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[RC] Great Santa Fe Horse Race - Laney Humphrey

Hi Suzanne,
        As you suspected, you are indeed getting lots of advice!  And you are
probably now more confused that ever.  You don't say where you live, but
if you live close enough to make getting to the AERC convention in
Reno/Sparks, NV in Feb. a possibility, there is more endurance "stuff"
there in one place than you'll ever seen anywhere else.  It is a
fantastic opportunity to shop, try on, ask questions, etc.  And, since
there are lots of folks there, you can ask questions and get answers.
        At this point, my main concerns are:
1. that you can actually enter as an individual.  From what I've heard,
I don't think you can, that's why I suggested you look at the webpage.
2. Just because you plan to enter 2 endurance rides this spring, doesn't
mean that you will complete them, so have a back-up plan!
        The best test of how your equipment will work for you and your horse is
to actually do rides.  In my opinion, the perfect test would be a
multi-day ride!  It will give you and your horse the opportunity to
experience riding day after day and it will also give you the chance to
experience what it takes to get ready to ride day after day.  The best
benefit however, is that your horse gets stronger and stronger during
the course of the 5 days.
        Body Glide, anti Monkey Butt powder, vaseline and gazillions of other
products all work for some people for some times.  I live on the
California coast but I do a lot of high desert rides.  Products and
clothes that work for me at home are useless on those rides and vice
versa because the conditions are so different.  BTW, I can no long use
half chaps on desert rides after getting severe heat rash over many days
of riding in the desert but I can use them at home when it's foggy
during poison oak season.  I thought I'd really miss them when I had to
stop wearing them, but I haven't at all.  Lots of people do wear them so
it really is a matter of personal preference.
        Another lesson learned from desert rides and XP01: carry your water on
your body because if you and your horse get separated it won't do either
of you any good if it's on him.  So your rumpus should be covered with a
fanny pack holding 2 bottles of water, an emergency first aid kit,
toiletry items you must have, a knife, etc.  Plus you will surely have a
cantle pack behind your saddle where you'll have a jacket, maybe some
carrots or apples, e'lytes if you use them, a spare easyboot, etc.  So,
your rumpus will be very well disguised without the big shirt!
        Something else just occurred to me: what kind of horse hauling/living
arrangement do you have?  The website makes a big deal of the race
villages but I've found it is so much better to be self contained and
not have to depend on finding what I need from someone else.  From my
experience, multi-day riders go slower than riders on one day events do.
 That means you finish your riding day later and therefore have less
time to care for your horse and yourself and to get ready for the next
day. Wandering around the village hunting for what you need, wastes a
lot of time.  Ideally, you would bring all the beet pulp and feed you
will need with you from the beginning as well as a good supply of hay
and water.  Many multi-dayers would agree with me that the riding is the
easy part; the planning, organizing and management are the hard parts!
Laney

Suzanne Avery DVM wrote:
Laney,

Thank you for your input. I knew folks would suggest tights and probably
another saddle. You are so right once the chaffing occurs you do not have
time to recover. I did get the tip of using Body Glide on a past post.
Someone also suggested I use Anti Monkey Butt Powder. Do any of you folks
use this powder or do you just use things like Body Glide or Vaseline?

In preparation for the Santa Fe I will for sure be entering two 50 mile
rides this spring. The days following these rides I will try to ride long
distances at home several days in a row.


I have checked the Santa Fe website for rules and regulations. The website
did not answer all of my questions so I called the ride manager and he has
been very helpful. By the time the ride occurs I would have completed a
minimum of three 50 mile rides. My goal is to gather as much information as
I possibly can about appropriate wear, gear, conditioning and tricks of the
trade. I will for sure check out your newbie recommendations. I do have a
book on endurance riding that I purchased years ago. I will have to dig it
out.


I know it does not make sense for me to try to saddle up for the Santa Fe. I
am a bit green in the world of endurance riding but not so green in the
general world of the horse. We do compete at Combine Driving Events and
these CDEs do encompasses a marathon. Conditioning is a must or the horses
will pay the price. I am all about safety for horse and rider. Willie and I
will be out for the "great adventure" of the race; safety first and placing
is icing on the cake but not a requirement. I love history and adventure;
this ride couples both aspects. For me it is a once in a lifetime
experience.

Endurance saddles are so confusing, there are so many different types. Some
are padded some not etc, etc. Some actually do not look comfortable at all.
Is there a favorite brand that folks gravitate to? What brands do you advise
to stay away from.

Also, what brand of tights do folks prefer. I guess I can always wear an
oversized western shirt over my rumpus.


Do folks recommend chaps or 1/2 chaps for endurance riding?

All of your help is much appreciated! I hope I do not clog up the list with
all of these novice questions.

Suzanne




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