Ridecamp: Re: [RC] What's the ONE thing?

Tamara,
Someone told me not long ago something that many endurance riders have learned
the hard way, but it is very true...
The last horse to finish a ride beats the first horse pulled.

It takes a lot of conditioning and experience on both the rider's and horse's
part to be able to ride for the front and still finish with a healthy horse.
All the other advice you have been given is right on the mark as well. There
is a lot of attention to detail that goes into successfully completing a
ride, whatever the distance. The most important thing is to know your horse,
and do what it takes to keep him sound, even if that means pulling before
you go out on the next loop because for some unidentifiable reason he just
"isn't right". 

I hoope to see you on the trails. Good luck and God bless you.
Lucie H/SC