Questions on Rest/Training

Email exchange between me and Debbie this morning. Thought it might be good for those curious, enquiring minds out there. Enjoy!
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Hey, if you don't mind answering a couple of endurance questions, I'll ask them.

Thinking back to Sand Hills.........that was our first 50 for the season after a rough winter with little riding. Oreo did fine and returned home w/o issue and we rode this past weekend so I guess he is in good shape after all. On the first lap at Sand Hills, I held him back. He wanted to go faster in the beginning and I pulled him back from the first group. I wanted to make sure he made it to the end. Now that I know he is in shape, what are your thoughts about letting him go faster in the beginning?

After the Saturday 50 at Sand Hills, the first week back home, how much time do you give Legs before riding again? What's the routine when you do start riding again after a competition? And in general, what is your workout schedule?

That's it....thanks again for your help at Sand Hills............I owe my 9th place finish to you

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Hey Debbie,

No problem at all! I love answering this stuff. I probably will even end up posting your questions and answers on my blog for fun.

You planned it exactly right with holding him back the first loop. A great way to run these races, especially if you're unsure of your horse's fitness, is to go conservative in the beginning and get faster as the day goes on. Once your horse is fit, you can let them go a bit but it's always good to still build up if you can and "negative split" (go faster on the last loop). That way, if you have to push at the end you've got plenty of horse left.

There are a couple of examples of when it's good to go faster at first, though. If it is going to be a really hot day, it's good to go fast at first while the day is cooler (this might be especially good for Oreo if he tends to get hot). Another reason would be if you had a young horse (like Legs) who was expending more energy fighting you than is worth it; you can let them go until they get the speed out of their system and then settle them down later once they are a little more tired/relaxed. I do this with Legs a lot; one of these days I'm going to see how hard and long I can run him before he's exhausted! :-p

Rest and training are really different for every horse. The general rest rule is 1 day for every 10 miles raced, with a very light stretch-out ride (2-3 miles) around day 3 or 4. For Legs, I actually let him rest a week before I went up and rode him again. I did that for a couple reasons; one is that I board him 45 minutes away so it's not the easiest thing to get up there. The second is because I know he loves to run and play in the pasture with his buddies, so he spends plenty of time keeping loose (it also makes it hard to keep weight on his skinny butt), so I knew he wouldn't need it. I train 2-3 times a week, with only one of those rides being a real workout/conditioning ride. Again, a lot of that is due to my work schedule but also because Legs holds his fitness so well. Our other two rides are usually in the morning, and are either a light ride on trail (no more than 5 miles, mostly trot), or messing around in the arena/round pen or practicing with the trailer. Legs has a terrible loading problem, so that is our focus at the moment.

After their rest period and when you start riding them again, it generally depends on the horse and what your ride schedule is going to be. I have a heavy ride schedule for this first part of the spring/summer, so well be going very light as far as conditioning because he just won't need it. In a way, the races are his conditioning, so most of his downtime will be spent resting up for the next one. To keep conditioning heavily with that many rides is inviting a few problems you can get from over-conditioning, like injuries and not to mention exhausting the horse. If I were doing rides months apart, I would keep a very similar schedule riding him 2-3 times a week, with one of those rides being a serious conditioning ride (10-20 miles).

When I'm getting a horse fit from scratch, I generally keep the same kind of schedule but start very slow and base it more around time in the saddle rather than distance. For example, I took my friend Kelly out this weekend with her horse, Jazz, and we did a 10 mile ride of mostly walk and trot. It took us about 2 hours, and we worked up very little sweat. This is called Long Slow Distance riding (LSD) and I really haven't found any better way to start conditioning an endurance horse. When I first started Legs, I was forced into it because he was so spooky. But because it was lower stress/low impact, it really got him in awesome shape.

Does that help answer your questions? Sorry it's kind of vague. As with most things horse-related, a lot depends on the situation and the horse.

~Sarah

I also forgot to mention, if you have access to the equipment there are a couple of other conditioning things you can do as your "light" workout once a week (Heather and Jeremy love this stuff):

Swimming: just like for people, this is great low-impact and strengthens up ligaments and works muscles that wouldn't otherwise get worked.

Treadmill: No hills, no problem! Stick your horse on an uphill treadmill for 30 minutes at a fast walk. It's low-impact, and really helps develop those hill-climbing endurance skills.

Hot Walker: Just having your horse walk on a hot walker for an hour (30 minutes in each direction) is an amazing way to get them some slow, low-impact work.

Hope that helps too!

Failure's Not Flattering

Just a forewarning, this one will probably be depressing...

Well yesterday was a disaster. Went up to meet my good friend Kelly and go for a nice light right at the summer pasture. It was the first time riding Legs since Sand Hills last weekend. Legs doesn't need much work right now since he is fit and her horse Jazz is just getting back into shape after the long winter. It all started when he wouldn't load. I fought him for an hour, then when he still refused went and picked up Kelly to help me. We got him on in about 15 minutes without too much effort, got to the barn, saddled up, and then went off for a lovely 10 mile ride (I'll post my Garmin report later today). We went very easy, just some trot and lots of walk, which was very relaxing. Legs was a little spooky but not too bad; I attributed it to being fired up from having a week off.

We then went to load up to trailer the 2 miles home. He wouldn't do it. Kelly and I worked him for over 2 hours, using a few different methods and even trying her trailer too. Then finally gave it up since we were both exhausted and he had shut down. For anyone who's had a horse with bad loading problems, I'm sure you can sympathize. But for those who haven't, it is the most depressing awful feeling in the world. I have never felt so defeated in my life. Thankfully, we were at the summer pasture, so I just put him in the corral with his food and left him there (Joy checked on him this morning, he is fine). But it still felt like I was deserting him, though he left me no choice. I literally went home, crawled into bed, and then just cried for 2 hours. Didn't know what else to do.

Judie told me she would work with him for a week if I can just bring his food; I will probably do that. The vet is coming on 4/6 to do a new coggins, so I will look at bringing him up on 4/10. Then I can just leave him there and pick him up for Foxcatcher the following week.

Many thanks to Kelly in all her patience and moral support in sticking around to help me!

Garmin Data for Sand Hills

Here's the Garmin account of the race...started about 5 minutes late, as usual for me. Sorry!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Untitled

Sand Hills Recap

Yay for a successful weekend! Legs and I got 8th place in a race-off with our friend, Debbie Bader and her horse Oreo. Here's the general recap:

We drove down to South Carolina on Friday, 3/19, starting early in the morning. I got packed up and loaded in about an hour, Legs did okay with the loading part. I didn't take him off the trailer for fear I wouldn't be able to get him back on by myself, but I did stop a few times to offer him water and more hay. He seemed nervous at first but halfway through North Carolina, he really started going to town on his hay so I think he is starting to relax and get used to it. When we arrived at the ride, many people were already there and I had a very tough time finding his corral. It took an hour to finally get the campsite management to help me, only to find that his corral was all the way back in where the RV hookups were across camp. Being that I have a very primitive rig with no electric needs, and that many of the spots were already full, there was no way I could park there. So I got him settled in his pen with plenty of food and water, and went to find a spot near the vet check so I could crew from there. The good part was that his pen was in the shade, at least, so he got some relief from the heat.

