[RC] RC: Chelsea's Questions re Riding Gear - Tina Rushing
Hi, Chelsea. You have good questions, and good advice has been posted
in reply, but let me add that you don't need to start out with $300
riding tights, a $100 stethoscope, and a $60 multi-purpose tool, among other
things. If you do not possess the disposable income necessary to
purchase the ultimate equipment you *can* survive with $29 riding tights, a
$10 stethoscope, and a cheap multi-tool among other
things. But *do* be prepared to invest in horse gear; saddle,
pad, etc. The horse must not get sore. I don't mean that you
must have a $2000 custom saddle and a $400 state-of-the-art saddle
pad, but sometimes experimentation is required and trying new gear can
run into some big $$$. Ride at home with all the stuff you will
use at a ride, it will probably work when you're away. If you need
something people will help you. You should attend a few rides as
a pit crew or to volunteer for ride management. You will see
different approaches to everything, and you can ask a lot of questions.
Crewing is pretty boring until your rider(s) show up. Crew members,
waiting eagerly and endlessly for the opportunity to do their job, will normally
be happy to entertain you while they wait. Chatting and answering
questions would be an improvement over staring at feed pans and water
buckets, and needlessly rearranging hay piles. You would be performing a
valuable service to the crew member, perhaps even
postponing mid-ride mental degradation.
I'd sure like to have one of those Littman
stethoscopes. Maybe one day I'll be feeling reckless
and splurge.
