I don't think these folks are really into
endurance. Every show I've seen has them plodding along the trail slower than a
Western Pleasure show class. I've never seen a horse on the show trot more than
50 feet.
They are planning a ride from Mexico to Canada in
2009. They will ride about 15 miles a day, with some days getting clear up to
about 25 miles. Of course they cannot sustain such a mad pace, so they have days
where they plan to cover 8 ( Eight!) miles in a whole day.
It's neat that they are riding that far, but the
pace would drive me nuts. It will be interesting to see how their big old
heavy western saddles and thick felt pads hold up for the trip. Plus
those Wrangler jeans could chaff a bit after a few hundred miles. Maybe
they will start out near Mexico with cowboy hats, jeans, boots and western
saddles and end up near Canada in riding tights, running shoes, endurance
saddles, and holding up their yellow cans of Anti Monkey
Butt.
Any word yet on the 2011 XP Ride from St Jo to
Virginia City?
Paul N. Sidio
Piper (8 miles a day sounds just about right. Start
at 8 am, and be done by 9 am)
