new enthusiast

Diane F Arnett (rumor@ksu.edu)
Thu, 3 Oct 1996 11:38:41 -0500 (CDT)

Hello everybody!
My name is Dianna Arnett. I am a brand new member of this list
serve, and of endurance riding, and as I hope to learn a lot from all of
you, I thought maybe I should introduce myself.
I am 25, married with a 15 month old hellion (angel), and a
student at Kansas State University majoring in Animal Sciences.
My whole life I have been horse-crazy and have DREAMED of owning
my own horse. Since I couldn't have one I would satisfy my desire by
going to horse show after horse show and watching. Also, I worked for
several horse farms where I became an expert at manure scooping and
grooming, but I never got to ride.
Recently my luck turned when I met a wonderful lady who took me
under her wing and started teaching me dressage at no charge, and letting
me ride her horses with her. She loaned me a horse to learn to ride on
and to gain confidence with. Which brings me to a side note: I am most
sorry to hear of the lady's problems with her TB mare because without
people like her I would never have been able to finally have a horse, and
it saddens me that there are dishonest people out there that ruin peoples
trust because there are honest, sincere horselover's that would never do
anything like that to anybody.
Anyway, she agreed to let me make payments as I could afford them
on my new horse, JJ's Double Tiny. He had a short stint on the Quarter
Horse race track and then was abused by some barrel racing people before
my friend got him. When I first got on him I couldn't ride him - he was
crazy! Now we are the best of friends, and I trust him anywhere on the
trail.
Recently two things happened that made me realize endurance
riding is for me! First: we went on a NATRC ride (our second ever) and
became stuck in a bog that it took 20 minutes to get out of ( a
terrifying experience). As a result we lost 40 minutes of time. I spent
the rest of the ride going as fast as I thought we could, trotting and
cantering the whole way. I was exhausted. But, the next day I was bored
out of my mind!! I wanted to go fast.
Second: I was an outrider for the WC Endurance (KSU is in
Manhattan, KS). It was sooo exciting I could hardly sit still!!! I had
the section of trail where the Brazilian girl, Carol dropped out and
helped walk her back to Vet Check 1/3 (a very nice girl).

Anyway, I can hardly wait to ride again. I sit in class and
dream about sore butts, and aching backs!!
Now that I've introduced myself maybe you all can help me. I
would like to know if anyone lives in my area involved with endurance
racing, and if they would like to ride together.
I am also very much in need of help on a training schedule. I
know LSD is long slow distance, but does that mean 10 miles of walking or
10 miles of trotting, etc. How many times a week should I try to ride
and how far, and how fast, ect. How will I know when JJ and I are ready
for a ride? This may sound stupid but it's something I've been
wondering: in the winter do you ride with a quarter sheet on? At what
point do I need to start giving electrolytes?
I hope this hasn't been too long of a letter.

Sincerely, Dianna Arnett (rumor@ksu.ksu.edu) & JJ