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Just-getting-started horse, green distance rider



This is perhaps of special interest to other newbies out there.

Salina and I trailered with a friend and her horse to a CTR this weekend
for their (my friend, her horse and my horse) first camping experience.
This is my first horse, but since I've learned distance riding by
osmosis for the last 20 years, I've never given any serious thought to
doing any other type of riding. I've been to many distance rides as a
volunteer or to mooch a horse when I could.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm thrilled with how my 4 1/2 YO
3/4 Arab is taking to this sport (conditioning anyway). Yes, she was
bred for it, but geez, even the camping stuff! She camped like she'd
done it for years. She did better than her 11YO trailer buddy and
settled right in. We didn't compete because, as Truman said in the
"breed" thread, she's ready, but her legs aren't. I also wanted to make
sure she'd trailer well and eat and drink once she arrived at camp. (No
prob.) I promised myself I wouldn't give into temptation to ride once I
got there. In any case, she probably did the novice distance at the
trailer when her buddy left to do the ride. >g<

I highly recommend this to anyone just getting started in distance
riding. That is, take your horse to a ride just to camp, especially if
the horse is a youngster. Help out with the ride if you can, however, I
wanted to stay with my horse just in case she did anything silly.

Do any rides have any issues with this (assuming there were no health
issues)? I would hope not, but am kind of wondering. I mean, do those of
you who've been doing this a while mind if I show up with my friend
who's competing even if I don't?

I don't expect this to be a question that needs to be answered much
longer because, since she did so well, I'll be entering novice distances
soon and LD distances as soon as she's legged up more.

Deanna (Ohio)



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