Well for me it was a long way from running the cans and showing that I did as a kid. I got burned out in my early 20s and was "just trail riding" all over the place. I happened upon a judged trail ride at the time and had fun but never went to another. Over the years, raising a child, going through a divorce, and having my first horse pass away, I spent 8 years without horses.
I remarried and my new husband was very interested in horses. So, we got back into them but with no real goals. Then I visited my sister who in lives in Pennsylvania and I rode with some crazy people for about four hours (endurance trotting on a national ranked horse the whole time). The next day I couldn't move but I was hooked on this thing they did called "endurance". I did my first 50 in about 2000 and one more and then life and work called me away. I never relinquished my membership though and yearned to get back to it. In 1998 I did and have been doing so off and on since then. I usually only ride one horse - not many miles - but LOTS of smiles along the way.
P.S. I only started endurance because it was a great way to travel to other areas, ride a really long trail ride and not get lost (I am severely directionally challenged). If me or my horse gets hurt, there are people to help us out - and they fed me and gave me a neat t-shirt at the end - yep, for me it was the best deal in town ! Still is !