After getting Legs and Jack settled, it was time to unload and set up camp. My truck tent, apparently, is a beast. It took me the better part of an hour to get it set up, and was absolutely exhausting. Many thanks to the people parked next to me for helping me get parked and letting me borrow the extra hands/strength! We got it figured out, though, and I will know for next time exactly how to set it up so it goes faster.

After setting up my tent, it was time to vet in. Normally, I go for a little warm up ride to loosen him up first. But because of the fiasco with the corral and tent I simply didn't have time. He vetted in with all A's (an A- in Skin Tenting, which is normal because he had a long trailer ride and was a little dehydrated) and a heart rate of 40. So we were good to go for the next day!

I met up with Carolyn Vavala, Becky Supinger, and Mary Howell to hang out with for the rest of the day, and together with Jack we went to ride meeting. After getting our debriefing I borrowed Carolyn's clippers to clip Legs; he has a nice woolly coat and I knew it was going to be hot hot hot tomorrow afternoon. He did great with the clippers, especially since it was dark. I did his neck and chest and a little on his hidquarters and belly. Then it was off to bed. Lesson learned for next time: get a better air mattress. I had brought plenty of blankets so I was warm, but my air mattress really sucked and I kept waking up to find it deflated and me sleeping on the hard truck bed. Jack didn't like it either. No good.

Race time the next morning was 7AM, so I got up at 5AM. Fed Jack and brought Legs his breakfast (complete with electrolytes), then went to go get some coffee at the ride management office. Unfortunately it wasn't ready yet, so we dropped by Carolyn's rig again to be rescued! Carolyn has a beautiful luxurious trailer and is an incredibly gracious host, she really saved my butt several times this weekend. I then went to grab a granola bar, get Jack set up for the day, finish packing my saddle, and tacked up my horse. He was definitely ready, he was excited to get going. I had someone help me hold him while I mounted up, and then we warmed up by walking around and meeting Carolyn and Becky and their horses on the other side of camp. Then it was time to be off!

The first loop was just over 15 miles and we went a little faster than I originally planned, though we did start in the very back. Legs was fired up and ready, he fought me hard. I think we may try a different bit or a running martingale so he doesn't keep flipping his head up at me. I was worried, but he didn't breathe hard the whole way. We finished the loop, walked right into the vet check with minimal sponging, and got great vet scores. Mary helped me crew all day, she did a great job! Especially since she was also helping our friend Joanie, who had 4 horses out on the LD. Thanks again Mary!

The second loop (14 miles) I went out with a group of 4-5 people (I was a few minutes ahead of Becky and Carolyn since I vetted in faster). I stayed with them through the entire loop and we passed some more people on the way. Again, Legs was going much faster than I intended but he was still pulling and fighting on me, he wasn't breathing hard, and all of his vet scores were great again. Mary trotted him for me so I could see how great he looked, he was sound as a bell! Did I also mention he was barefoot? :-p My little guy has granite feet....He was a little muscle-sore at the end of this loop (he's not used to sand or hills), so we gave him some myoguard and rubbed him out a little. He also didn't eat as much as I would've liked.

The third loop was the hottest and longest of the day. Having vetted in quickly again, I started with my friend Debbie and another rider, we were 16th-18th. Debbie really wanted to make top 10 but wasn't feeling great (her ankle hurt), but our horses were both doing great, so I told her I'd give it my best shot and get her up there. Legs led for the first 10 miles. He drank like a champ at every water stop and ate whatever was available, so I knew we were okay. He really knows the game, chug the water, take a bite and eat on the go! We passed 4-5 people right at the start of the loop, then I set off on a much more reasonable pace (10-12mph). This is what I meant to do today! Halfway through the 20-mile loop, we elecrolyted and shortly after met up with a guy who had gotten lost. This fired Legs up again, and it was off to the races for another fast pace. We passed 4-5 more people, and it was then I knew we were on the back end of top 10 but would probably have to race for it. I knew the last water stop was about a mile from the finish line, so when we got there I whispered to Debbie that as soon as the horses were done drinking we were going to take off fast. She was hurting, but I convinced her to stick to me and go for it!

We got in the lead right after the water, and as soon as I saw the finish it was off at a gallop, Debbie right behind me cheering us on. As we neared the finish line, I felt Legs getting nervous and realized he was going to spook. I kept pushing him and while he did a little jump to the side (see video), he remembered himself and pulled it off at the last second, beating out our little pack. Debbie came in right behind me at 9th. Mary was there with water to help us cool them off (see photo), and I jumped off and walked him the rest of the way back to camp. He was down with a light sponging by the time we got back, and we vetted in. The vet gave him all A's, his CRI was 52/52, and we were encouraged to stand for BC. I didn't think we'd get it, we were 45min behind the leaders, but I thought, why not?

The BC vet was tough. She said Legs moved the best out of all the horses she'd seen so far (Mary trotted him for me, I didn't eat enough and wasn't feeling well). But she gave him low marks on some other areas where the other vets marked him high. But every judge is different, and in any case it's always good to have the vets get one last look at your horse. We ended up placing 6th in the BC judging (right behind Debbie, Oreo's heart rates are CRAZY low!), and won some big engraved plates with the race logo on them.

That night I made sure to feed Legs lots and lots and give him plenty of water. I gave him a nice walk before bed and he seemed to be recovering nicely, a little stiff but who wouldn't be after 50 miles? He still wasn't eating as much as I liked, but he was munching here and there and seemed alert and very happy with himself, so I didn't worry. Jack and I slept in Carolyn's rig (THANKS AGAIN CAROLYN!) to ensure that I got good rest to drive home. Though he kept checking on everyone and patrolling the place, it was a nice restful evening after a long day.

Sunday was basically just the trip home. Chatted with Carolyn over coffee, packed up, loaded Legs (he jumped right on, NO LUNGE WHIP!), stopped and turned Legs around because he untied himself (doh!), then headed out. I stopped twice, getting gas once and offering Legs and Jack water and refilling hay again both times. He was finally hungry, attacking his hay like a MANIAC but also making a total mess. We made it home without incident, other than getting confused and missing the 295 exit, having to drive through Richmond (YIKES!). Legs was very happy to see his friends, and took off trotting to his favorite roll spot, rolled both sides, and then galloped full-speed to the far side of the pasture to play. I also made sure to watch until he got a drink, since he had a long ride.

So, while we went much faster than planned, it was an overall very successful weekend! Enjoy the video of our race-off and Legs' spook, courtesy of Debbie's husband. :-) Also, most of the pictures are all courtesy of Debbie and her husband, too. It's hard to get photos done when you don't have extra pairs of hands....

PS Follow up for the day...Joy reports that Legs looks AWESOME today and even took a nice long nap in his stall with fresh soft bedding. awwww so cute!

