Likely, and probably already been done by such as Whittingham, T.J. Smith, O'Gorman, Burch, Fiztsimmons, Hirsch and the like.  For the uninitiated, correct, we decline to place modern numbers trainers into these categories. Put numbers trainers another way--new owners that chase win percentages with these types are probably short, instead of long, for the game. Interestingly Tom Ivers could never trainer a horse.

Last posted I noted my epiphany to get rid of all long galloping.  A little background on this. First thing in my new racing career mid '80s was publication of "The Fit Race Horse" by Tom Ivers.  For injury prevention purposes this well written/well argued book developed a program on volume slow galloping.  At the time this made a lot of sense to me, although confide that when my horse was actually doing the six miles for 20 min I got very little satisfaction out of it.  It was the beginning of my questioning of "volume" as a training tool.

The idea of volume did stick with me however. Looking back, I'd say my whole training career involved expanding the program.  That was until I read Preston Burch's book.  By time of my run in with the Burch book I was already starting to come to Burch's conclusions but still with a little Ivers twinge to it.  We do need those 2 mile slow gallops in there somewhere, right???? I've come to the idea that it's otherwise.

And who would make the case for that but Bill Pressey in comment to last post.  Be sure to read that informative comment!  And txs to Bill for taking the trouble to put all that in there.  Heart rate info at the various percentages of effort and what the various efforts as u spin up the speed accomplish physiologically.
Most interesting to me was Pressey's comment that 80-90% effort is what's needed to convert lactic acid to energy.  This coincides--as I think back--to my enthusiasm for :14 sec/f galloping.  Back to that later.

Pressey's comment essentially makes the case for the various speeds in terms of performance. (And, let' do remember that for "injury prevention"--an equal concern--we need at least one 12.5 sec/f 4f work every seven days!)  I believe, and this would be based on the Pressey comments, the case can be strongly made for eliminating the long 2 mile type gallops altogether.  Continue next post.
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Training notes:  The personal exercise program:  spun up to 8.2 mph speed today in short bursts. Different gear!  Did that for 6 straight miles once upon a time.  I have zero recollection, none, that 8.2 mph is moving this fast as this rate of speed seemed today.    More on my gym program as it applies to horses soon.