Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Ashlee,

Endurance on a budget is not impossible.  It just takes some ingenuity 
at times!  I'm sure a lot of us started out like I did.... camping in a 
tent,( or in the back of the truck) with little or no camping gear, and 
adding stuff as I went along.

You really don't need a lot to go to a ride....basic camping gear, food 
for a couple days, and your horse stuff. ( Including feed) I am going 
to assume you don't have a $40K truck and a $14K trailer *grin* so 
you'll need to get a ride for you and your horse.  (As for trucks and 
trailers.... my trailer was purchased 18 years ago for $600 and it 
still works fine.  My first truck was a 1969 (same as the trailer!) 
Ford 3/4 ton that I bought for $800.  It served me very well for 5 
years)

Depending on who you go with, you may be able to use someone's corrals, 
or you can tie to the trailer... just be sure to walk your horse alot 
if you do. (I think it's a good idea anyway) Or you can highline, which 
is what I do. ( I even had a special tall brace thingy made for the bed 
of my truck, so I could highline between truck and trailer at rides 
with no trees.  Once, I had an 80 foot highline strung, with a mare and 
a stallion on it.  Worked very well, and both horses walked a lot.)

I have yet to succumb to "truck/trailer/camper" craze. *grin*  ( I did 
do a couple seasons with a camper... but it involved taking two rigs to 
the ride, and the ex.)  Campers ARE nice, but I now have enough gear to 
be comfortable, regardless of the wretched weather we sometimes have 
here in the NW  Even with all I've got, it's nowhere near the 
investment of a lot of the people I see at rides.

Another thing I heartily recommend.... go to www.endurance.net, and 
click on Newbie.  This is possibly the best thing you can do for you 
and your horse. And it won't cost a thing!

Julie

 (Just a hint: Don't drink espresso and eat a power bar before your 
first ride)

============================================================
There are 2 ways to win at this sport. You take a horse and race him for a
short time and then find a new horse or you can take one horse , do the
homework and spend many miles and years enjoying that horse.
~  Paddi Sprecher

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

============================================================