Morning Workout 3-16

Great Start to the day! Rich came up super early this morning to film Legs and I doing our loosen-up workout in the arena. Legs did awesome and showed off his beginner dressage skills (despite my terrible form, I'm so used to the Freeform saddle that I'm rusty!). Then we worked on trailer again, he got an A+ for today! One brief pause, then he hopped right on and let me shut him in. We also backed off successfully using Joy's technique. Should've filmed that too, but I forgot. Oh well maybe next time.

Looking at getting a hackmore for him, to make it easier to eat and drink on trail. Amanda Taylor (www.tayloredtack.com) has some nice hacks, I'm looking to get one to try out and send back. Just want to make sure he likes it first.

Enjoy the video from this morning! Again please ignore my poor form.

PS When Rich is talking, he's mostly talking to Jack (he was being a pain). You'll also see me yell at him once when he tries to heel Legs.

Weather Forecast for Sand Hills

Weather Forecast for this weekend:

Friday (travel day): High 71, low 44. 0% chance of rain.
Saturday (race day): High 69, low 52. 0% chance of rain.
Sunday (travel day): High 65, low 40. 40% chacne of rain.

Solid forecast, wish it were a little cooler. Gotta remind Mary to let me borrow her clippers and do his neck for ventilation....

Trailer Update

"Look Mom, I'm on the trailer!"

SUCCESS!!!

Jack and I headed up to the farm mid-morning today to "discuss" the trailer situation with Legalas. I had planned to spend all day up there working on it with him; I HAVE to be able to load/unload him by myself in case I need to travel alone next weekend to Sand Hills. I got the trailer ready, got a bucket of grain to use for reward treats, grabbed him from the pasture, did some grooming, and headed out.

For the first hour or two, I went at it alone and didn't get very far. He routinely would get up to the point where he just needed to step in, and refused to do it. You could tell he wanted to; he kept stepping his his feet and would rear in frustration, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He literally had his entire head, neck, shoulders in and was stretching for the grain, but was just worried. I worked between two different methods, using a gentle lead from the front and pressure from the back with flicking the lunge whip. Before you animal lovers out there get too upset, the whip is more of a scare tactic than a physical one. I did give him a few solid smacks to let him know I wasn't kidding, but generally just the motion and the noise of the string is enough to motivate him to move his feet. This is definitely a feat of coordination and I needed to adjust my technique as I got tired, let me tell you! This seemed to work better with him than the other method, which is winching.

Winching is where you loop the rope through the front rungs on the trailer, and when the horse gives closer you tighten all of the slack. The idea is that it gets them into an uncomfortable position, with their neck stretched tight, and eventually the step in of their own accord. Well, this did not work so well. This is the method I used when I got stranded at Sandy Point, and it is when he got caught in his rope and tried to go through the escape door. So he really doesn't like it. It actually works well if you use a heavy boat hook and rope for a lead, because it gives you extra weight and you don't have to use as much muscle. A lot of people like to use a rope behind the butt as well, to help push them from behind. Well, in the past year Legs has managed to break 3 butt ropes in this way, so we know that doesn't work so well for him either. He seriously hates being forced like this, and I could quickly see that it wasn't the way to go.

So I stuck mainly with the first technique, forcing him to back up when he pulled/refused. Then along came Lexie, Joy's young granddaughter. At first, I was hesitant to accept her help. For one thing, I really wanted to get it on my own since will have to do it alone in the future. The other worry is that Lexie is very young, and while Legs would never maliciously hurt another person, I still worried he might step on her. But after a few hours of going no where, I decided to give in. I figured, once we get him on together a few times, then I can do it by myself. I made the right decision. Lexie did a great job using the lunge whip to encourage him forward, and caught on quickly that he needed to stay out of her personal bubble (training a la Judie Ricci style!). Within 15-20 minutes, we got him on and shut in as if we were going somewhere, happily munching grain as a reward.

We loaded him and backed him off a few more times together, then I started going myself. While he still gave me some refusal, I managed to encourage him on with just a few light flicks of the lunge whip with very little contact. He got better and better each time, and was more and more relaxed while eating his grain.

After loading him by myself 3-4 times, Lexie and I went on a light ride for 1-2 miles to clear our heads and give everybody a chance to relax. Legs was great, very enthusiastic and happy to be out and doing something he knows well. After getting back, I pulled his mane and gave him a bridle path, and cleaned him up a little nicer. Then it was back to the trailer, where he continued to load fairly well for me (still a little refusing).

The one tricky part was unloading. The trailer is just big enough that he can turn around and come off forward. This isn't a terribly horrible thing, except that he can't really do it calmly and managed to skin his hip bones (not too badly, I patched with a little antibiotic ointment dressing and he'll be fine. it's just ugly). By myself, I couldn't find a way to untie him and keep his head forward to go off backwards.

Well then along came Joy! Joy and Michael had just returned from Northern VA and she had some great tips to show me! For one, we figured out a different way to hook up the "butt bar" since it was hanging too low. Normally, it would hook up higher to the divider. But we took the divider out to give him more space, since it was a bit of a claustrophobic squeeze and causing some of his nervousness. But we found a better space for it so it wouldn't hit his legs too low. The other trick was backing him out; Joy showed me to take the lunge rope out the feed door to keep his head forward so he couldn't turn around. Then I could unhook the door, come back to the front, and ask him to back up through the feed door (he's really good with this part), and then catch him as he stepped down. This worked great, and will be key to saving the skin off his hipbones! For now he kind of looks like Frankenstein, but thankfully he's not a show horse!

So while we didn't quite get to my dream trailering scenario, it was a VERY successful day. Someday, when he gets more comfortable, I would love to be able to throw the rope over his neck and just point him on the trailer. Then for backing, just give a little tug on the tail. I have no doubt he will get there someday, but for now loading as he is is great progress.

Thanks Lexie and Joy for all your help today!

Where in the World am I...

Follow me via my Garmin! See where I train, how far, fast, and long I go!

Sorry, no heart rate monitor on mine, but you do get mileage, speed, length of training, elevation change, and a lot more!

I'll post these one at a time as I do them. This one is my most recent training ride at Sandy Point with Mary. If you have any special requests for training sessions or past races, let me know and I'll post for you.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Training at Sandy Point

Local Riding Spots

If you're new or from nearby (SE Virginia) and are looking for good places to train, or are from further but want to come visit, here are some of my favorite spots (leave me a comment if you'd like directions):

Sandy Point: Near West Point, you can easily get in 10-20 miles of good, fast training here. The trail is generally clear and well maintained and is light dirt or sand. There's also a great long stretch where you can reach full gallop. You're right on the river, so you can bring your horse there for sponging/drink. The parking lot and road in can be tricky if there's been a lot of precip; put your rig in 4x4 and park on the left side to get out easiest. There are very limited spots where there's gravel, and be careful with some of the bridges through trail. There are a few that need to be rebuilt; I'm working on getting in touch with the boy scouts for this. They rebuilt the main "big bridge" and did a fantastic job. During hunting season, only go on Sundays. Though the road and parking area can get muddy, the trail stays really nice and clear. I've even ridden there in the snow! There's also some good hill here to train on, a rarity in our area! Okay for barefoot.

