Endurance Ride Start

1/4/2012

My blog banner has the tagline, From Endurance to Dressage, but many of you did not know me during my years as an endurance rider. I've shared photos and some of my experiences, there's a great story coming from Speedy's last endurance ride, but I am sure that most of you can't quite picture what an endurance race actually looks like. DM, a friend and local endurance rider, just returned from a race and had this video to share. It's just the first few minutes of riders leaving basecamp, but I think it gives a good idea of the organized chaos that characterizes most ride starts. Enjoy!

AarenaX, of Haiku Farm, and I were "discussing" what riders from different disciplines have to offer. I think the equestrian world can learn a lot from endurance riders. After watching the video, what do you think about 20, 30, 50, even 200 horses quietly ambling off to tackle 50 or 100 miles? Endurance horses learn their jobs well and can do it without all the theatrics that most people assume must exist. It takes real skill to safely navigate your horse through a pack of horses speeding off down the trail!

And 'cause I can ... here's picture of Speedy G cruising down the trail at the 2010 Git-R-Done 55 miler.

2010 Git-R-Done 55: Inyokern (Mojave Desert), CA

The Equestrian Vagabond link

1/6/2012 12:05:44 am

"many of you did not know me during my years as an endurance rider" - I did, I did!
And I'm one of those who doesn't mind waiting to start till 98 of those 100 starters have gone 2 miles down the trail before me
: )

Karen

1/6/2012 07:45:10 am

We sure had some fun, didn't we? I was always kind of a back of the packer myself. I'd rather speed up slowly than than have to slow down quickly! Have a great 2012 ride season!!!!!!!!!

Karen

Kelly RGF link

1/6/2012 04:22:25 pm

That's a great photo! You look good, Speedy looks good, your colour-coordination is impressive, you are both focussed together, and the background looks like something out of a movie :).

Anyway, the start of the race is hilarious. It looks like a faster, more chaotic version of a group trek.

1/6/2012 10:18:28 pm

Thanks! Some endurance riders go wacky with their "colors." I just liked plain ol' black n blue (sometimes it was even under my clothes).

I did one endurance race that was literally started with a shotgun blast - quite chaotic!!!!!

For those riders who don't want to start with the leaders, they can choose to start as many as 30 minutes behind, but the time counts against you. For a 50, the rider only gets 12 elapsed hours in which to finish. Sometimes the course is easier and you can waste 15 minutes waiting, but other times it's better to just get out there and get going.

Karen

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Not-So-Speedy Dressage