Understanding and utilizing peaking and tapering strategies and planned performance training (periodization) can improve competition performance.

Before discussing the ways to improve your horse's performance, I think it is important to define what is meant by peaking and tapering, as peaking is usually used synonymously with tapering.

I like the definition of peaking from exercise scientist Andrew Coggan, PhD: "the timely combination of fitness and freshness." Freshness has to do with how well the body's many systems function at a given point in time. A fit athlete has optimized the cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, muscular, and nervous systems. A fresh athlete is one who is rested and ready to go ("Peaking To Race," by Joe Friel, 2006).

When thinking of endurance horses, it is possible to see very fit horses at rides that are not "fresh" due to a heavy competition and/or training schedule. These horses are basically tired and may not be able to complete a ride. More than likely they give a lack­luster performance. The worst case scenario is a metabolic or physical breakdown because of overuse or fatigue.

On the other hand, it is possible to see very fresh horses at rides that are either not conditioned for the event or have been taking it easy for too long. Many times, these are the horses at the start of a ride who feel like they could gallop 100 miles. If the riders allow these "fresh" horses to set the pace, it is unlikely they will be able to finish the event because they are really not fit or conditioned for what the rider is allowing them to do.

The art of peaking is bringing freshness and fitness together at a given time.

The strategy of tapering

Tapering is a training strategy designed to reduce the fatigue and stress associated with training and conditioning. It is common knowledge that when the level of equine training is increased -- whether it is speed, intensity, or distance -- this conditioning produces increased fitness. We see our horses becoming more fit, being able to cover more miles, handle hill work easier, and/or recover from speed work faster.

Though the level of fitness is rising in our horses, there is also a corresponding level of fatigue or stress associated with training/conditioning that is also increasing. Tapering is used before competition to eliminate that fatigue associated with conditioning. Reducing the training load will in turn reduce fatigue yet maintain the fitness level and improve performance. Using a tapering strategy in your training cycle allows you to not only bring a fit horse to competition but a fresh horse, ready to give a "peak" performance for that competition.

Why tapering works

Some riders getting ready for specific competitions such as Tevis, Old Dominion, or the AERC National Championship may worry that a decreased training load will "decondition" their equine athlete. This is just not the case. Research on human athletes shows that current fitness can be sustained on 30% of the training load that was required to reach that level of fitness. Performance can be maintained for weeks on end if well-timed bouts of intense training are interspersed with competition ("Tapering," by Robert Vaughn, PhD, and Bob Wilder, MD).

Although data is documented with human athletes, there is certainly much anecdotal evidence that this holds true for endurance horses also. Many successful endurance riders do very little "conditioning"( meaning to specifically build fitness) during the ride season once their horse reaches a certain fitness level. These horses are able to maintain their levels of fitness by going to competitions interspersed with some non-competitive riding. I believe this is the secret of many successful Pioneer and high mileage riders.

Personalize your plan

There are different ways to employ tapering strategies before competition. Like most conditioning techniques, there is not a one-size-fits-all technique that will be optimal for all horses.

It is important to understand the purpose of tapering and then be able to apply and adapt what you have learned to your horse. The specifics of what works for the winner of a big competition, your endurance mentor, or the successful rider down the road may not be best for your horse. Take the time to put together a training/peaking/tapering program that will maximize your horse's potential. Here are a few things to think about when putting together a tapering strategy for your horse's training and competition schedule.

-- The length of the taper varies with the horse's fitness level and the nature of the competition. A competition that you would consider to be more physically or metabolically stressful may require a longer period of tapering

-- The longer the event you are training for, the longer the taper should last. In other words, it would be fairly common for a horse being trained for a 100-mile competition to have a longer period of tapering than a horse being prepared for a 50-mile ride.

-- During the taper, both the frequency and length of work­outs will decrease, but the intensity of these workouts should increase. It is important to note that although the intensity of the workout should increase this is not the time to go beyond your targeted ride intensity. Remember, tapering is not considered a time for building and increasing fitness.

