New Conditioning Routine for Horse and Rider

["Snodgrass, Bonnie" <snodgrab@ncr.disa.mil>]

     I'm one of those new to distance riding people trying to get my horse 
     ready for her first 25 mile ride in April. I'm worrying constantly 
     about wether we're on track fitness wise. I'm also trying to improve 
     my own fitness level with additional walks at lunch time.
     
     I'm thrilled to tell you that I may have hit on a unique new training 
     method this last Sunday. I hauled my horse down the road about 8 miles 
     to Doncaster State Forest for a longer ride. I rode 12-14 miles thru 
     on trails and roads, got off and did some walking, spent an awful lot 
     of time standing in creeks and mud puddles while River pretended that 
     she just might want to drink a little more so let's not leave yet. All 
     in all, a nice ride, nothing unusual or different. After cleaning her 
     up and throwing on a polarfleece cooler I loaded her on my trailer. I 
     have to lead River into the trailer then slip thru the other stall to 
     put the butt bar up behind her. She is still tense and distrustful 
     about trailers but much improved so I cliped her to a stretch tie 
     before reaching for the butt bar. WRRROOONNG! She pulled back, broke 
     the halter and left, as in gone, headed out and away in the direction 
     of home.
     
     Now here's where the conditioning comes in. Call everybody imaginable 
     on your cell phone, and thank your lucky stars that you are surrounded 
     by great horse people. Start hiking running thru the woods trying to 
     tell one set of hoof prints from another. Run to every horse farm that 
     borders this side of the forest. After a stranger flags down a 
     neighbor to tell them he saw a loose horse wearing a blue blanket 
     about 6 miles away, everyone takes off for that neck of the county. 
     River was heading home cross country and was last seen heading thru 
     the cemetery at Durham Church into a track of Loblolly Pine. John 
     Stacey tracked her for a couple of hours out in the pines, (did I 
     mention that this is also a conditioning routine for all helpful 
     neighboring riders?) but finally we all had to quit at dark. River 
     didn't know that she couldn't get home the way she went because of a 
     huge creek/swamp blocking her way. At this point she had at least 25 
     miles in or more because of her route. Did some road work, hill work, 
     creek work. Since she didn't have a rider to interfere with her she 
     got to pick her optimum pace, eating and drinking where needed.
     
     At this point the ex-rider gets to go home to worry off a few more 
     calories. Toss and turn. Early the next mornining I got up and headed 
     out with husband in another vehicle to do door knocking. I went to the 
     logging road where her hoof prints were last seen, toting grain bucket 
     and rope. Yes, she was there and came running to her breakfast. Bob 
     Walsh came out again and found us walking out of the woods. After a 
     short trailer ride home she was checked for damage (not a nick) and 
     thrown back out with her buddies to tell her version of her cross 
     country trip.
     
     So what do you think of my new training technique? Will I do this 
     again? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!!!
     
     
     Bonnie Snodgrass