# Booked in my first endurance ride!



## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

I'll be following this thread to find out how it goes!


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## Oreos Girl (May 24, 2011)

Will you get a chance to ride this horse before the event? I really would suggest it if it is possible.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

If I remember to take photos I'll be sure to add them here once it's done. Unfortunately @Oreos Girl I won't be able to, but I'm okay with that. If worse comes to worse and me and the horse are just a complete misfit, I just won't ride.


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

Find out if you can run with the horse so if you guys become incompatible with your selves or others out on the course you can still finish.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Exciting news!! Will look forward to hearing all about your ride in November. 

Please remember to take pictures and maybe even some video???


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Will be following along with interest. Have fun!


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Have a blast! Remember to take care of you - make sure you eat and drink so you can ride your best and take care of the horse.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Thanks everyone  Will keep you updated. I'm not sure I'd be able to run 30kms beside a horse though!


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

falling said:


> Thanks everyone  Will keep you updated. I'm not sure I'd be able to run 30kms beside a horse though!


Not yet......!


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Hey guys! Some super exciting news- not only will I be doing the ride in November, I'm doing one this weekend as well! 40 kms, on a different horse, in a different place. I am so excited and pretty nervous. My SO decided he'd like to ride as well so he's doing the 40 kms- he's hardly ridden this year so he's going to be very sore. We are both on experienced endurance horses. My SO's horse is a 2*endurance horse. 

We are crossing our fingers nothing goes wrong. We are camping there on the Saturday night and then riding out early Sunday morning. We have bought new helmets, chaps, my SO bought new boots. We are both going to wear tights with the chaps so we don't get pinching from the stirrups. Any last minute recommendations???


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

falling said:


> Hey guys! Some super exciting news- not only will I be doing the ride in November, I'm doing one this weekend as well! 40 kms, on a different horse, in a different place. I am so excited and pretty nervous. My SO decided he'd like to ride as well so he's doing the 40 kms- he's hardly ridden this year so he's going to be very sore. We are both on experienced endurance horses. My SO's horse is a 2*endurance horse.
> 
> We are crossing our fingers nothing goes wrong. We are camping there on the Saturday night and then riding out early Sunday morning. We have bought new helmets, chaps, my SO bought new boots. We are both going to wear tights with the chaps so we don't get pinching from the stirrups. Any last minute recommendations???


Have fun and take lots of pictures  

Your SO might want to bring the old pair of boots too; not sure about wearing new boots on the first endurance ride might get very sore...


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I've thought about that- his other boots are work boots (with steel caps etc) so we are not sure if they will fit in the stirrups and they aren't the safest boots to ride in. He says he'd rather have sore feet then get dragged if his boot gets stuck in a stirrup.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Well! My first endurance ride is over and done with. 

It was an amazing experience. The people were all so warm and welcoming and extremely enthusiastic to have us here. We were treated like everyone else right from the start, and the women who's horses we rode, Ashley, quickly set us to work helping with other horses, cooking food on the barbecue, and stoking up the firepit. 

It was a pretty wet weekend, but we were bone dry in our tent on Saturday night. I started at about 5:00 on Sunday, helping the 80 km riders on our team get their horses ready. Soon enough we were grabbing our own horses and tacking up- I was riding a gorgeous little bay Arab gelding called Shiloh, and my SO an Anglo-Arab named 'Donkey.' We had vetted in the night before so all that was left to do was ride out. 

I quickly learnt my horse had the most beautiful soft mouth and slowed or sped at basically a thought. My SO's horse was less sensitive, but better suited to my partner who loves thoroughbreds. We were riding to time- the optimal time for the 40 km was 2 hours. The country was rolling, with some steeper hills, but lots of flat too. The horses seemed to find it a piece of cake, and we found they were very nice rides (we had expected some hijinks). Not crazy fast, forward, smart with their feet, and sensible. 

I was having such a great time that with 200m to go till the end of our first loop (20km), I put my feet out of the stirrups, not really thinking about the fact I was riding a green horse. When I went to go put them back in, the caged stirrup dug into his side and he got a serious fright. The more I struggled to get back into my stirrups the more he was adament he was bolting for home, regardless of the fact I had his head turned into a fence. We went our seperate ways and he galloped back. Ashley grabbed him for me and after I had gotten to my feet I walked him back through the finish flags and we pulled saddles to get them to pulse down. 

While he was a little strange on the ground and with gear, it seemed a bit of an unreasonable response. We found he was really feeling the girth, and once the saddle came off, he was really dipping his back when you ran your hand over it. After a brief talk we decided to withdraw him after the vetting: this horse has FREAK heartrates- even after the very frightening gallop episode, he pulsed down to 53 within minutes. He passed the vet check so I was awarded the 20km after we withdrew him.

So, my partner went without me. His horse was less happy about going back out the second time and tried to object, but thankfully my SO is pretty awesome. His end time was 4:06 seconds, with his horse pulsing down to 54 (really good for this horse) and flying through vetting with the exception of a B in gut sounds. In typical Jack (my partner) style, he'd managed to be really good without trying and well and truly outshined me. All the ladies thought he was a miracle! For his first endurance RTT, having not really ridden in two years, he came second. 

Regardless of my completion or not I had an absolute ball and we well and truly have the bug. Bring on the next ride!


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

Congratulations on your first endurance ride! I am absolutely GREEN with envy and hope and pray to do endurance one day. Sorry your guy had to check out early but it's still a major accomplishment.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Congrats on getting to your first ride. I wish you had been able to complete (and not had an unexpected dismount), but sounds like you are hooked. The pics are just spectacular.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Congratulations on your first endurance right, and I'm sorry to hear about your little spill.
Each ride is a learning experience, and I look forward to your next endurance ride!
Thanks for sharing


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## Eme1217 (Oct 27, 2014)

Congratulations! Sounds like a very fun adventure and such beautiful scenery!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

WOOHOO! What a ride you (and Jack) had!! Thanks for sharing; nice pictures too.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Haven't managed to get in another ride due to the lack of spare horses around, but had a great weekend helping out at an event. I was a vet writer which was super interesting. It was also great to pick up more and more tips from the pro's. It was really interesting hearing about the different breeding of the horses. The very large majority are Arab's or Anglo's, and lots of the riders breed their own horses. Last weekend had a 120km ride that started at 3AM. The winner had a gallop finish which was amazing! 

I think the most amazing thing about this sport are the people. Everyone is supporting each other in anyway they can, and everyone is down to earth and friendly. There's two separate families who have been to every event i've been to and their kids (as young as 8) are riding for over 80kms. If anyone is interested in this sport I highly recommend contacting someone and just going along to help. You'll learn heaps and meet some incredible people who want to share their sport in anyway they can.

The photos aren't mine (I'm nowhere near as talented) but thought you'd all enjoy!


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

Wow, that is some nice looking territory you guys ride in down there! Sounds like the people are great too, just like they are here,

I helped out at many races for several years before I actually entered one - marking trails, putting water out, taking P&R's, doing trot outs for the older gals, gophering, etc. This past year I was invited to write for the vets at a race while my horse was off for an ulcer. What an experience! The vet that I was with most of the time is a good friend and riding buddy so she new what and how to explain things to me and when to dumb it down, LOL. Just being there to listen and observe teaches you so much. Glad that you did it too and found it fun and educational! 

Your recommendation for anyone interested in the sport to just go and help is spot on!

ETA; The first thing I did to help at a race was hold a guys horse (both of them total strangers) while he ran to the restroom on the way into a hold, LOL. Now I know what it meant to him!


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## Acesty6 (Feb 19, 2018)

wow that is a great news goodluck


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