Yorktown Battlefield/Newport News Airport This area has a good mix of training since there's some pavement and gravel in places. But mostly, the trail is nice soft dirt. There are lots of users here if the weather is nice, so your horse will get lots of experience with bikes, hikers, runners, dogs on leashes, cars, and even over passes! For those going to Foxcatcher worried about the infamous tunnels and bridges, this is a great place to train. There's two ways you can go here; one way to take the trail is out towards Newport News airport and Kentucky farm. There's less users this way but the trail gets a little more technical and unmarked. The other way is to stay in the park boundaries and do the trail in loops; from the parking area and doing one loop without splitting it, you can get 14 miles. Park off of Surrender Road. Generally this area will yield you 10-20 miles. Not many water stops on this trail unless it's been raining a lot. Okay for barefoot.

Beaverdam: Near Gloucester, this park is a trail that leads around the river straight from one side to the other. In total it's about 18 miles. There's lots of water stops here, and you can even take your horse swimming from the parking area that doesn't have the main boathouse (this is the second entrance if you're travelling 17N). Downside to this park: you can't move out much faster than a trot, and if there's been lots of rainfall it can flood out and get really muddy and slippery. But it's great to get in some long slow distance work and technical winding around trees. Also, be prepared for some really long bridges! You will see a few other users here too...bikers, hikers, dog walkers, etc. Okay for barefoot.

York River State Park: This park is a great place for a myriad of training near Williamsburg. Most of the trails here are a simple out-and-back, but the benefit to this is that you can really get your speed up AND control exactly what your mileage is! The park is beautifully maintained and the parking area is great. You WILL have to pay a fee to ride here but it's worth it. Bring cash! Some limited hill here, nothing too strenuous. Watch for lots of friendly deer, hikers, and bikers. Okay for barefoot, can get anywhere from 5-20 miles.

Petersburg Battlefield: Just outside of Richmond, this little area boasts some decent trail. I've gotten anywhere from 10-20 miles here, but mainly in loops. Plus: you can move out here. Minus: it's easy to get lost, and there are some spooky things in certain areas. My recommendation, bring a map or pay close attention to the trail markers, they're organized by letters. Ok for barefoot but there are a few places with gravel.

Graves Mountain: The nearest "mountain" training for us SE Virginians (although I still think of myself as a HOOSIER!), this is a good place to get your hills in. There are several ways up the mountain, but the most common is by parking just up the road from the horseman's camp, there's a good trailer pull-off to the left. You can also park at the horseman's camp and ride from there, it's a nice big grassy field with water hookups and it's $20 a night. The trail we take up and down usually only ends up being 15 miles, but 7.5 of that is UP! There is also a way to do a loop that goes partway down and back up the fireman's road; I did it with Heather and Jeremy but haven't gotten a chance to really explore and find it again. Note: this trail is VERY rocky and slow moving in most places. Plan for a long day and have hoof protection, shoes or boots. Also, come with a friend and bring cash, there is a restaurant at the top where you can get ice cream and hamburgers! I recommend coming here when the weather turns warm in the summer; it is most definitely a MOUNTAIN and thus you will have the normal weather issues related to mountains!

Joy's summer training: Just off of route 17, this area is great for getting it an easy fast ride. The ground is soft dirt for the most part, and the loops run about 5-10 miles depending on where you go. It's really simple and you can't get lost; come in off the main road and ride around the outside of the fields! Things to note: they are developing this area into equine-friendly real estate, but as such there are now some big construction-related horse eating objects around. Though if Legs can handle it, I'm sure your horse can too! Also, the owners and developers of the property prefer that we ride along the side of the dirt road on the edge of the field. This is so we don't create holes from hooves. There are a few places where you have to cross the road, but if you walk that is okay. I know it's tempting, but STAY OFF THE ROAD! I like this area because I don't have to trailer in the summer and want to be able to come back! You have to ride just down the road to get there, so make sure your horse is okay with going by houses, mailboxes, and cars (can you tell this is a really scary/fun one for me?). Also, there ae sometimes 4-wheelers and go carts out on the trails too, and they're not so good at seeing us so heads up as to where they are. Make sure you check in with Joy before coming out; it's her barn we want to make sure we have permission to park there! Definitely an okay place for barefoot.

Again, if you want further directions feel free to write me a note! Or if you have places to add!

What is endurance?

It occured to me (while I'm being VERY productive today) that a lot of my family and friends aren't as familiar with endurance and what it is, or what my random abbreviations are. So here we go....

Endurance is one of the oldest, least-known and fastest growing equine sports. It's name pretty much spells it out for you. While it is not an Olympic sport (yet), it is internationally recognized. It consists of racing 25-100 miles over various types of terrain. Limited Distance races, or "LD's" are shorter, ranging from 25-35 miles. Miles completed in competition for LD's do not count as "Endurance" miles. If you'd like to see an example of this, you can look on the AERC records website and look at my season from last year. You'll see that I did three LD races, and that those are kept separate from my endurance miles/races.

AERC stands for American Endurance Ride Conference. This, along with FEI (Federation Equestrian Internationale) is the main governing body for endurance riding in the US. Think of them as the NFL, NHL, NBA-type organization for endurance. FEI is in funny order because it is the international-governing body for endurance. Also, many AERC rides are held/sponsored in conjunction with local/regional trail riding or endurance groups (like the Old Dominion Endurance Rides, www.olddominionrides.org). Other rides are held or sponsored by individuals.

Horses and riders do not have to be registered under AERC in order to compete, but typically you get charged a $10-$15 fee if you aren't so it's worth doing if you're planning on doing multiple races in a season. A typical ride entry fee ranges from $75-$125. It's not very expensive to join AERC; to register under AERC it is $42.50 for new riders, plus $10 or so for each horse. Here are the other benefits they list for joining:

• Lifetime equine and rider mileage tracking
• Subscription to Endurance News, an informative monthly magazine featuring articles on endurance riding, an extensive ride calendar, ride results, and equine product advertisements
• Copy of AERC Rider Handbook
• Copy of AERC Rules and Regulations booklet
• Voting rights on member issues
• National and regional award eligibility
• Annual membership directory

FEI is much more involved and expensive. Honestly, I haven't gone very deep into that world yet, so I won't try and explain all the rules because I am not very familiar with them. In FEI, you HAVE to be registered and so does your horse. Registering here is called "Passporting." It is much more expensive than AERC. The rider registration isn't too bad, I think it was around $35 for me to register last year (again, don't quote me on that). Horse fees are higher, plus there are other costs: passports are very in-depth paperwork that require a lot of details, the horse must have a very specific shot regimen, and ride fees average around $500. The rules of FEI are very close to AERC, which is why most FEI rides contain both divisions. FEI is a little stricter; no whips, you have to be presentable and wear collared shirts, stirrups must have cages or you wear heeled boots, etc. Horses also must pulse down 30 minutes after finishing, and there are specific rules on where you can have crew (teammates on the ground) help you.

If we had a professional version of our sport, FEI would be it. Yes, there's a lot more work involved, but there's also a lot more prestige. For one, you're representing your country on the international circuit. You can be invited to race overseas and other places, as well as get sponsors if your successful. When you get into the upper echelons of competition, you can even win some money (though it's typically it's only enough to cover the cost of getting there).

