Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I agree too.  I’m a newbie who has been lurking around for a while and finally figured out subscribing to Ridecamp, and having just started to condition my horse, I have to say that riding with a mentor on an experienced horse would be, hands-down, a best case scenario for starting in endurance.  I think it would really instill confidence.  I just feel really nervous about being inexperienced (in endurance) and taking out an equally inexperienced horse --having that security of an experienced mentor and an experienced mount would make the first ride or two a little less stressful and more pleasant experience. 

 

Everyone’s comments on the last couple of days regarding 25’s being too short to really teach a horse how to take care of himself are very interesting, but I feel like as a newbie, I would be in a catch-22 – I need the LD for my conditioning, but then my horse will have a little harder time adjusting when we move to the 50’s and 100’s.  Maybe as a newcomer, I should just stick to the shorter rides, as they’re a good bit safer (i.e. the idea of 25 is less scary than 50 to me).

 

Sarah

Newbie in Virginia

 

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From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jody Rogers-Buttram
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 11:58 AM
To: rdcarrie@xxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Mentoring (was: regarding 75 mile rides)

 

This is a topic that I touched on with Truman recently.  I was trying to think of items/pages to increase the use of the SERA webpage, and one of the things was a mentoring page.  I would like to see a listing of people and horses that are available to riders in our region.   I am looking at this mentoring as going not only the step of mentoring the person through the ride,  but in cases like me, people who have extra horses, can offer one up to the newbie.  I have done this before and I think it worked out nicely.  If some of us have extra horses, would like to get miles on them at someone else's expense, offer them the horse for a ride.  Maybe they don't have a suitable horse yet, or maybe their horse isn't ready....it gives them a great chance to ride a ride, see what the sport is really about on a conditioned, sane mount.  Notice I said sane....don't want to kill these people.  They can learn a lot from riding with you, on your horse, learning how to care for that horse at an easy pace  and I think it may take some of the strain off their brains knowing that the horse is seasoned and knows the ropes.  Most likely lets them enjoy the day a bit more.

 

Jody

 

PS. Angie....I wasn't talking about you and Aries at Biltmore.  ;)

rdcarrie@xxxxxxx wrote:

Angie mentioned expanding on the mentoring concept, with some 50 milers helping some LDers through their first 50.  I'd be more than willing to do so.  I ride mid- to back of the pack, only concerned with completing, and don't mind adjusting my pace to others.  In fact, I've sort of informally hooked up with first-timers when riding LDs before and ridden with them.  I like riding with newbies...it's fun.  So if anyone in E. TX ever wants to do their first 50 and wants someone to ride it with, give me a holler.  I'll be doing the 50 at Unicorn Hunt on Aug. 6. Of course, you may have to put up with me barfing off the side of my horse on the last loop from the heat.  (I never said I was smart...if I was, I wouldn't do a 50 in E. TX in Aug.)  <G>  But that's just me...I don't handle the heat/humidity well.  Most people do fine.  So don't let it scare you.  Come on out and have fun.  I haven't don e this ride before, but I've heard it's a good one.  :)  Same offer for mentoring stands for other rides in Texas...minus the barfing.  ;)

 

Dawn in East Texas

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