Endurance Canada

Rider FAQ's

 

Q. I'm getting ready for my first ride. Any tips?

A. There are many articles on preparing for your first ride. The most important aspects are, have you and your horse prepared adequately for all the events you'll both face. And have fun!

Read "How to Have Fun on Your First Ride" by Judy Etheridge.

 

Q. How do I know my horse is ready for a ride?

A. Sooner or later, we all find ourselves asking the question: "Just how fit is my horse? We may be bringing our horse back after a winter layoff -- he's mostly shedded out and no longer pins his ears at the sight of a hill, but is he ready for a slow 50?" asks longtime B.C. rider, Terre O'Brennan. Read Terre's article: "Assessing your equine's overall fitness."

 

Q. I have difficulty rating my horse throughout a ride. Seems he wants to go "his" pace, not mine. Help!

A. It is important to know and understand your horse, and learn what pace and situation works best for him in order to complete your ride successfully, and with a relaxed horse. Some horses do better starting slowly away from the pack, and easing into the ride. Others get anxious stuck behind a group of horses. Read "The Art of Pacing the Distance Horse" by Susan Greenall.

 

Q. Can I let my horse drink a lot of water on the trail?

A. Yes. Horses need a lot of water during a ride. When you arrive at a water stop, wait until every horse has had its fill before leaving. If one horse leaves, the others get distracted and forget to drink. Water and keeping the guts moist and moving, is as important as letting horses grab mouthfulls of grass along the trail.

Of course, if your ride is over, and your horse is very hot, allow him only short sips of water and walk him after each small drink. Let him cool down easily without drinking too much cold water. But as long as you're moving down the trail, let him drink as often as he needs.

Now is the time to learn about electrolytes. Taking on large quantities of water will dilute the electrolytes in your horse's system.