Endurance Photos: EHSC 50 1999

This is a continuing series of photos that illustrates the differences between an endurance seat and a dressage seat.

This is not one of my favorite photos.  Even for an endurance rider I am leaning too far forward.  [As a side note, I remember that the water bottle holder on my back was really bothering me.]  Montoya was a very forward horse and could be very difficult to ride.  Her mission in life was to complete the course in as fast a time as possible.  Sometimes the best thing for me to do was to simply get off her back and let her move out. If you look closely, and I know it's hard to see with the sheepskin, but my crotch is barely touching the saddle.  I am just trying to hover over the saddle without hanging on her mouth.

This photo is from the 1999 Eastern High Sierra Classic 50 miler in Bridgeport, California.  We finished 69th out of 83 riders with a ride time of 9 hours and 52 minutes.