The horses are marked down for various things (or pulled, depending on the severity), like hydration, soreness, etc., and also if they show unwilling or unhappy about trotting out at the vet checks, getting examined and all that good stuff. To win at endurance, the horses have to be is good physical shape of course, but they have to have the mental attitude also - willing to push when needed and then calm down immediately, put up with all the other horses around, and settle down and eat and drink at the stops. I didn't realize just how complicated it gets, and am really pleased to see just how carefully riders and vets monitor the horses. LOL - some of the riders come in limping or bend over, or barely able to dismount - especially the 50 milers, but their horses are in prime condition.
I'm glad to know more about it. Bay did that, but he did it without me, so he knows more than I do about it ;~D. Do they mark them down by adding time penalties then? or is there a time plus a score element to it?
The first 25 mile ride I went on, when I dismounted at the end, I swung my leg over, kicked my feet out of the stirrups, and crumpled all the way to the ground. ;~D It surprised me! I had no knees ;~D
I didn't quite understand these posts yesterday about the scoring of the endurance races, this morning it is making sense:)
I think that is really an interesting concept about not figuring times till they pass the PR. Do they have a person that stands and takes it from the time the horse comes in till they get it? I was just wondering because of the problems putting on the CTR's is getting enough workers.
But doing it the way you are saying could be a plus for someone with a really well conditioned horse. Can riders give their horses electrolytes during the ride?
Becky