As far as I know there is no AERC rule about it,
individual RMs may have one though, you just have to ask each RM. I
have started late on 90% of the rides I've ridden, I don't like going out in a
pack. When my mother took my gelding on his first LD I asked the RM if I could
start late. I was entered in the 50 but the first loop was the same for both the
50 and 25. I not only started 30 mins behind the rest of the 50s, but
we actually left 15 mins after the 25 start. The RM was fine with that. So I've
personally started a ride 45 min late before.
What is the rule or general policy about starting late
at a ride? I mean, you have already checked in at the pre-start time about 15
minutes early, either in person or w/ your horse. So how late can you then leave
camp? Is there any rule or is it up to the ride manager? My new Arabian horse is
having serious "emotional" problems at the start and for safety reasons I'd
like to wait til everyone is WAY out of sight when I try my next ride. At least
til he has had more starts and experience on trail. He is difficult, to
say the least, at the starts. Doesn't matter if other horses are around or with
him or behind him. I can only imagine what he's thinking ... He acts as if the
world is ending and if he doesn't GO this instant with all those other horses,
he'll never see another horse again in his life (oh the terror of it all).
Unfortunately, he's coming close to taking off with all those other horses
without me.
