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One (1) 30' longe line--which I used for dog training.
Here is the road I took to becoming something more than just a "newbie"
endurance rider.
7 1/2 years ago: Bought my endurance horse (I purchased him as an eventer,
but he didn't want to be an eventer) for $600, price included a halter and
lead rope, bought dandy brush ($3.95 + tax); bought a bridle with a D-ring
snaffle bit ($14.95 + tax).
Saddle broke him, and started riding in the areana (which is where he let me
know he did not want to be an eventer) then went out on the trail.
3 months later: Bought a used saddle ($250), girth ($19.95 +tax), saddle pad
($24.95 + tax).
Continued riding him on the trail (with assorted arena work, which he
continued to hate) with anybody and everybody who wanted to go for a trail
ride.
6 months later: Borrowed a truck and trailer and drove to my first 25 mile
ride. Tied my horse to the trailer with the halter and lead rope that came
with the horse. Rode the ride (Eastern High Sierra Classic), loved it, the
horse loved it--I'm hooked. Discovered the inadequacy of blue jeans for
riding wear and switched over to cotton sweat pants.
1 year and three 25 mile rides later: Bought a trailer ($350 for my share).
Borrowed a truck and drove to my first 50 mile endurance ride (Eastern High
Sierra Classic). Rode the ride, loved it. Discovered the inadequacy of sweat
pants for riding wear and switched over to a pair of riding breeches that I
had picked up used (for riding in schooling shows).
9 months and 3 50 mile rides later: (Still using the borrowed truck), drove
to my first 100 mile ride (20 Mule Team). Discovered that my horse cannot go
100 miles barefoot (stopped after about 70 miles), put shoes on my horse (and
went around and around on the "what is the best hoof protection?" question--
which I STILL have not answered to my satisfaction).
9 months and 1 hundred and 1 50 mile ride later: Bought a horse blanket (used
$25). Bought a truck for $300 ('72 Ford F250) put new wheels and tires on it
($400) and drove to my first multi-day ride (Death Valley Encounter).
Discovered that $300 doesn't buy very much truck and had to stop after day 2
because the truck just wasn't gonna make it over the pass into Death Valley.
1 month later: Truck threw a rod. Parked it in my garage for a year (while I
got together the money to rebuild the engine).
The following year: Borrowed a truck to go to rides in the meantime. Won 7th
place for the Jim Jones Stallion Award. Wore out the breeches and bought
another pair. And bought a pair of Ariat riding boots (to replace the tennis
shoes that I had been riding in up until that time).
Took a year off working in Russia (to earn money to fix the truck, among other
things).
Fixed the truck: Drove to a bunch of endurance rides, got my 1000 mile horse
medallion, introduced a bunch of other people to the fun and joys of endurance
riding, rode other people's horses for them, sponsored juniors. Wore out the
breeches and went back to riding in jeans.
I am still riding in the same saddle, with the same bridle (I've changed the
bit and the reins), driving the same truck (but bought a new trailer). Still
sleeping in the sleeping bag that I already owned in the tent that I already
owned (when I can be bothered to pitch it, or in the bed of the truck, unless
it rains in which case I will sleep in the trailer or in the cab of the
truck). Still tying my horse to the trailer. Still riding in blue jeans (am
on my second pair of Ariat boots).
Have I accumulated an assortment of bits and pieces along the way. I now own
5 saddles, 4 1/2 horses, two trailers, an assortment of bits, bridles, reins,
halters, brushes, etc. But that doesn't change the fact that all you need to
ride endurance is a horse, a saddle, a bridle, and a trail to ride on. And it
can be done on a shoestring.
Did I ask tons of questions along the way? Yes, starting with my very first
ride (like "What does she mean 'P&R?"")
Did I make some mistakes? Yes, starting with my very first ride (like,
missing the vet check because we got there before the vets did).
Did I learn as I went along? Yes. Am I still learning ? Yes.
Am I saying this so that everybody will think how great I am? No, I am saying
this to demonstrate that it is possible to participate in endurance with a
cheap horse, a cheap saddle, and borrow everything else (which, oh yeah, leads
to the last criterium, you have to live your life in such a way that you will
have friends who will lend you things :)).
While composing this post I realize that all of my "first" rides have been
those managed by Jim and Jackie Bumgardner. So maybe it was Jim and Jackie's
expertise at putting on rides that has made up for my own ignorance.
Don't get me wrong. When I was a "newbie" I was as ignorant as the next
person. . .but I wasn't unprepared. And the way I got prepared was to
RIDE. Me and my horse had already spent many hours alone together out on
the trail before I ever went to my fi rst endurance ride (I learned long
before our first ride that splint boots were not for my horse--he didn't
like them and tried to pull them off with his teeth as he was going down
the trail:).)
kat
Orange County, Calif.
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