Ridecamp: [RC] Help with mileage for a newbie :)....

> good) and a dirt road, open fields and an indoor arena. THere are >
woods but the trails aren't groomed and the bugs are like a plague. 

Colleen, fear not. NONE of us thinks we have enough proper places to
condition.  We just do the best we can and it seems to usually work out. 
Example: I rode this morning. We hauled up to a little subdivision at the
base of a mountain and unloaded our fully tacked horses at a wide spot in
the road while the neighborhood dogs went bananas. I haul them there
tacked so that we don't disrupt the neighborhood *quite* as much but it's
still pretty wild.  (I like to look at my horse in everyone's picture
window as we ride through the jammed together houses). 

We then warmed up by walking up the pavement (clip clop is *loud* in an
area where it doesn't fit in) and then turn up the shoulder of the
mountain road.  Seems like every time you get a decent trot going you
have to walk around a guardrail or something.  To make a long story short
the ride gets some good heartrates in, but we go along shoulders of
roads, through very rough sections of powerline (pruners & gloves just to
trim back the briars since I hadn't ridden there lately).  In 3 1/2 hours
of riding we probably went *fast* no more than a mile or two...*but* we
climbed a mountain, we galloped 1/2 mile uphill twice, we got in some
good trotting...and it was hotter than blue blazes.  Most people would
not ride where I rode at all...it's certainly not groomed but I consider
that ride my secret weapon for high heart rates.

I don't know what you mean by "groomed" but you can bet if you want them
groomed you'll have to do it yourself. When I moved where I live now
there was an overgrown roadbed with rocks and lots of limbs nearby that
the local riders fought their way up now and then. I hiked it with
pruners, cut back limbs, broke deadfalls, and made fake waterbars.  Then,
every time I rode up it I jumped off for the walk down and tossed off the
rocks.  I made a beautiful training track there until the owner decided
to clearcut it. >sob<  

Bugs are meant to be outrun. They're one of your best training tools.
Just warm up before you hit the trail and carry a branch with leaves on
the back to fight them off.

Don't worry much about "distance".  If you're riding 2 or 3 times a week,
do the 18 miler. See how he does and go from there.  You probably won't
even have him in control yet after 12 miles:-)  Don't get "racey" just
walk him up steep hills, and enjoy a good trotting ride.  Cool him down
good at every water and don't let the heat build up.

 Bring your children. My kids have been raised in ridecamps. Half our
home movies are of them playing peek-a-boo out the manger door of a 2
horse trailer.  Muck buckets make great kiddie pools.  Have them
supervised, but let them be involved.  The little ones make great
lookouts. They'll make sure dad is ready with the leadrope when you come
in instead of dozing in a chair. :-)

Check the entry form if you have one and see if they require a pre-entry
or give a discount. If you don't have a form, call the manager's number
(should be on the AERC web-calander) as soon as possible.  Most will be
happy to have you come in that day but appreciate a call, and will try a
little harder to help you get started if they realize you're new.

Angie (make sure you tell us how it went!)


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