Re: RC: desperate endurance wannabe

[Jon.Linderman@notes.udayton.edu]

Having overcome my fears and angst I dived in last year, finally, to my
first season of endurance riding.  So many helpful people.  I am sure that
the rides w/in 3 hours of your area will have similar types of helpful
people.  IF you feel up to it I also suggest learning to ride alone.  I
take my cell phone & let my wife/kids know if/when I go alone, and
sometimes take one of my labs w/me.  I found it to be a very calm
experience between me & my 1/2 arab...way more peaceful than riding
w/others beleive it or not.  It has moved us forward light years in our
relationship.  I most walk & trot and work on my own input to the horse.
Am I calm & relaxed so that he can sense me as the leader of our 2 mammal
team?  He was once a trailer pain too & now pretty much hops in and follows
the leader.  2 slogans to combine:

1) JUST DO IT (Nike); have fun
2) BE PREPARED (Boy Scouts); have all the rcommended goodies like spare
this that and the other thing and take a multitool w/pliers & knife on the
trail so that you can fix, or repair what ever needs fixin' to get home.