MUSCLE STAMINA & STRENGTH
The best analogy I can put to this is from athletics. A weight lifter shows us extreme amounts of strength but cannot run a marathon, although both have a great amount of stamina they each train to perfect their body for the sport chosen. This is the same with our horses, as a long distance rider must produce a different result to a dressage rider. There are different types of muscle for each of these sports and medical documentation can explain this further, but the flexibility remains the same. As we find a horse becoming more flexible and allowing us to ask more of it, we can lengthen the time period of the exercise and pace, still asking just enough to test their stamina, however not creating stress. If dressage is your ambition consider the athlete who carries out gymnastics, for they must show flexibility, gracefulness and strength. These people so I am informed have both muscle types.
As you build up your horse for the tasks you will ask of it, do consider a program to work to. Make periodic judgments, not only to find improvement, but to check correctness. Do not run before you can walk, because the horse cannot gain from a rider asking things of it that the rider cannot ask correctly. After saying all this it is important to have a go because if you don’t you will not progress, however if it’s going wrong do not worry, leave it for a while then have another go.