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Re: [RC] The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race - Julie Gelderman

I thought the race required teams? Is that not so?

Julie Gelderman
Region 1
Washington
----- Original Message ----- From: "Suzanne Avery DVM" <ksbsmorg@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 10:06 PM
Subject: RE: [RC] The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race


Laney,

Thank you for your input. I knew folks would suggest tights and probably
another saddle. You are so right once the chaffing occurs you do not have
time to recover. I did get the tip of using Body Glide on a past post.
Someone also suggested I use Anti Monkey Butt Powder. Do any of you folks
use this powder or do you just use things like Body Glide or Vaseline?

In preparation for the Santa Fe I will for sure be entering two 50 mile
rides this spring. The days following these rides I will try to ride long
distances at home several days in a row.

I have checked the Santa Fe website for rules and regulations. The website
did not answer all of my questions so I called the ride manager and he has
been very helpful. By the time the ride occurs I would have completed a
minimum of three 50 mile rides. My goal is to gather as much information as
I possibly can about appropriate wear, gear, conditioning and tricks of the
trade. I will for sure check out your newbie recommendations. I do have a
book on endurance riding that I purchased years ago. I will have to dig it
out.

I know it does not make sense for me to try to saddle up for the Santa Fe. I
am a bit green in the world of endurance riding but not so green in the
general world of the horse. We do compete at Combine Driving Events and
these CDEs do encompasses a marathon. Conditioning is a must or the horses
will pay the price. I am all about safety for horse and rider. Willie and I
will be out for the "great adventure" of the race; safety first and placing
is icing on the cake but not a requirement. I love history and adventure;
this ride couples both aspects. For me it is a once in a lifetime
experience.

Endurance saddles are so confusing, there are so many different types. Some
are padded some not etc, etc. Some actually do not look comfortable at all.
Is there a favorite brand that folks gravitate to? What brands do you advise
to stay away from.

Also, what brand of tights do folks prefer. I guess I can always wear an
oversized western shirt over my rumpus.

Do folks recommend chaps or 1/2 chaps for endurance riding?

All of your help is much appreciated! I hope I do not clog up the list with
all of these novice questions.

Suzanne


-----Original Message-----
From: Laney Humphrey [mailto:laneyhh@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 9:50 PM
To: Suzanne Avery DVM
Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race

First of all, congratulations, Suzanne for making the decision to live your
dream. Your determination will overcome a lot of bumps in the road.
It's kind of hard to know where to start with giving you info. Both
aerc.org and endurance.net have lots of information for "newbies." You
should definitely read it.
As for what to wear: a good friend who doesn't like how she looks in
jeans, rides in sweat pants. She's done it for thousands of endurance miles
and says they aren't hot and she doesn't get chaffed. IMHO, don't even
think of jeans for day after day 50 milers. Once your skin gets irritated,
it won't have a chance to recover. And, if it makes you feel any better,
none of us have perfect bodies, but we do care not to get chaffed so we wear
tights. Not a fashion statement, pure necessity.
Endurance people are very practical; there are no fashions or fads in this
sport.
As for riding in your western saddle, hmmmmmmm. You've still got
time to find a saddle your horse, who has to wear it, will like better
before the ride starts. Endurance riders don't a twit about fashion, but we
are passionate about making everything the best possible for our horses.
Endurance saddles have been developed to meet the demands of the sport. A
barrel racer wouldn't compete in a roping saddle; a roper wouldn't rope in a
reining saddle. Saddles really are specifically designed to meet the
demands of a particular sport and to enhance the ability of the horse (&
rider) to perform well in that sport. So, do your horse and yourself a big
favor and find an endurance saddle that really fits both of you!
Appropriate tack is often the difference between completing an endurance
ride and having to pull. Believe me, you can't imagine how bad you would
feel if you went to all the effort and expense to get you and your horse to
the start and then have to drop out because you didn't something that
sabotaged your chance of success.
One final suggestion: since you really haven't "done" endurance, why
not set your sights a little lower and plan to do one of the many 5 day
endurance rides now offered throughout the country? You'll be plenty
challenged but have a much greater chance of success, and for much less
money too!
OK, now a final question: have you checked out the Santa Fe Trail
Horse Race website to make sure you can enter the way you think you can?
Laney


Suzanne Avery DVM wrote: 
I have joined this list a few days back to get some information on
endurance riding. I must say I have had to chuckle on a few of the
comments made. This list seems to put out some good information.

