ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Riding along the road.

[endurance] Riding along the road.

RICEVB@cahl.datcp.state.wi.us
Tue, 23 Jan 1996 14:22:00 -0500 (CDT)

Ellen had asked for feedback from people who condition along
the road.

Since I live in an area which is a combination of developement
and farms and only have ten very open acres I ride mainly along
roads.

All the roads in this area are paved with varying amounts of
shoulders. My horses are good at hanging on the edge. It is
hard to ride fast enough and steady enough to increase endurance
because of driveways which are slippery, cars, trucks, tractors,
etc. passing. I live near a biketrail (no horses,of course) so
my horses are used to bicycles unless one comes by a speed quietly
so the horse doesn't hear it until it whips by. Will bikers ever
learn to call out before they get to a horse and rider?

I don't go any faster than a jog on the pavement itself
for fear of injuring my horses legs or falling if the horse
slides. My horses are well conditioned to rides where the
ground is hard but not to deep sand or mud.

I have been lucky to not run in to any threating people
while riding. Only thoughtless ones. Here in Wisconsin
we have especially considerate people on the whole.
Motorcylists here are usually really decent while passing a horse
and rider.


Ginny
RICEVB@CAHL.DATCP.STATE.WI.US