In FEI, your horse has to qualify for different levels in stages by earning stars. This is where it gets muddy for me, but pretty much your horse has to complete a certain number of races at certain distances in order to move up to the next one (for example, they need X amount of 50's in order to start competing at 100's). Also, depending on what level you're at you also need to place higher for so many rides. This record resets every 2 years (when they have the next World Championships) so you only have that period of time to qualify. USEF (the United States Equestrian Federation) picks the world team from a pool of horse/rider teams that make all the required qualifications. Different factors go into picking people, not just speed. Also the amount of people on teams changes based on year.

Complicated, right?

I'm not dissing FEI at all or discouraging anyone from joining. I simply think it's a much higher level of commitment, and it's very difficult to be successful with it unless you can make it a main focus of your life. Many of my friends and colleagues that are successful in FEI are those devoted to it full-time; Heather and Jeremy have a business partner that owns several auto mechanic shops and helps split costs with them. Heather works for him in accounting, and Jeremy picks up extra work as a farrier (he is brilliant, by the way, if you can get him). They also work their racing as a business (check out their website, www.reynoldsracing.us); they train, buy, sell, teach, consult, etc in the world of endurance. Christoph and Dian run their training center as a focus in their life (www.globalendurance.com), but also develop real estate to generate income.

For me, I'm good with AERC for now. I would love someday to have this sport be my main focus and somehow run a business based around it. But for now, I simply don't have the financial backing or available time to commit to it. I work my regular job 40+ hours a week and get paid what you would expect for a recently-graduated masters student, so I'm just not there yet. Someday, maybe. But not yet.

Now on to race specifics. LD's are run a little different than endurance races. For endurance, the first horse/rider team to cross the finish line and pass vet inspection wins. In LD's, it's the first horse to pulse down to the required heart rate (typically 60BPM). Depending on the ride, you typically have 30-60 minutes to reach pulse criteria. I'm a little rusty on this rule since I haven't done very many, but I'm pretty sure it's 60 min. If you're horse doesn't come down by that time, you are disqualified or "Pulled" from the ride. Your horse also has to pass the vet inspection, or "Vet Check" before they are given a completion.

In endurance, the first person to cross the finish line wins, assuming the pass the vet check. After finishing, you have 60 minutes to reach pulse (usually 64) and present to the vets. AERC is thinking about changing this rule this year to 30 minutes.

Both endurance rides and LD's have vet checks placed every 10-20 miles of the ride. This is so the focus remains on keeping the horse healthy. If a horse is lame or is showing metabolic issues, or any other sort of health problems, they are pulled and the rider is disqualified. This is a good thing; in an article published by AERC last year there was a brief survey of equine sports, and endurance was the one that came out on top in terms of rules governing equine welfare. Both AERC and FEI also have strict rules regarding what drugs can be in a horse's system; for a full list check their websites.

At a typical vet check, the horse has to come down to the pulse criterion (usually 64). The vets then check on a myriad of things, like gut sounds, skin tenting (a way to check dehydration levels), capillary refill, mucus membranes, anal tone (yes I said anal), back soreness, etc etc. Then you have to run with the horse straight out and back and have them trot, so the vet can check if they are sound. Once the vet is satisfied they are healthy enough to continue, you then get a nice long break before you're allowed back out on trail. This is so the horse can rest, eat, drink, and recuperate. Typically these breaks can be 45-60min depending on the ride. You also have to complete a vet check when you check in at the ride (usually the day before), and upon completing your finish. You may also get a CRI; this measures how well the horse is recovering and is a good indicator for how tired it is. The vet takes the heart rate before trotting out, then again about 30 seconds after. You want the numbers to be even or the second number to be lower than the first (this is a very good thing!). You won't get pulled if the second number is hire, but you may be encouraged to take your pace down a notch and let your horse rest. Which is a good thing.

If you finish top ten in an endurance ride, you are eligible for the "Best Condition" award. This is a big deal, because it means your horse completed the ride in better condition than anyone else. Lots of factors go into this award, like rider weight, place finished, horses heart rate/CRI, how the horse looks trotting, and all the other factors that go into a typical vet check. Also, you will probably be instructed to trot in a different pattern, like a circle each direction or a figure 8. At any vet check, it is okay to have someone else trot out your horse for you. Some riders have injuries, or honestly sometimes we're just exhausted!

A couple notes for vet checks: always listen to your vets. Ask questions, but make them brief so that you don't hold up the line. Be polite and respectful; you will see these people for your entire endurance career and it is a small world; reputations do proceed you! And train your horse to trot out well; beside you and not behind you, and to TROT, not walk or canter.

Other than that, pretty much all the rest is your own strategy! Here are some of my personal tips for beginner riders though that I've learned over the last few years:

Most seasoned riders will tell you that it's best to break your horse into this sport gently; start slow, then work up your speed. The same works at actual rides too. It's better to do your first loops slow, then speed up towards the finish. The horse stays healthier that way. Though every horse is different (Jeremy's horse, Smitty, can run hard ALL DAY!).

Every vet at every ride will tell you to pay attention to PPED (peeing, pooping, eating, and drinking). It's also important to know how to properly provide your horse with electrolytes so they stay metabolically sound. Legs will eat his in his grain, but for many you'll have to give an oral syringe. Opinions differ widely on how often you do this, how much you give, what you mix it with, etc. I'm definitely no expert on this, but I think it's something you develop as you get to know your horse better. A common way of doing it is to get a very basic electrolyte powder, like Perform 'N Win or Enduramax, and give your horse a syringe mix with water before going out on each loop. You can mix with applesauce or molasses to make it taste better. Also, many riders like to electrolyte out on trail, especially if it is a super hot day or really long loops. A good spot is usually around halfway through, after your horse gets a good drink of water. A fun thing for this is to also teach them to take it from the saddle! I'm not very good at this, mainly because Legs hates the syringe, but if I am riding with a partner (like Mary) they can usually help me without either of us dismounting. Heather and Jeremy use a more complicated mix involving Potassium, Magnesium, Summer Games, and the like. If you visit their website and ask, I'm sure they'd be willing to share and have some great products you can purchase. It's always important to carry a syringe of electrolytes with you in your saddle pack or on your person; Running Bear has some nice ones that have a cap and are not expensive at all ($5 for 2) www.runningbear.com. Teddy (who runs Running Bear) also has some nice dosing guns there, in case your horse is tough with the syringe.

Also, specific rules can change by each race, so it's good to pay attention in ride meetings to what's going on. They will be happy to explain things for you, and if you are new to the sport will typically have a "New Riders Meeting" to help walk you through it.

In any case, it's always good to ask lots of questions and get different opinions from other riders who have been there. They may have different things to say, but the more you can learn the better!

AERC has a great "New Riders Manual" that helps explain everything and contains lots of good tips. Visit their website and explore if you'd really like an in-depth look at the sport! www.aerc.org

If anyone thinks I've left anything out or would like to leave some tips of their own, feel free to comment!

