Fw: [HORSE-SENSE:1855] endurance riding

["Michelle Fink" <michrowe@frontier.net>]

Hey, Ridecamp is famous. :-)  See below.  FWIW, Jessica has a great website
and mailing list...

m (aka Michelle Rowe), CO
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jessica Jahiel" <jjahiel@prairienet.org>
To: <horse-sense@prairienet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 3:03 PM
Subject: [HORSE-SENSE:1855] endurance riding


>
> >From: Anna
> >Subject: endurance riding
> >
> >Dear Jessica,
> >
> >I just would like to say that your column is absolutely wonderful! I
always
> look forward to it!
> >I have a twelve year old thoroughbred mare, Micric. I've had her for a
> year. In this time, I have noticed that she has a lot of energy and with
> that, she has stamina. I've taken her on twenty mile rides and I even
> considered entering her in a local endurance competition, a twenty miler.
I
> have been researching on numerous web sites, and I've read through the
> rules/regulations on the AERC webpage. I've even looked at the
conditoining
> guide they have.
> >Being as my mare is twelve, I was cautious about taking things slowly,
and
> then I heard that most endurance horses race well into their twenties. I
was
> wondering if you could steer me in the right direction in training
> techniques. I ride western, and I've heard of the endurance saddles and
> Australian tack, (the horn gets in way in the event of a fall) I have no
> idea which would be best suited for endurance. And, I use a bosal on Mic,
I
> don't know if you are required to have a bit in endurance or if there is
any
> rule that goes against having a bitless bridle. Shoeing information, Mic
is
> shod only on her front hooves, I know that they use light shoes. Just
basic
> information about endurance would be a huge help to me, it's hard to find
> >information on endurance, it's like it's non-existent. I thank you for
the
> time you have taken in reading this and any information
> >is greatly appreciated!
> >Sincerely,
> >Anna
>
>
> Hi Anna! You're in luck, there's a lot of information available on
endurance
> riding. You've started well, by getting the AERC information. Now here are
> some other resources for you!
>
> Try these websites:
> http://www.endurance.com
>
> http://www.endurance.net
>
> http://www.natrc.org
>
> A good resource is "ridecamp", a mailing list for endurance riders. You
> should be able to link to this from one of the above websites. Ridecamp
has
> a FAQ and searchable archives. Take a look -- take several looks! You'll
> find lots of excellent information. If you join the list, you'll find lots
> of well-informed, helpful people. You'll also be able to ask specific
> questions and get answers from people who have "been there and done that",
> sometimes for twenty years and more. I believe that there is now an annual
> fee that you'll be charged if you want to be on this mailing list; you'll
> find out the details when you register.
>
> There are a number of very good books available on the subject of
endurance
> and distance riding. These are particularly good:
>
> Loving, Nancy S. (DVM): Go the Distance, The Complete Resource for
Endurance
> Horses
>
> Snyder-Smith, Donna: The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding and
Competition
>
> and one of my old favourites: Hollander, Lew: Endurance Riding from
> Beginning to Winning
>
> Many other good books are currently out of print, but some specialty
stores
> still have copies, so it's worth asking at every tack shop.
>
> There's an excellent shop that caters to endurance riders: Sport-Tack. I
> think they're in California; the telephone number is 1-800-248-8225. You
can
> probably get all of the abovementioned books, plus many others, from this
shop.
>
> Tack is largely a matter of personal preference, but I suggest that you
wait
> -- don't make any big purchases until you've had a chance to read a few of
> those books and get in touch with some experienced endurance riders. As
far
> as I know, there's no particular requirement for your bridle or saddle,
but
> whether you use a snaffle, a curb, a mechanical hackamore, a bosal, a
vosal
> or some other form of bitless bridle, you'll do well to find out what
other
> riders have tried and liked, disliked, found to work well, found not to
> work....
>
> That goes for saddles, too. As with any other sort of saddle, your horse's
> physique and your own will determine what makes you most comfortable. You
> may find that an Aussie endurance saddle is ideal -- or you may find that
a
> Frank Marciante or Sharon Saare is more comfortable. Western saddles have
> horns (not helpful, can hurt), and Aussie stock saddles have poleys, which
> can get in the way of posting and two-pointing. Sit in as many saddles as
> possible, and learn as much as you can before you make that big
investment.
> It's important. The more you know, the less likely it is that you'll make
a
> mistake in your purchase; if you know a lot about which saddles are best
and
> which are the best value for money, and you DO make a mistake, you'll
still
> have a good-quality saddle that you'll be able to re-sell.
>
> The more endurance riders you know, the more chances you will have to
learn
> from their experience, and the more chances you will have to see and
perhaps
> borrow different types of tack and clothing. Something as apparently
trivial
> as a particular type of sports bra or a particular style of stirrups can
> make an enormous difference to your comfort at the end of a long ride.
>
> Endurance riders are, in my experience, more than willing to share their
> hard-won knowledge with anyone who is interested in the sport. I've always
> found them to be intelligent, thoughtful, and a delight to work with. They
> are also ALL obsessed with the welfare, condition, and comfort of their
> horses -- and, as a rider, if you're going to have an obsession, I can't
> think of a better one. ;-)
>
> Training -- again, much will depend on your horse's level of fitness,
> physique, and on the terrain you'll be riding across. Long Slow Distance
> work should make up most of your early training, combined with hills as
soon
> as it's possible to incorporate them into the program.
>
> Good luck, and have fun with all the new friends you're about to make!
>
> Jessica
>
> =========================================================================
>        Copyright (C) 2000.  Jessica Jahiel, Holistic Horsemanship(R)
> =========================================================================
>                     Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE
>   A weekly electronic Q&A newsletter about horses, riding, and training
>                 http://www.prairienet.org/horse-sense
>
>          For more information on HORSE-SENSE, send e-mail to
> listproc@prairienet.org with the message text:  info HORSE-SENSE
> =========================================================================
>    HORSE-SENSE newsletter materials may be distributed and copied
>    for personal, non-commercial use provided that all authorship,
>     and copyright information, including this notice, is retained.
> =========================================================================
>        jjahiel@prairienet.org        |      Jessica Jahiel, Ph.D.
>         Voice: (217) 359-9880        | * Author * Clinician * Lecturer *
>    http://www.prairienet.org/jjahiel |    Holistic Horsemanship (R)
>           Emphasis on communication between horse and rider.
> =========================================================================
> Author:   Riding for the Rest of Us (Macmillan, 1996)
>   The Horseback Almanac (Roxbury Park, 1998)
>   The Parent's Guide to Horseback Riding (Roxbury Park, 1999)
>
>