Official Distance Riding Thread

[EweSheep]

That old grey mare can surprise you!

 

[michickenwrangler]

Here's some pics. These are all in camp. Obviously trotting along at 10 mph, I don't have a lot of time to take pics and focus.

 

[Chicky-dees]

Howdy from Texas! AERC Central Region member here. I've been a member for a few years, but don't have much on my record to brag about (having babies keeps you out of the saddle too much to keep a horse conditioned). I rode in NATRC in the 90's and had fun, but due to some back and tailbone pain, I prefer the LD rides because they last one day, you can get them over with as fast as you want to (unlike NATRC) and then you can spend the night and following day volunteering and socializing until your heart is content. In NATRC I rode a QH gelding that was of the long and lean type (not the foundation/stocky type) and did well. Then I had baby number one and all the stuff with that took priority over horses. As soon as she got old enough, I started with a new colt I bought as a yearling and broke with the intent of doing LD when he turned four - and we did a couple of rides, but then I decided to go back to school and that got in the way again. Now after school and after baby number 2, I started training a 6 year old Arab that has potential to get me through 50's pretty quick and started working with him, but then baby number 2 is still keeping me from doing any kind of decent conditioning on any of my guys so I'm kind of 'out to pasture' at the moment along with all of the equines in my herd.

I'll get back into it.......after potty training is over with maybe? LOL! I was so excited earlier this year, too - I had trained up my Arab to do a slow 25 this fall (wanted to catch 3 rides Oct thru Dec) but then his right shoulder started bothering him and come to find out, he had a little shin splint brewing from trotting on this lovely TX drought stricken land down here so I just stopped for the year to let him heal. I'm pretty OCD when it comes to keeping a health watch on the boys but this one snuck up on me. Trying to hard to balance family with fun I guess and overlooked something along the way.

So for now, I'm just keeping up with all of my buddies via the AERC magazine every month and sometimes go for a little stroll around the neighborhood to spy on everyone and see what's going on. I started distance riding about 22 years ago when I used to ride my horses to the airport and back every weekend for fun and scored about 35 miles a week. I didn't know I was a distance rider until a friend said, 'you need to try some competitions'. So I dabbled in it off and on (won the first ride I ever went on and still have the awesome trophy) but then the rest is as mentioned above - life takes over.

I don't let my saddle's seat get cold, but it doesn't get as hot as it used to either. Biding my time....raising the kiddos right and then I'll be back out there.