I do not really consider myself an endurance rider although I did
enter a 50 mile endurance race many years back and have entered our
yearly"local"  CTR. Mostly we do the sport of combined driving and
just ride for fun. Combined driving is a fun sport and another
alternative for those that have physical impairments like RA, Lupus or
just getting up there in age. So you probably ask why in the @#$@ is
this gal joining our list. Well I have always loved riding long
distances and as a young girl with my first horse I rode from sun up
to sun set every day. Recently several people have emailed me about
the Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race. I also saw the advertisement on RFD
TV. 
Since then I have pondered and pondered about this race and finally
decided come September, I will be "saddling" up for the "great
adventure" an adventure of a lifetime. I am so excited about this race
but also need some expert advise on what to wear and how to prepare.

To start here is my first question. I am not a breecher/tight person.
On the 50 mile endurance ride I rode in jeans but that was many years ago.
My legs were killing me to say the least. Someone suggested I wear
nylons under my jeans. This was a great suggestion. So far nylons
worked fine for the CTRs I attend or any lengthy rides I go on. No
more chafing or sore knees. But I am not sure I will still be intact
and be able to walk at the end of the Santa Fe ride. Well if I make
that far, no doubt I will probably lots of holes in my nylons.
Reading about things like the Tevis ride, I know you guys are all
pretty much professionals but are there any nonprofessional jean type
folks out there and what do you ride in? I may have to buy a pair of
tights but they are so...well.. you know "tight" :o(( I do not have
the body for tights. I am also looking into riding jeans. Has anyone ever
used those?
Are they just like breechers only in jean material?

For the ride I will be using my western saddle. My husband said I
should look into an endurance saddle but my western saddle is so
comfortable, even on the long CTR rides.  I purchased the saddle many
years ago and it really is part of me. I may consider another saddle
but right now I will try my western. Has anyone ever ridden any
endurance rides in western saddles. I realize they are heavier then
endurance saddles. I did use an english saddle when I rode the 50 mile
endurance ride. 

Lastly my plan is to ride one horse and bring one or two spares. The
horse I am riding, Willie, is pseudo-conditioned as he has been
routinely used for Combined Driving Events, CTR, pleasure riding and
as a ranch horse. He has a lot of heart, speedy trot and is not a
"tubbet". 
He has a lean type build as opposed to round build. He does pant. I
have been riding him 2-4 miles and trying to do this at least every
other day. The 2-4 miles consist of uphill/downhill. We walk downhill
and trot uphill. We did a 14 mile ride the other day, lets of walking.
He has a "power walk" so I think his walk is conditioning in itself. I
sometimes hitch him to the cart and do a 10 mile loop with lots of
trotting. The cart really seems to condition him also. We sometimes
canter but I really like to condition him at a trot. His extension at
the trot carries great speed, I feel that is all I need. As time goes
on we will build on mileage. He is kept in a large pasture with lots
of ravines/up/downhills so he does get daily self exercise.

To condition the "spares", I have been ponying them and also riding
them. They are not as conditioned as Willie but I really hope to keep
them in the "spare" category but someone greater then me may have
another plan.

To condition myself I am walking, running and doing pushup/setups. I
also need to loose weight/dieting; especially if I have to enter the
world of "tights" :o(( My plan for the Santa Fe ride is to ride about
10 miles and then get off and run with the horse maybe one mile or so.

I appreciate all suggestions and information you can give me.........I
know, I know you are all shaking your heads at the thought of a
western saddle and jeans........yup, this gal needs h-e-l-p.

Suzanne; who loves the thrill of a "great adventure"




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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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Replies
RE: [RC] The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race, Suzanne Avery DVM