# First Ride a Success!



## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

My mare Dory and I just completed our first 25 LD Endurance ride yesterday! It was an AERC/FEI 25, 50, 75, 100 event. Very interesting to get to see the different groups! It was a major success and a ton of fun! I'm excited so prepare for a wall of text! 

I wasn't able to get the full experience of camping out in the night since we were local to the ride, but I was able to attend the pre-ride meeting the evening before and learned a good amount of things about the ride. Was a good experienced and got to meet some neat people!

Eaaarly in the morning me and a VERY helpful gentleman (who not only transported my horse to and from the ride, but helped me out during the ride- very thankful!) trailered out to the ride. Up arrival my mare was HOT. The stereotypical Arabian came out for show and honestly, it was quite unnerving. She was a bit a hand full on the ground and very amped up. Fortunately after walking her around, remaining calm, putting a rope halter on her and making her LISTEN to me, she settled down nicely and became Normal-Dory instead of Fiery-Dory. :shock: 

Did a vet check, got tacked up, hopped on, and we started. Fortunately, most of the 25 mile riders (7 out of the 8) started together and slow so all horses were happy and manageable. 

I made it a habit to ride my own race. 2.5 miles after the start and when my mare was really in-tuned to me, I let the faster group go ahead and set the pace at the trot we've been practicing for. I was very happy that my mare didn't feel the need to speed up too much faster than what we were used too! For much of the time I was riding alone which is fine by me- I feel that I ride better that way. Every now and then the faster group would slow and I would catch up and chat. Then they would take off again and I would keep Dory at our set speed. Nice to know she doesn't get upset with other horses passing or taking off in front of her! 



















The only thing that upset her during the ride is... cattle! We were on a working cow ranch and crossed a couple of herds... I found out that this is NOT cow horse- ha! Another issue we had was drinking! She will eat the world but would not drink strange water. I had to mix water with a bit of her grain for flavor to get her to drink. We need to work on this! Next time I will bring a few gallons of home water.

She did wonderful at the vet check and pulsed down almost immediately after arriving back to base camp. All A's. After our hold time she was a bit confused about going back out but didn't give me too much trouble. 

Towards the end, I caught up to the fast group. My mare had plenty of reserve left so we cantered with the others (which was great fun!), stopped to walk before entering base camp, and undid her girth. She looked great and, upon recommendation of the very helpful gentlemen, I went straight to the vet. 

I am very happy to say, even after cantering with the group, my mare pulsed down nearly immediately after entering base camp. She got A's on everything except gut sound (she got a B). It was not my goal at all to "race"- Only to finish- but we did end up first so I won't be complaining! :shock:

Afterwards my Dory was tired and calm, but still alert. This morning she's back to her normal self. Bright eyed and seeking attention. I'm finding no sore spots, eating, drinking, peeing, pooing all normal. 

Happy healthy horse, so it has been a successful ride! Next month we are aiming for a small hunter/jumper show and a clinic. Then I must concentrate on moving, but hopefully soon we can attend another Endurance ride! Had TONS of fun.


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## katieandscooby (Feb 14, 2010)

Awesome, congrats on doing such a good job.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## copper (Mar 1, 2014)

loved the post, all the details. thanks for taking me 'along'. and congrats, how proud you must be of your girl!!!


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## Horsesaplenty (Jan 9, 2013)

How fun! Glad y'all had a good time and it seems like you had a nice small group to ride with. other calm horses help on your first time out. My boy got more amped up the next time since he seemed to remember what was going on, but after he and I had a couple of "come to Jesus meetings", he was much better and moved along like a champ. We have another at the end of this month...don't know if I'll be able to make it though.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Congratulations! Sounds like you had a great time! Dory is (errr... her ears are  ) beautiful!


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

congrats!! here's to many more!!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Yay!! Congratulations!! Loved the ride story! 

When do you move back to Houston?

Nancy


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## CowboysDream (Nov 12, 2011)

Wow what an accomplishment! This sounds very cool  

A trick I read somewhere (about the water thing) is to start adding a flavour to the water at home (I have heard people using mollasses, Peppermint, gatorade, apple cider vinegar, etc). Then you just flavour the strange water and they are more likely to drink it. It takes time to get them to expect that flavour... You may need to look that up a bit. Plus I am not sure which is easier.. to always flavour water a month or so before a LD ride or to just haul your own water.


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

Thank you everyone! Love my mare. We have a long way to go as far as training is concerned, but I can't be happier with her.



greentree said:


> When do you move back to Houston?
> 
> Nancy


The plan is to move back last week of May! Almost set in stone. I will miss this area and all my horse-friends, but I'm so ready to be back in Houston!


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## aureliusandoinky (Nov 28, 2013)

That's what I'm afraid my boy will do at his first ride: turn into a raging Arabian show horse running around, ears perked, nose flared, breathing like he's just run a horse marathon.  Had Dory been trailered out before to shows or trails? I'm just curious. My guy has only been to 2 shows (before he was mine) and to and from my trainers.


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

aureliusandoinky said:


> That's what I'm afraid my boy will do at his first ride: turn into a raging Arabian show horse running around, ears perked, nose flared, breathing like he's just run a horse marathon.  Had Dory been trailered out before to shows or trails? I'm just curious. My guy has only been to 2 shows (before he was mine) and to and from my trainers.


She had been trailered out three times before. To a mounted shooting show just for exposure, to a Western Dressage Clinic, and to a trail ride at a friend's. The only one she had a bad day at was the WD Clinic. And probably because I wasn't having a great day either. I was very anxious that day for several reasons.

It sounds so cliche, but at this point in me and my horse's relationship, she seems to feed off of my emotions, if that makes any sense. If I'm nervous, she will be amped. If I'm calm, she will be calm.

I think the more they get out, the better. Exposure is good! Previous to this ride I took my mare out alone, just me and her, riding to and from different locations. Doing this probably helped a lot with riding alone during the ride.

Good luck to you! I think you must always be prepared for the worst but hope for he best! My mare was manageable but a handful at the start, and just far more hot than I'm used to seeing her! But as soon as I hopped on and began, she was just fine.


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## 2scicrazed (Apr 7, 2014)

Awsome job Houston!

A training pointer on getting her to start drinking at every stream/puddle/trough - schedule some overnight camping trail rides. Ride her slow all day long but stop at every single water source. Helps if you bring a friend who's horse is a glutton for water. Generally by the second day - the horse will start drinking at every opportunity. 

Sometimes it takes several camping trips or long day rides to get them into the habit of drinking at every opportunity. Its a common training problem. Of the six horses I've trained and used in AERC rides over the years - only one was a natural water glutton. 

Plus, its a GREAT excuse to do a bunch of day long slow trail rides!


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## Rob55 (Mar 6, 2014)

Congratulations. I want to be like you when I grow up.


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## The Equestrian vagabond (Mar 14, 2014)

Congrats! so, you're an addict now, right?


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Just reading about your ride took me back years to my favorite Arabian mare and the miles we covered.
Congratulations on a successful first ride!


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

I think I am addicted! Because of moving and preparing for school I won't be able to do another ride till August and it's driving my nuts! But hopefully then after I'll be attending rides monthly... that's my goal at least!


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