# what to expect



## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

so... i've tossed the idea of doing some type of "intro to endurance" ride for years now. i guess what i'm looking to find out is what to expect? what do i bring? how do i prepare? i've been following the conditioning thread which is helpful but i don't quite know much about how people prep for these rides AT the ride. what do you bring with you? what do the vets look for at vet checks, etc.? 

educate me please?


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

Im gonna talk AERC events as opposed to CTR, First off check the websight, register your horse and join. check the calendar and look for events with you that offer a Limited distance or LD, ride, usually 25 miles.
Lets say ride is saturday,,,,, plan on arriving early friday, check in find out where the vet check area is and where to park your rig,
Set up your camp, get horse settled fed and watered. Dont switch feed, give him his normal stuff normal time, CHill for awhile till it is vet check time, then grab your horse walk down and let vet check out horse and fill out your form. Make sure your horse will trot/gait/ or run behind you on a lead line, u need to do the trot out 250 feet and back. Vet just basically looking for a baseline this time.,
Riders meeting friday,,, they will put out your start time, start place and vet check place, oh you want an all vet checks at camp ride, as oppossed to one way ride.
So at sat am usually bout 7, u gather round start point. I recommend you be dismounted, let the start signal go and the sprinters run off, walk down trail a bit get youtr horse focused then ge ton and start going, get the pace and keep it up, based on youre prior training, look for water breaks, maybe even a 5 minute grass break along trail,, about the 12 mile mark you will ccome into the vet check, drop your tack get in ,line to find the pulse down dudes. They have a gadget they put next to your horse to measure pulse, once pulse is 60, your time stops, you go to vet repeats exam, if all is good you get a break, depending on ride bout 30 or 40 minutes. go back to your area, chill eat let horse eat drink tack up head back to start line, and do it again.. this time u will come in and be done with your first LD.


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

thanks joe!! that's what i was wondering. i know people who do the longer rides and yet i don't think i've ever heard a break down of how it really goes from start to finish or how the vet checks work, etc. 

i'll check out the aerc site and see what they have.

thank you again and anyone else who would like to provide thoughts/input i would appreciate it.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

From my experience, most vet checks are pretty standard (least here in the NE.. not sure if they vary by region). They start out taking the first heartrate that makes up the 2-part CRI (cri=cardiac recovery index). After the heartrate, you will be asked to jog/gait your horse in hand a certain distance (generally the distance is marked out with cones ahead of time, so you will know where to trot to). A set amount of time after the trot (I want to say 90 seconds, but I am not totally sure), the vet will take the second heartrate for the CRI. Meanwhile, the vet will go down the card, checking the parameters on it: things like cap refill time (pushing on the gum), gut sounds in all 4 quadrants, anal tone, muscle tone, wounds, hydration.

Having your horse be able to trot in hand (not lug behind at a walk or canter in front like a goof) is a good thing, as is having your horse used to having his legs, body and mouth handled. Try having a friend do these things, as some horses let mom do anything but take great offense when a stranger does them!

The main difference in vetting during the race versus the pre-check is having to meet pulse criteria first during the race. Nobody cares what your horse pulses in at during the pre-check, but during the race, the pulse has to meet criteria before you are allowed to vet. The ride management will give you what the pulse criteria is for holds (generally 64 or 60), so you know what you have to meet before you present your horse. Depending on the ride, you may have your pulse taken by volunteers before you get to the vets.

Most rides give you 30 min to meet pulse criteria after arriving at the hold. If you can't get the pulse down in that timeframe, you will not be allowed to continue. At the finish, you get either 60 min or 30 min, depending on what management decides and/or what distance you are riding.


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

great information!  i hope to be able to do an LD someday. as it stands i swear I'M going to die just going for a hike let alone riding 25+ miles. however - it's a goal!


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