Goals, Successes and Looking Foward...

I honestly couldn't say how many half-written entries I have saved.

The PLAN is to go back and DO them.  Finish the write-up from what I can salvage from my brain about each ride.

But, for my first year of riding AERC sanctioned rides, let me give my thoughts.

What a hell of an adventure this has been.

What started off as a combination of me thinking (years ago) "Endurance riding sounds like a sport I could do!!  I can't afford a bunch of lessons to learn to jump or train my horse to do obstacles. I can't afford a barrel horse, or a cow horse, but I can trail ride!!!"

Mixed in liberally with my friends at the barn always saying (after hours of trail riding) "Strider seems like he still has SO MUCH energy left!  You should do endurance riding!"

And a dash of "This is on my bucket list for THIS YEAR!" (after not being able to ride for almost a year since I was pregnant and then physically unable to ride due to C-Section).

So.  I joined AERC before my first ride.  Started reading more and more.  Realized you really CAN do endurance in whatever tack you currently own (that was the other thing holding me back; my western saddles).

And then...I picked the very first ride that I could attend.

I managed to catch a ride with a nice lady who helped me through and let me sleep in her trailer that weekend.  She walked me through the process she uses at ride camp to get the horses ready.  And, with a few variations, it's a process I still follow myself.

First ride; Shanghai Trails.  First 25 miles.  32nd place (out of 37 who completed) in 4:38.

HOOKED!!! 

I did learn that at ride camp, some people really aren't very friendly, and some people are VERY welcoming to the new rider and willing to share their knowledge with one another. 

I also, FAR more importantly learned, I'm the big brain, he's the little brain.  And he's a hunter.  He's constantly striving to hunt down the horse in front of him and keep up. 

Second ride; Spirit of Texas.  Another 25 miles.  33rd (out of 33 competing) in 5:10.  Goal was to take the Turtle Award.  I WON!  Lady I was co-riding with (Bev) conceded it to me, though my horse pulsed down slightly faster than hers.

I learned at this ride you've GOT to keep an eye on the clock.  I gained a better understanding of how the "game" is played.  That, unlike an endurance ride, in a LD ride, you don't complete unless your horse pulses down before the 6 hours is up. 

Third ride; Off-Road Warrior.  Another 25 miles.  But an OverTime for us.

I learned a LOT at this ride.

I learned my horse really wasn't fit.  I learned (later) my saddle didn't really fit.  I learned my horse has SO much heart to him though.  So much try.  The trails were very wet, very slippery and there was some soul-sucking mud on those trails.  But he tried. 

So with this ride, I kicked up my conditioning plan.  Spent more hours in the saddle with him over the summer riding.  And riding some more.  Removed ALL grain from his (and my Arab's) diet.

And watched him tone up and drop the weight.

My fat, cresty Paso melted away. 

And what was left to me was a horse who, while not a Top 10 Horse, was a horse who was stronger.  Fitter.  And who seemed to understand the game we were playing now.

With his weight loss, a new saddle.  More gear for us (HR monitor among them).

And I set my sights on the 30 mile LD at Armadillo in October.  It would be the first ride after the summer break here in Texas.  Time to see what my now-fitter horse could do.  Because I had my eyes set on a future ride that would be our first attempt at a 50.

So with all that in mind; trailer loaded.  Gear packed.

And Strider wounded.

I cried.  I cried a lot.

Right where the saddle sits, 2 very LONG gashes.  Not deep, but if you touched them, he flinched.  Vet wouldn't pass him to ride.  And I wouldn't do that to him.

I called Joe in tears.  Said I was just going to come home.  The weekend was a bust.

He said "Take Socks.  Even if you don't complete, you're still going to get to ride your horse, right?  And that's what matters, right?"

True, I'd signed Socks up with AERC, so he had his own number.  But it was never TRULY my intention to take him.  He'd never been conditioned.  He's my "husband" horse.  The one who thinks a plod is the best gait on the planet.

But, I put him in the trailer and away we went.

This was the first ride where I truly started to feel a bit more comfortable in ride camp.  I actually KNEW some people when I sat down at the ride meeting. 

So, here's where it gets weird.

AERC shows Socks completed the ride.  30 miles.  47th place out of 47 finishers.  EXCEPT, his ride card shows overtime.

Which I mentioned to the Ride Manager once I saw the results were posted.  I mentioned to AERC.  It still reflects a completion.  This doesn't sit well with me, but I did what I was supposed to do.  In my heart, those miles don't count on the record.

Anyway, here's what I've learned.