2010 Season Preview/Schedule

Legs and I have had a tough training season thus far! Just before Fort Valley last season, he dumped me on a morning training ride and hurt my back pretty badly. He also dumped me at the ride in warm-ups, causing me to sprain my wrist. We had a long "discussion" after that weekend and have had no incidents (other than the trailer issues) and have been great ever since. But this winter was tough; with the excessive snow and rain it's been nearly impossible to get out and train, so I'm a little concerned about his fitness level heading into our first race and will definitely be taking it easy, going just for the completion. My fitness level is questionable too; since I got hurt I've put on about 10 pounds and have had trouble losing it. I have been working out, though not at the intense levels I could do before. Frustrating.

My goal this season is to qualify for the National Championships on Legalas, which are being held at H. Cooper Black Park in South Carolina (where Sand Hills is held). We need 4 50's to complete, and I have no doubt that if I play it safe and responsible he can make it! Some are closer together than I would've liked, The ride is in October, the weekend before Fort Valley. Here is a list of the rides I'm planning on this season to use for qualifying:

3/20 Sand Hills (SC)
4/17 Foxcatcher (MD)
5/1 Biltmore (NC)
8/28 VA Highlands (VA)

I also have Whitehaven and the Biltmore Fall ride penciled in as back-up, just in case. Already we're seeing ride cancellations due to this winter craziness (No Frills was cancelled due to excessive snow that's not melting), and since it is a tough schedule I want to make sure he gets plenty of rest/space in case of injury.

Right now, my biggest worry though is his trailering. Last season ended with no issues, he had gotten AWESOME with the trailers we were using. I have since gotten my own truck and little 2H bumper pull, and the results have been not so good. We were stranded on a training ride out at Sandy Point for 6 hours while he fought me and refused to get back on the trailer to go home. He got tangled in his rope, tried to come out the small escape door on the side of the trailer, and almost killed both of us in the process. Thankfully, we both came out of the day with just some bumps, bruises, and scrapes, but I'm still having issues. For about 2 weeks, he was fed twice a day on the trailer. Then I slowly started the process of building him up to trailer places. Weekend one went awesome; I loaded him by myself with very few problems (he now thinks when I go to shut the door behind him that it's time to back off), we did 15 miles just down the road at our summer training grounds (within riding distance), and trailered back fine. Last weekend, he relapsed. It took 20min for Michael (Joy's awesome husband) and I to winch/force him on the trailer to go out and train. I met Mary for our training ride and she helped me load him after our 16 mile workout, and while he did refuse some it was easier. He wasn't being scared, I could tell, but just stubborn. He gets this look on his face, if you can believe it, so I can actually tell the difference.....

My worry is being able to load him by myself. Sand Hills is next weekend, and I am taking the trip alone. All I need to do is get him on to go; once I get to the ride I will have help to get him back on to come home. But it's still a scary issue; he seriously scarred me for life with the day at Sand Hills and I'm terrified. So, the plan is for me to go to the farm all day on Sunday (even though it's supposed to rain) and work on it. If the weather is decent, I will probably do a light 10 mile ride to maintain for next weekend. But seriously, if it takes me all day, I WILL successfully get him on and shut in that stupid trailer several times.

Positive comments and reassurance are welcome! This horse is definitely worth the trouble, but he's exhausting me....

Shiloh's Surgery Update

For those who don't know, Mary's Howell's horse recently had surgery on the ligament on his front right leg. He started feeling "off" towards the middle of last race season, and develped some odd fluid/swelling in the leg. After several treatment options Mary was able to get this surgery for him and while it's not pretty it looks a whole lot better! Here's Mary's account and a current photo of the leg healing:

"Here is a photo of Shiloh’s annular ligament surgery, taken a few days ago before I rewrapped the leg.

Before resorting to surgery, we tried shockwave treatments. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Kathy Broaddus, DVM and also Barb Horstmeier in Fort Valley who made this treatment possible, keeping Shiloh at her place for 3 months last fall.

But the swelling came back a third time (after being drained & injected in August and again in November). By mid-February so much synovial fluid had accumulated that it looked as if someone had shoved a tennis ball under the skin at the back of his leg.

After Doug Daniels at Virginia Equine showed me how much discomfort Shiloh was in (over and above his usual grumpiness!) I was ready for the no-turning-back step and the surgery was done March 4.

So far so good on healing, and after another week of stall rest (Michelle Simpson is giving him a wonderful place to hang out with only chickens for company and no other horses to get upset over) he can come home for gradual “physical therapy” i.e light riding. I’ll need to ride with a beer in hand to keep my patience!

Based on the experiences of my friends who had this surgery done on their horses, I am not expecting Shiloh to be able to handle endurance again, but will keep everyone posted later this spring how sound he is once he progresses to longer outings.

His AERC record shows 80 completions and about 4700 miles. Even if he never makes it to the 5000 mark, I’ll be content just having him around, bossing around my goofy young horse Frank with his wise, world-weary gaze."

Background on ME

I'd like to begin this blog by noting that everything I write here is my opinion and is based on my own experiences. What works for me and my horse may not work for you and yours, or you may have a different opinion. This is a GOOD THING! Everyone should do their own research and learn as much as they can about what works for them. I am not a vet or an authority on horses or this sport. I love to learn and want to do all I can to be successful in endurance. I welcome different opinions and discussion topics, as long as they're done in a respectful and constructive manner.

Okay, I think that covers it....This entry will hopefully be the longest one I ever post because I'm trying to cover my history of getting into the sport. Sorry if you've read/seen it all before, I totally give you full permission to skip this one and move ahead! I PROMISE it will get more interesting as the season goes on.

I currently reside in Norfolk, VA and race mainly in the Northeast and Southeast regions of the US (as termed by the American Endurance Ride Conference http://www.aerc.org/). I currently am training/condition/racing one horse, Legalas (owned by Lisa Green) and live with my crazy energetic dog, Jack. But more on all that later...This year marks my fourth season in the sport of endurance. I've gone so many places and got to do so many amazing things, I thought it would be fun to document my experiences and share them with my friends, family, and whomever.

I have been an athlete and horse lover all of my life. I was the kid with 200 "My Little Ponies" and Breyer horses scattered about the room, and who would yell "Mommy HORSEYS!" whenever we passed by a pasture along the road. Once, when I was 2, I even wandered across several acres of open field (with retention ponds) to pet a horse through the fence of a neighboring farm (my Mom was in the kitchen cooking, completely unaware. Needless to say she was not amused). I started riding horses when I was 6 years old by taking hunter/jumper lessons in my hometown of Bloomington, IN with the then-coach of the Indiana University Equestrian Team. As I got older, I moved barns (http://www.rockyriverfarm.com/) and rode dressage and some light jumping, always on school horses because my family could not afford to buy my own horse. I think this was a great thing for me; it not only taught me how to ride in several different disciplines with different technique, but it taught me to be very appreciative of the equine opportunities that came my way. To help pay for lessons, I worked as a barn hand cleaning the rider's lounge, cleaning stalls, sweeping aisles, grooming horses, etc. To be honest, it never felt like work for me because I loved being there so much. I did a few school shows and did very well, I even ribboned in my very first English pleasure class!

