Re: green horses and CTR

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Just have to add my 2 cents on this entire thread.  I have found that
riding with a friend even if both horses are inexperienced helps calm the
horse and helps you pace without the horse wanting to get ahead.  Even
better is riding with an experienced rider on an experienced horse!  I was
lucky enough to get started that way...a group of us rode together on our
first novice ride and subsequently I had the pleasure of riding with
experienced horses and riders before launching into endurance.  It was a
great help!  That's why mentoring is so important.  If there is nothing
formal in place, so what?  If you're new, ask ride management if they know
of someone who might ride with you.  If you're experienced, offer to ride
with someone new.  It's as easy as that!
Maggie

----------
> From: Chelle Sherman <cms@fluent.com>
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: RC:  green horses and CTR
> Date: Wednesday, September 15, 1999 1:58 PM
> 
> I'm sure it depends on the CTR, and the area where it is held, but I
> have had the pleasure of starting two green horses in CTR and I feel the
> format makes it quite difficult for the horse to stay calm. All the
> horses are basically clumped together, many are quite fast at the start,
> and as another ridecamper mentioned, most can see another horse in front
> of them that they want to catch. Pacing is very difficult when you are
> caught in a pack of riders on horses. It's sort of like be sucked into a
> vortex and spit out the other end 30 miles later! You can pull over and
> try to let them go by, but another pack usually follows close behind.
> Furthermore, if your horse does get overexcited, you can't get off and
> lead for awhile (without disqualifying yourself). The water stops tend
> to be very crowded, especially at the start of the ride. You can try to
> arrange to go last, but my experience with this is that my horse knew
> she was last, and got more and more frantic as the horses left camp. You
> can bet that she was ready to go when we finally hit the trail. I have
> also found on CTRs that many riders don't obey the rules about letting
> everybody in a group drink before they start down the trail, and letting
> everybody get to the bottom of the hill before trotting or cantering
> off. If you're unfortunate enough to be at the back of the pack, you can
> end the ride with a very sore and thirsty horse. My point in all this is
> not to bash CTRs - I really enjoy them and support them wholeheartedly.
> It's just that if you're going to do them with a green horse, it may not
> be as calm and easy an experience as you think. At least with endurance,
> you can leave camp when you want - let the whole pack leave and then go
> out. You can get off and walk when you need to, and you have the option
> of going much slower if you want to. I plan to do a short CTR with my
> new green horse late this Fall, and I think I've learned my lesson:
> train in groups before competing, teach pace control, and plan to ride
> with a buddy who has a calm horse and a similar game plan.
> 
> Chelle and Mystik Star
> 
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> 


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=