Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

One of the reasons folks don't enter 100s may be all the reports by 100 mile 
riders about how hard they are.   Rider exhaustion,  hallucinations, 
throwing up , lost in the dark,   no crew,  horse not ready.  May be true 
some times but certainly not all the time, or every ride for every person..

Just my experiences;

The horses are tougher than you think.  If you don't ask for speed they will 
cheerfully go many miles, with a stop for food, water, a little break now 
and then.  Use all the gaits the horse has, good walk, jog, big trot, easy 
canter, even a brisk gallop where possible, just change often.  The horse 
sees welll in the dark, and most are pretty good about knowing where the 
other horses went and will follow the trail.  (And most ride managers are 
skilled at marking trails for nite riding)

YOU are tougher than you think, just keep going down the trail,  be sure to 
feed and water yourself as well as the
horse.  Be sure your tack and clothes have been tested for fit and comfort. 
Changing gaits willl keep you fresh as well as the horse.

A crew is nice but not essential.  Whatever you need can be sent to out 
checks, and there is almost always someone who can help a bit if you need 
it.

The hard part about getting to 100s is having a fit horse, a healthy rider, 
the time to get to a ride,  the money and transportation,   and most of all 
A HUNDRED MILE RIDE  within reach when everything else is ready to go.
The horse doesn't need to be a super horse, you are not asking it to win, 
just go down the trail.


It truly isn't that hard, you and the horse will survive quite nicely.   GO 
FOR IT WHILE YOU CAN.  You will have fun!!.  And there is nothing beats the 
feeling of having met a challenge and won like finishing a 100 mile ride.

I wish I could,  I've got the horse, the time, there are seveal rides in 
reach, just no longer have the body for it.
Rats!!




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