As I got older and involved in more hobbies (swimming, soccer, music, etc), I had to make some tough choices and riding fell by the wayside a bit. I still loved it, I just didn't have much time to balance. I still rode occasionally and even took horse trips and vacations, and knew I'd come back to it someday. The summer of my senior year of college I worked at an equestrian camp via Camp Tecumseh, YMCA (http://www.camptecumseh.org/) and discovered endurance via my friend, Karis. I had only heard a little about it, and definitely was interested. I thought it would be the perfect combo of my athletic background and competitive race personality with my love of horses.
Counselors at Camp pictured below:

So, one day in grad school while I was sitting in the most BORING computer class EVER (seriously, the instructor gave us assignments on how to google for information), I decided to look up endurance. The first website that popped up was a training ranch in Moab, UT called Global Endurance Training Center (http://www.globalendurancetrainingcenter.com/). I thought "That would be a cool summer experience," and on a whim, sent them an email to see if I could work there that summer. I quickly got a response back from Dian Woodward, who said they could definitely use the help! I went out to ride that December (so they could make sure I knew what I was doing somewhat) and not only had a great winter vacation, but also landed a summer job.

That summer in Moab was one of the hardest, but also best of my life. I learned more about horses and endurance than I ever thought possible, and I also gained a wealth of confidence. There were weeks where I literally was the only person on the ranch maintaining and riding and training....it was great! I did things on horseback that I never thought were possible! Christoph Schork and Dian have a great facility, a wealth of knowledge, and their horses are well-conditioned and trained. I even got to do my first 50 mile ride at the Happy Jack endurance ride in Wyoming (thanks to Mel Hare for driving us!). I was also in the best shape of my life; for those who haven't worked on a ranch/farm before, trust me the physical labor is incredible. I also learned a lot about my own fitness and physical capability, and how to go all day in a labor-based job. Trick: in the desert, keep your sodium levels up, and move at a slower pace to conserve energy. Trust me, the productivity level is the same as if you try to go 100% and crash mid-day. If you ever get the money and opportunity to go out and ride with Christoph and Dian, I HIGHLY recommend it. The scenery is beautiful and it is some of the best training in the world, and Dian and Christoph are some of the most warm and welcoming people you'll ever meet. Their program is great for both beginners and advanced endurance riders. I recommend riding up in the La Sal Mountains and at Behind the Rocks, those were my favorite places. Also, make sure to play with Flint, one of the coolest dogs ever, talk to Dian about the genealogy of her Polish Arabian mares, and ask Christoph to cook dinner for you (potato pancakes = AMAZING). Both of these amazing people have been in endurance for a number of years and have racked up thousands of miles; they are great advisers to me.

After returning from Moab to grad school at IU, I had one semester left of classes. I continued to take lessons once a week to stay in "riding shape" and looked ahead to how I could get back to endurance. For those who don't know, riding in general is a pretty demanding sport depending on what discipline you do. For endurance, imagine doing Pilates and instead of moving sections of your body, having the ground underneath you move continuously and you have to keep your body still, supple, and upright. Now imagine doing that for 8-12 hours. Yeah, ouch.

I managed to land an internship in Norfolk, VA with an entertainment company (http://www.sevenvenues.com/). Almost immediately, I began looking for a way to keep riding. I sent out an email via AERC and Endurance Net for riders in the area who had extra horses that needed a solid rider. This is how I ran into Heather and Jeremy Reynolds. Heather and Jeremy are very well-known endurance riders; I hadn't met them before but definitely recognized their name from my summer in Utah and keeping up with the latest race results. They've won Tevis a few times and gotten the coveted Best Condition award there, as well as competed internationally very successfully. They recently just returned from the President's Cup race in Dubai, where Jeremy was the first overseas rider to finish on Sir Smith! A very prestigious honor! They had recently moved to Virginia from California to work for CreRun Farms in Doswell, near Richmond (www.crerunfarm.com). They were both training the track horses there (did you know there is also Arabian Track Racing that is separate from Thoroughbred?), and also taking horses off the track and training them for endurance. It's a great concept; track horses can make great endurance horses. They're generally bomb proof because they have been through so much crazy stuff already in their race career. They're competitive, and they're so HAPPY to get off that circle of dirt and get out on trail that they have great attitudes. CreRun has hundreds of horses, so Heather and Jeremy definitely needed an extra rider. They had also brought their own horses, and were trying to qualify for the 2008 FEI World Championships in Malaysia with two of them (Gem and Smitty). The hot, humid climate of VA was definitely going to be helpful for that....

I had a great season in 2008 with the Reynolds. I drove up to CreRun every weekend (it's about a 2 hour drive) to ride and train with them. They even let me bring my dog, Jack, and crash at their house! We had lots of fun trying to find things to do around Richmond (since we were all new to the area) and happily our dogs got along really well too! This is a big deal for Jack, he can be kind of cranky with other dogs. I got to do 3 races and crew for several others, and explore the training options around central and Southeastern VA, as well as races all over the Eastern US. We definitely racked up the gas mileage that summer! I became a much better rider; nothing gets you in shape like jumping on a myriad of race horses, and I learned even more about the sport of endurance. Jeremy is also an awesome farrier, working mainly in barefoot but he also does shoes. I learned the pros/cons to barefoot vs shoes on horses and got to use new and exciting products he was helping develop, like Renegade Boots (http://www.renegadehoofboots.com/). I also met a lot of new people in our sport, which was DEFINITELY useful for the future. And through the Reynolds, I learned more about FEI racing and what competing on the national level entails.

In October/November of 2008, the Reynolds decided to move back to CA. I was incredibly sad, I think I cried the entire way home from our last day riding together. These were my first real friends in Virginia, I had moved down here with only Jack and knowing no one! But it was definitely the right decision for them; their family and friends were all back West and they were ready to head back and focus on developing their own company, Reynolds Racing (http://www.reynoldsracing.us/). Heather has her own blog on their website; it definitely is a good read and a good way to keep up-to-date on what goes on in those higher echelons of FEI racing! Since they moved back, we've kept in touch and I even got to fly out and do my first FEI 50 with them last August on TA Tiran. Though Tiran was definitely a handful during the race (Jeremy had switched out his bit 2 days prior without much testing, he didn't like it much), we had a great ride and it was awesome to see my friends again. Heather and I even got to do a whirlwind tour of San Francisco the night before I flew out! I think we got like 2 hours of sleep but it was a total blast. Here's a picture of her clowining around with her sweet ride (just kidding, we were slap-happy and this car for some reason is hilarious):

I'd love to do it again someday, when I can afford it and take some extra vacation days. My job doesn't give me many to work with, and FEI is definitely EXPENSIVE as all craziness. For example, an AERC ride entry typically ranges from $75-$125. Registering a horse usually costs about $10 on top of your really inexpensive member fee. An FEI ride however, usually averages about $500 PER RIDE. This doesn't include the cost of your FEI membership, or for passporting your horse for FEI either. Yeesh.

