In which Endurance 101 moves us closer to a real event - Haiku Farm

Haikufarm Blog

November 12 2011

Endurance 101 – Countdown to your first endurance ride

Your horse is getting fit, and you are getting excited. You visit the AERC.org website and check the calendar: There’s a ride that you can attend! It’s only two months away…

Eeeeeek!

Here’s a bare-bones calendar of stuff you’ll want to do before ride day, arranged in a countdown format. The schedule isn’t set in stone, but it is a handy list of stuff to remember.

Ride day minus 2 months:

* Check the fit of your saddle, and make necessary adjustments.
* Take a riding lesson (on trails, if possible). Ask your instructor to focus on helping you and your horse move freely and comfortably at various speeds over different terrain.
* Call your farrier NOW to set a farrier appointment for 1-2 weeks before the event.
* Administer any needed vaccinations.
* Ask your vet about medical paperwork that may be required for the ride. If you need to cross state lines for your event, be sure to alert your vet so that the paperwork can be readied in time.


Ride day minus 1 month:

* Safety-check your rig: tires (check your spare tire, too!), wiring, brakes, floorboards. Fix anything that needs fixing.
* Check out your camping arrangements: do your sleeping quarters leak? Do you know how to set up in windy or rainy conditions? Does your campstove work? Repair or replace anything that will fail in camp.
* Practice administering electrolytes to your horse via syringe. Start with a diluted dose mixed with applesauce or yogurt. If your horse does not take the syringe quietly, start teaching him now to accept it...

Read more here:
http://haikufarm.blogspot.com/2011/11/in-which-endurance-101-moves-us-closer.html

2011 Bill Thornburgh Family & Friends Endurance Ride - Karen Chaton

Enduranceridestuff Blog - Full Story

Bill Thornburgh Family & Friends Endurance Ride 50/50 2011 Ride Report & Photos

This past weekend was the 2-day Bill Thornburg endurance ride. I rode both days of it on Pro Bono (“Bo”). The weather was perfect, though a bit warm for those of us with horses that already have winter coats.

Ride entries have been down a lot this season and this was a fairly small ride. The first day there were 28 or 29 in the 50 and on the second day there were only 12. I’m not sure how many were in the LD, tho on the second day there were more than were in the 50.

Daniel Brown and wife Callie along with Jeanine Corzine and crew do a great job on the ride. They have a lot of volunteers and do a fantastic job with everything. The trail was expertly marked the entire way! On the first day they had hot dogs for lunch for us, and both evenings of the ride we were served an excellent meal of tri-tip. Awards are nice – t-shirts for completion both days and lots of other items. I got a middle of the pack water bottle on the 2nd day – finishing 6th out of 12 icon smile Bill Thornburgh Family & Friends Endurance Ride 50/50 2011 Ride Report & Photos . I also got a small flatback bucket for finishing in the top ten.

I’ve done this ride before when it was called Git’r'Done. The footing for both rides is excellent, with only a very small portion having any rocks...

Read more here:
http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2011/11/bill-thornburgh-family-friends-endurance-ride-5050/comment-page-1/