Interesting take aways from a couple of books

I am currently reading a couple of books, one written in the late 70's and the other in the late 80's. I've picked up a few interesting things in my reading, and discounted some others as being dated, and no longer in vogue ( helmet-less for instance).

The first read is Distance Riding: From Start to Finish by Virginia Weisel Johnson and Thula Johnson. Don't know if I can struggle through it...I'm trying. Certainly some sound advice, but I'm not enjoying the writing style and it does not ascribe to my "Keep it simple stupid" style.

The second is Endurance Riding by Lew Hollander. I found it particularly exciting that the horse used to illustrate an endurance horse's body type was an Appaloosa! Although Arabians have always been dominant and prevalent in the sport, it seems that there was a time that the use of Appaloosa horses was much more the norm than today. (It gives me hope and makes my heart happy ♥).

My favorite take away quote so far: " The most essential qualities in an endurance rider are determination and persistence." ~Lew Hollander  
If there is one thing that I am, it is both those things.  I may not be good at what I do (yet), but I am certainly determined and persistent.

Another observation is that the authors mention training much faster than I ever have concerning endurance, and leave the "happy granny pace" more to CTR.  Sometimes I think I am a little misplaced.

The value of hill training is stressed in the second book, and again, doing it faster than my current comfort level.  Journey.  I suppose that some of that can come with time, she is still base-building and will be for at least this year.  I found the author's method of fitting up the horse over the winter months very entertaining!

One section in the second book I found  disturbing....how to cover up a lameness in the trot out, and how to fudge an inversion of high respiration by half!  *WHAT*?  Cover one nostril of the horse while the vet is at the flank and the horse's respiration will drop by half, and fake a stumble of your own to take the focus off your horse on the trot out turn?  SERIOUSLY? 

So for where I'm at now in the books I'm giving part (a small portion) of Lew Hollander's book a thumbs up and Distance Riding: From Start to Finish an on the fence as it "feels" outdated, though I'm sure I'll dig out a few things worth keeping, if I can just keep reading.        ~E.G.