After Heather and Jeremy left, I took a few months hiatus since the compteition season was winding down. But it didn't take long before I got the itch back, and sent another email out. This time I got a response from Mary Howell in New Kent, VA. I had met Mary via Heather and Jeremy; she's kind of like the go-to person in our area for endurance because she knows everyone and all places to ride.

I have to write a paragraph to talk about how amazing Mary is. Mary has a heart of gold and never ending energy. She has dragged my ass back and forth across this side of the country countless numbers of times, and I owe her everything for getting me to where I am today. THANKS MARY!

Mary has two horses, Shiloh and Frank. Shiloh was 17 that year and was nearing his 5,000 miles award for endurance. Frank was a youngster who she was just getting started. I got started with Mary, riding both horses but mainly focusing on Shiloh. Shiloh and I did 3-4 races last season, including my first 75 at Biltmore. We won the Lizard Run in SC and got his first BC award, and placed top ten at other rides too. Mary rode Frank and got him started. We also did several other rides on horses that belonged to her friends who, for whatever reason, needed an extra rider to take them through. It was through Mary that I met Lisa Green.

Lisa and her husband, Andy, have three sons and live out in Star Tannery in the mountains of Northern VA. Lisa campaigns her mare, Amana, in FEI and is trying to qualify for the 2010 World Championships in Kentucky. The year previous, Andy had bought a raffle ticket for the famous Old Dominion Raffle Horse, donated annually by Asgard Arabians in West Virginia (http://www.olddominionrides.org/, http://www.asgardarabians.com/). He did this without telling Lisa, and in an ironic turn of course they won! The horse's name was Legalas, Legs for short. For those not familiar with Legs or Asgard or the Old Dominion raffle horse, he had a bit of a reputation proceeding him. Asgard does some great breeding, they are notorious for turning out amazing endurance horses. But they don't do much in the way of handling them at a young age, so they basically stay untouched and live wild on the side of a mountain in the herd until they are sold. In Legs' case, he had been out with the herd for about 3 years before becoming the raffle horse. He is small, but definitely built for the sport. Bone for days, feet like cement, short back, compact, and bred from the "hottest of the hot" according to Tom Sayvetz (one of the Asgard owners). He also was nervous as anything I had ever encountered before; scared of anything unnatural, and combined with his amazing athleticism this was a rough combo. A lot of riders in our area know his reputation for this from when Andy and Lisa took him home from the Fort Valley ride; he had to be drugged and dragged in order to get on the trailer and apparently put on quite a display. Lisa and Andy are both great riders, as are their kids. But Legs was a lot to handle. He was, and still can be, pretty dangerous, and he definitely takes a strong rider. He has dumped me and gotten me pretty hurt several times. Lisa needed someone to devote themselves to his career full-time. I met Lisa and stayed in her trailer at the Sand Hills ride the previous year; she is close friends with Mary and liked how I handled and rode Shiloh that weekend. So when she needed a rider for Legs, Mary talked her into recruiting me. I was nervous, but super-excited to accept the challenge. Here was essentially my own horse to train and compete, what could be more awesome? Little did I know how much work he would be....

For the first several months of our partnership, Legs was in training at Meadow Springs Training Center under the tutelage of Judie Ricci in Northern VA (http://www.meadowspringstrainingcenter.com/). Judie and her young assistant, Jennifer Supinger, are some of the most amazing trainers I have ever come across. Both natural horsewomen, they are both gentle but assertive and have taught me a lot about how to handle my horse. They are also a whole lot of fun! Jennifer is one of the most amazing riders I've ever seen; definitely is worth checking out her youtube site (www.meadowspringstrainingcenter.com/jennifer.htm). The girl jumps 3+ feet bareback, in fact does most of her riding bareback, and trains her horses with no tack on. Did I mention she's only 18? I am in total awe of this girl, I'll admit it. You can also see early training pictures of Legs on Judie's training page there.

Legs improved exponentially through his training at Judie's. When I first went up to ride him, he was still incredibly nervous, doing his patented "Sit and Spin" move every time something new came up on trail. When I say sit and spin, it was FAST! This horse can flip around the other direction in the blink of an eye. It's an amazing thing to watch for sure. But as the weeks progressed, he got better and better and was easier to ride out on trail. Great job Judie and Jennifer!

I started driving up to the farm on weekends to work with Legs and help Judie out with whatever she needed. Our weekends typically went like this: Jennifer and I would go out on Saturday, sometimes with other riders, I on Legs and her on a different horse, and do a longer conditioning ride. Sundays were the beginner trail ride days, we'd do a slow 5 miles or so with whomever wanted to go out. I usually would take Legs again, because it was good experience for him. Scattered in there were barbeques with local friends, and random chores and training other horses in the arena. Awesome times.

Legs' first ride with me was supposed to be the Old Dominion LD in June 2009. Unfortunately, because of his trailer issues (which still crop up today, I'm sure I will continuously mention them as this blog goes on), he got tangled in his butt rope and got a bit of a rope burn that kept him from going. But not to worry, Judie started working on his trailer fear and we geared up for the Sand Hills Moonlight LD later that summer. We also prepared to move him from Judie's to a boarding facility closer to me. While he almost dumped me several times in the ride (seriously, the worst spook was when the glow sticks marking the trail moved from the right side to the left), he finished strong, placing 7th, and we were very happy. Lisa was also at that ride with Amana, she won and got BC. Andy crewed for both of us and was great help!

After Judie's, we moved Legs to Riverview Farms in Williamsburg, VA. This private boarder is about a mile down the road from great training at York River State Park, very important for me since at the time I didn't have a truck or trailer to transport him. It was also close to Mary, which was also important since she was helping to haul me everywhere! Unfortunately, we had to move him a few months in because of some issues with the boarder. To make it short, she's an incredibly nice person and has decent facilities, but is very inexperienced and unconfident with horses. There were too many on the property, and we weren't confident that she could handle any emergencies that arose. The straw that broke it was when she wanted to bring in an additonal horse for his already too-small pasture, and when I said no made up a bogus excuse about him being food dominant and dangerous. For those that don't know Legs, he is definitely at the bottom of the totem pole in herds and is so not-dominant it's crazy. He has yet to meet a horse he doesn't get along with. So we got him out of there ASAP, to Laurellye Farms in Gloucester, VA (closer to Norfolk).

We did 3 more rides in the 2009 season, the 50 at Virginia Highlands (20th place), the LD at Fort Valley (2nd place), and the 50 at Mustang Memorial in NJ (7th place). Legs got better and better at each ride, and I am always super-impressed with his spirit, drive, and desire to please.

I now board Legs with Joy and Michael Mahler in Gloucester. Joy had an amazing career in endurance with her horse, Orion, and is slowing working her way back with her granddaughter, Lexie, after a back injury. Joy and Michael have been an amazing help to me; they helped advise me in purchasing a new truck, buying and rebuilding a small trailer, rescuing me when he decided he didn't want to get on the trailer out by ourselves, and providing invaluable advice and support. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Joy and Michael for being there for me and Legs! And that brings us to the end of this amazingly uber-long entry and into the preview of the 2010 season......you can also follow me on facebook if you'd like more pictures and less reading material. :-)