Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] RE:MI Shore to Shore - Vicky Smith

Hi,
  Are you going on the May or June rides? My husband and I will be attending both rides. We will only go for3-4 days in May and all 10 on the first June ride. We have been attending these ride for 14 years and my husband in on the Board of Directors.
  There is generator operated well in every camp and a hand pump in most camps. The generator is basically "self serve" and folks are glad to show you how if you aren't familiar with operating one. Most of us carry a water barrel
or two to fill our horses' pails.
   Everyone ties on high lines, slides are NOT allowed, neither are portable corrals. There are lots of ways to tie a picket. We use a ratchet strap in the center of the line to keep it taut. We hang our haybags on the picket as high as we can keep them from the ground and near the picket poles to keep the horses from wrapping there ropes around them. Lots of people favor neck collars over halters for tying to the picket line. We have less accidents since we switched to them. We also slide our tie ropes through a piece of milker hose tubing. It takes some tugging and baby powder to get that baby in there. But then the rope doesn't kink around a leg and if an acrobatic horse does get a foot over it, the surface is smooth.
   The terrain is as varied as the state of Michigan itself- sand, gravel roads, some pavement. We have some hilly areas. especially near Empire.
   Come and plan on enjoying yourself. Most of the riders are friendly and helpful. Bring a spare set of shoes for your horse in case of mishaps. As a farrier I can tell you we don't carry all types and sizes of shoes on the rides.
  And one last thing. If you are bringing a dog, it has to be leashed at all times. This is a state and federal mandate on all "improved" recreational areas. The MTRA does enforce this rule.
  Have fun and e-mail me privately for more info,
            Vicky Smith