Periodization training

Peaking and tapering strategies are max­imized if a horse has been conditioned using planned performance training, or periodization. Certainly, horse/ rider teams are successful in this sport without such formal training plans. But, bringing your horse to its highest potential with fewer layups, fewer injuries, and more successes is best achieved with a plan.

At a recent ride, I met a rider with an incredible horse who told me she was going to do back-to-back, fairly difficult 50-mile rides. A couple weeks later, I learned that she had won both rides, setting a course record and winning best condition at the first ride. It made me wonder if this rider had planned, conditioned, peaked and tapered for this accomplishment or if this was a haphazard plan that was accomplished at the expense of an extremely talented horse.

If, as endurance riders, we choose to ride more competitively, ride to place in the top ten, or ride to win, it is our obligation and responsibility to have our horses on a conditioning program that will maximize training and competition strategy and minimize dependence on the horse's natural ability to get the desired results in competition.

Here is a very general definition of planned performance training or periodization training. There is not just one way to use conditioning cycles or blocks when developing training, conditioning, and competition programs. Periodization is the cycling of various training principles and variables over a period of time to peak for a competition.

Periodization, according to Ciaran Shortt of the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland, is composed of:

-- macrocycles (years of training)

-- mesocycles (the training year divided in sections in order to peak for competitions)

-- microcycles (training weeks).

This particular model fits nicely with the competition careers of endurance horses. When it comes to endurance riding, the macrocycles and mesocycles are the goals we set for our horses. For example, the macrocycle (lifetime) is the goal of where we want our 5-year-old horse to be when he is 8 years old, or beyond. The mesocycle (yearly) is what we want to accomplish with that 5-year-old his first season of competition so he can reach the lifetime goal we have set for him. Then we map out the goals we would like to accomplish for that ride season. In other words, we are going to set goals to work towards before the ride season even begins.

For example, our goal may be for the horse to be capable 100-mile horse at the age of 8 and for many years thereafter. Then we know we must put a very solid foundation on the horse so he has strong ligaments, tendons, bones, etc. For a 5-year-old horse, our goal would be lots of long, slow milage to build that foundation. We would avoid fast LDs or 50s on the 5-year-old as that would encourage a racing mentality, not the pacing mentality needed for 100s. Moreover the fast work would risk early structural damage that would jeopardize a long career.

When planning a competition schedule for a ride season, it is important to schedule cycles of rest and recuperation. This down time is especially important after competition to give both the horse's body and mind time to recover from the stress of competition. This cycle of rest will make your horse stronger for the next cycle of competition or fitness training.

The microcycles are the actual training and conditioning cycles and these are usually broken down into week-long cycles. The microcycles are the foundation of the training program to accomplish the goals for the ride season and ultimately for the horse's entire career. It is at this level that we map out a course to follow using conditioning and training for fitness, peaking to maximize the horse's potential for success in competition and tapering before competition to reduce any stress or fatigue associated with training.

It is important to note that goals and training strategies mapped through these cycles are always flexible and must reflect how the horse is responding to the work load or competition schedule. Any training or competition program, regardless of how precise or detailed, should always be considered dynamic (just like endurance horses) and must be reviewed regularly to maximize full benefits. It would be beneficial for the competitive rider to set long-term goals and use the concept of periodization to lay the foundation for a conditioning, training, and competition program that will allow the horse to develop his full competitive potential.

With a well-planned training program this can be accomplished with the least amount of wear and tear on the animal's physical and mental well-being. In practical terms, over the course of your horse's career, this may mean several things:

-- Your horse may have fewer training miles.

-- Your horse may compete in fewer rides but come away with a better performance record.

-- Your horse may experience fewer layups due to fatigue or injury.

-- Your horse may be able train with more intensity to reach a higher level of fitness.

-- Your horse may ultimately perform at a much higher level in competition.