|
Page 1 of 2 Do you or your family like to ride horses in the show ring or out on the trail? Do you like to camp with your horse or horses for a night, a weekend or a week? Would you like to try? Would you like to have the opportunity to ride miles of some really beautiful, well marked trails? For one day, two or even three days? Would you like to learn how to care for yourself and equine on those long distances?
 Talledega Yellowhammer Pioneer www.PicturesDanielTook.com Is Distance Riding For You?
Don’t let the word “Distance” scare you. Remember that in the days before automobiles, horses routinely traveled distances of 25 miles or more. It was a necessity; it was the only way to travel. Horses are not fragile or wimpy creatures and any good horse, healthy and in good condition, should be able to go the distance in stride. The catch is that the horse and rider must be properly conditioned to do the job. A horse that is ridden only a few miles a couple times a week would be badly stressed and injured if it was pushed to go 25 miles in 4 hours! And an unconditioned rider attempting that distance would be so sore he would never want to see a saddle again! Preparing a horse and rider team for distance events requires an intelligent battle plan" and a serious commitment to follow it through. A successful distance rider must be bright enough and sensitive enough to be always aware of how his horse is doing. Over the course of training, the rider gets to know his horse as well as he knows himself. For horse-lovers, this can be a very rich and rewarding experience. Compared to other horse sports, distance riding is not expensive. Tack and equipment must be good quality and in good condition, but nothing fancy is required. But distance riding does cost a lot of time. Distance horses must be in superb condition and it takes a lot of hours and a lot of miles to reach this level of conditioning and maintain it. Distance horses must be ridden often and far to keep their athletic edge and time and energy must he allowed for the tasks of cooling out, checking for soreness and lameness, measuring pulse and respiration rate recovery times, in addition to all the care routines that an average horse requires. Parents of junior riders and families of adult riders must be prepared to allow this time commitment. Distance riding can be a lonely sport too. Not all riders will be lucky enough to find a partner to train with them. It might be easy to find friends willing to ride with you for pleasure rides, but unless they share your passion for distance riding, they might not want to go along for 15 miles or more. You may have to train alone. You will also need a place to ride, especially if you will be riding alone. Safety becomes an important consideration. Once the rider decides to take the plunge, the next thing to think about is whether or not the horse is suitable! 
Can Your Horse Do It? Distance horses need to be strong and healthy. They don't need to be beautiful, but they must have a conformation free from major faults that might lead to injury or lameness when stressed. Because the sport is stressful, horses must be at least 4 years old to ride in Competitive Trail Rides and at least 5 years old for Endurance. Nursing mares are not allowed, and mares that are pregnant are often prohibited. Horses of all breeds have been successful in distance riding as long as they are well conditioned and sound. Some breeds, however do seem to have a special “edge" on the competition: they cool out faster and recover more quickly to resting pulse and respiration levels. For this reason, the top contenders in most major distance events seem to be the Arabians and Half Arabians and, out west, the Mustangs. But remember, in Competitive Trail Riding, it is not speed that counts, and any breed can win. There are other things to consider about your horse besides health and conditioning. The horse needs manners, and the ability to behave and be controlled around other horses. He must be able to stand quietly during vet checks and PR stops, where he will be touched and handled by strangers. You must be able to lead him at a trot ~in hand" and, of course, he must be willing to load in a trailer. If your horse is a rookie trail horse, it might be a good idea to have him checked by your veterinarian to see if he is suitable for the sport. You will also need to be up to date on vaccinations, worming and have a current Coggins Test to be sure he is in the best of health. Do you already compete? Looking to do a little of both, Competitive Trail and Endurance? Looking to improve your ride time, vetting in/out process or enhance your trail experience? Are you relocating to the South East?
|
