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Re: [RC] late start at rides - heidi larsonHi Donna - most rides don't care if you start late - the out timer in the AM usually waits around for 15+ min., however, if you're worried about not having someone see you leave, you could be on the ground, walk to the start person, tell them you're checking in and then walk back to camp, let the racers go, give your horse 20-30 min. and then have a nice safe start out of camp. It's totally to your horse's benefit to have a controlled start and learning in the beginning of this sport rather than having to retrain is way easier. I also have been known on many an occasion to get off and walk if my horse gets crazed at any time during a ride. Typically he gets that way at about 12 miles and again at about 35 miles. (It usually has to do with groups passing us.) We've always left about 15 min. after the "pack" but he has such a nice big trot, that we very nearly pass everyone by the end of the ride. In the first couple rides of our season, we also took extra time at every vet check, 10-15 min. just to make sure he was eating/drinking and relaxing. I still will if I think he needs it. We were going to do Tevis last year and some local riders here told me that the start was the only thing they worried about for me as he'd never gone out at the "very" beginning. So, at the Redwoods ride and a couple others last fall, I let him go out in the beginning. I think due to his prior calm starts, he was so good, we left on a loose rein (mostly) and I was overall very pleased with how he behaved. I ride in a Myler snaffle if that matters. So, our years of leaving late paid off. . o o o o . o_ \ \____ o_ \_\ . (*)~(*)\_______/ . / \ . \______/ / . \_______/\ /- . o-- /_/ \ / . / \ / / . o o o-- / . / \ . o o heidi larson --- On Tue, 4/7/09, Donna DeYoung <skyhorseranch@xxxxxxx> wrote: From: Donna DeYoung <skyhorseranch@xxxxxxx> Subject: [RC] late start at rides To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 8:12 PM 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. ? Donna in Texas. ? =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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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