Socks LOVES endurance (well, Limited Distance, anyway).  From the minute we hit the trail, he trotted out happily.  He tore up the trail cantering.  He just had SO much fun!!  My body didn't.  But he sure did.  Even when we had to ride alone the last 17 miles, he trotted out. 

I'm not sure why, but the last hour or so, I bonked on the trail.  Didn't drink or eat enough in the afternoon, I'm not really sure.  I just felt so TIRED, like "I'm falling asleep in the saddle" tired.  But, Socks was so game and plucky.  I was really just a passenger, and he just kept on going and took care of me. 

So, what I learned. 

Don't get lost on trail.  Seriously.  I think, according to a friend's Endomondo, we added 4 miles.  And I was literally just a few minutes late in to camp.

I also learned, if riding a trotting horse, have someone who can assist when you get back.  I practically fell out of the saddle, stripped it off, and started sponging him, but was shaking so bad that my friend took over for me (she RO'd so was in camp). 

More months spent conditioning Strider.  And having friends now ride my eager-to-go-wanna-be endurance horse Socks.  Seriously; the change in that horse is amazing.  He's found his passion.

And then, the 2016 ride season for AERC was upon us.

December 5, 2016.  River Run at Los Caminos Naturales.  Strider's first attempt at a 50.

I selected this ride as our first 50 attempt for LOTS of reasons.

Flat and fast ride.  But more importantly; the temperature should be cool. 

50 miles.  23rd place out of 23 riders.  Co-turtled with another Paso Fino rider in 8:09.  First goal, ACCOMPLISHED!!  I can now call myself and my horse "endurance" horse and rider (I've never found a good term for LD riders that non-endurance people understand).

Things I learned.  So far, a cooler weather ride really is his friend.  His HR dropped fast at camp.  He still vets in higher than Socks, but he comes in to parameter fast (helps that I dismount, loosen cinch and hand-walk him in to camp, giving him a few extra minutes).

He gets a little bored about the last 10 miles.  He still did his job, but he couldn't seem to understand why we were still going.  He wasn't quite as plucky, and he does seem to go better when there's another horse to ride with.  Which factors in for our next ride.

Second ride of 2016.  High Roller at 7iL.  First attempt at back-to-back 25s.  I also sponsored Josh in his first LD attempt on Socks.

So, for Socks on Saturday: 31st out of 65 completions in 3:48:25.  Yes, we were flying.
For Strider on Saturday: 30th out of 65 completions in 3:48:24.

I honestly hadn't intended to go that fast. Socks took advantage of an inexperienced rider in his love for the sport (did I mention how much he wants to go now?!) and cantered anytime there was an open space.  And Strider just kept up with him; hence an unknown factor for this ride.  Basically, Strider drafted Socks the whole ride, which was okay with me.

Sunday, Strider did another 25.  We took it MUCH slower, walking probably the last 2 or 3 miles in.
37th place out of 37 completing (wasn't my intention, I planned on conceding Turtle to my friend Lyz) in 4:45:59

Things I learned; I don't ever again want to take both of my horses to a ride unless they can either ride together, or someone can take care of the one left at camp and bring it over to vet check.  Strider was HORRIBLE for mounting and I couldn't vet him in at the hold because he was dancing around looking for Socks.  Embarrassing and dangerous. 

And now...I'm not sure where to go.

I'd like to attempt another 50, and am seriously considering it at Racing Stripes in April.  I'm taking Socks for a friend to ride.  She'll do the 25, assuming another friend comes so they can ride together.  Otherwise, I'll bump down to the 25.  Except...I really REALLY want the 50.

I'm also riding for points with PFHA.  They haven't currently updated the standings, but he's got 46 points, and with the 2 25's, should be sitting at about 85 points (if memory serves me right).  Not sure where that will put him in the standings as he's currently 7th out of 12, and I'm sure others have been out earning points too.

But another 50 would help.

And then after Racing Stripes, I'm doing a 25 at Spirit of Texas again.  I want to actually see the LBJ Grasslands as last year, it was so wet that we spent most of our time on the road.

Then one final ride before the summer in May at Last Hoorah!

I'm just not sure what my next goal should be.  More 50's without a doubt.  Maybe a 50 and a 25.

My long-term goal has always been Decade Team with Strider.  And when we did River Run, we started down that path.  9 more years of at least 1 50 and we'll have made it.

Except, that feels like a cheat to me.  So, I'd like to attempt a few more 50's each year so I don't feel like I cheated to get Decade Team. 

All I can really do at this point is just ride each ride as it comes.  Focus on keeping my horse sound and in shape.  And enjoy the trails as they unfold before me.