New Rider Information

Introduction

Competitive Trail Riding (CTR) and Endurance are two distinct disciplines of distance riding.

Competitive trail riding is a strategy sport. The objective is to bring your horse back in the same condition he left after negotiating a measured course in a set amount of time. Horses are examined before, during, and after the ride. Points are deducted for any changes that have occurred including pulse elevation, lameness, pain, fatigue, tack rubs, interference marks, etc. Points are also are deducted for coming in earlier or later than the time set by ride management to complete the course. Competitive trail rides are sanctioned by the governing organization for the particular region in which you are competing. Until you become familiar with the different governing bodies and their respective regions you should ask the ride manager what governing body you will be riding under and review the rules before the ride. The sanctioning bodies determine how the ride is to be run and judged. The six governing bodies in the US are OAATS, UMECRA, ECTRA, SEDRA, MOTDRA, and NATRC. Competitive trail rides vary in length but are usually 25 to 40 miles in one day, with novice rides of 12 to 20 miles in a day. The pace for competitive trail riding usually averages around 4 to 7 miles an hour. This pace and emphasis on condition of the horse make competitive trail riding an excellent tool for riders new to the distance riding sports.

Endurance riding is a controlled race, all horses start at the same time and are placed as they cross the finish line. However all horses must pass a series of stringent veterinary inspections or "holds" along the way as well as pass a veterinary exam at the finish. A horse failing any of these exams is immediately disqualified from competition. All endurance rides held on the North American continent are governed by AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference). Endurance rides range from 50 to 100 miles in a day with novice rides (Limited Distance in endurance) being 25 to 35 miles in length. Successful endurance horses are easily capable of maintaining a 10 to 12 hour pace. There is no minimum time for an endurance ride however, all distances must be completed at a minimum speed of 4.17 mph including all holds. (25 miles in 6 hours, 50 in 12 hours, etc).

See the list of organization and clubs included in this information for their full names and contact information.

We will be focusing mainly on the rules and strategies for competitive trail riding in the following pages, although the suggestions for preparation of the equine apply equally well to other distance riding sports. Endurance, Ride & Tie (1 horse, 2 riders take turns riding and running over a set distance), and CMO (competitive mounted orienteering - teams of riders find hidden targets using compass readings and clues) all have different rules and different strategies.

In endurance, competitive trail and ride & tie, horses are stopped along the way for veterinary evaluation to make sure the horse is fit to continue. Lameness, high pulse, or metabolic distress are some of the reasons a horse may be pulled in the middle of a ride.

The rider is ultimately responsible for the welfare of the horse and for knowing the rules under which they are competing. The vets and lay judges (seen in competitive trail) are there for scoring but also to help you finish if possible. Their first responsibility is the welfare of the horse; if you have questions or concerns bring them up right away rather than hope the problem will be missed. After all, there will always be another ride.

Getting Ready

Most competitive rides are ridden at a 4 - 7 mph pace - this means a steady working trot for most horses. This also means you'll have to spend some time conditioning your horse for the speed and distance required. Most rides, including OAATS sanctioned rides, require the horse to be at least 4 years of age before starting competition. Endurance allows 4 year olds to compete in limited distance rides (25 to 35 miles per 2004 AERC rules) but a horse must be 5 or older to compete in longer rides.

Fitness isn't the only thing you'll have to work on before your first ride. To be safe for you and everyone else involved, your horse should trot (or gait) willingly in hand and stand quietly for exam - including examination of the mouth, having all 4 legs picked up, and having his temperature taken. You should be able to be rate your horse while riding in a group - that means he should still be under control when other horses leave him, catch up to him, or pass him on the trail. Camping is another must, whether the horse is in a portable corral, tied to a trailer or picket line, he should be exposed to camping before you come to your first ride. Get him used to eating and drinking away from home and having lots of activity around him.

So, how do we get ready? Miles, miles, miles! The pace on competitive trail rides (CTR) is set for mostly trotting. Even if your ultimate goal is endurance, a year or two of CTR will allow your horse the time to develop the ligament and bone strength needed for the longer and faster paces of endurance. You will also get a more thorough exam and learn how to rate your horse while riding CTR.

It takes 4-6 weeks to get a horse's heart and lungs in shape to go 15-25 miles (a common starting point) and 6-8 weeks for muscles to respond. However, it takes an average of 2 YEARS for ligaments, tendons and bones to respond to the demands being put on them. This means that pushing your horse too fast in the first two years can mean career limiting lameness problems. Your horse will probably want to speed up as he gets in shape and you'll be tempted to take him on longer and faster rides - remember, he's the brawn and you're the brains in this team, ride wisely and you'll have a long, happy career as a team.

Time on horseback is more important than speed during early training. Remember to start slow - skin and muscles have to toughen up in response to having a saddle and rider. Hikers can relate to having a new backpack or new shoes and having to get used to them when first starting to hike regularly.

Once your horse is in shape, it doesn't take as much time to keep him there. Here's just one example of a slow leg-up schedule for a pleasure horse that's ridden regularly but hasn't done any distance work before. There are many schedules available, pick one that fits your schedule and your horse's fitness level. The numbers represent total number of miles trotted - it doesn't matter how much you walk in between so feel free to trot 1/4 mile, then walk, then trot again, whatever your horse can handle.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	1	1	Off	2	1	2
2	1	2	Off	2	3	4
3	1	2	Off	1	3	4
5	3	2	Off	4	5	6
6	4	3	Off	4	6	7
7	5	3	Off	4	6	8
6	4	2	Off	6	7	9
6	4	4	Off	5	8	10
8	6	4	Off	7	9	11
9	7	5	Off	8	10	12
10	8	6	Off	10	8	12
12	2	8	Off	10	12

 

This is a 12 week schedule to get you ready for a 25 mile ride. You should be able to trot at least 1/2 the distance of your planned ride 2 weeks before you compete. Obviously the closer to the actual ride distance you can do at the planned speed, the better you will do in the competition. During the last 2 weeks, slow canters can take place of some of the trotting. Cantering will help build up the horse up aerobically but will lead to more lameness and muscle soreness if attempted before the horse is strong enough. Off days should never be completely off or you're asking for muscle soreness. Turning your horse out for a romp in the field, doing ground work, a 1-2 mile walk in the woods, ponying, or longing are all good ways to loosen up muscles.

If you're riding a green horse and planning on competing in a novice ride (these are usually at a slower pace), use the above schedule as total miles ridden (even walking counts) while preparing for a 15 mile ride.

Find a place where you can actually measure 1 mile. Walk the mile and see how much time it takes, then repeat at a slow trot, working trot and extended trot and even canter if you're up to it. This will give you an idea of how to pace on a ride. The average horse's walk is 3-3.5 mph, the working trot is 6-8 mph and working canter is 8-10. Find out the average for yours.

Remember to warm up and cool down at a walk. Learn to take your horse's pulse. If he's in shape for what you're asking, his pulse will drop into the 40's within 10 minutes of stopping. If he's being challenged, it should hit 60 within 10 minutes. Anything more than that and you should back off. Use his pulse to make sure you're not pushing your horse too fast.

All this conditioning is for the first ride; it takes a lot less to keep a horse in shape than to get him there and you can tailor your training schedule to use competitions as part of conditioning.  Also make sure to take it easy the week before the ride itself.

Get in the habit of taking your horse's pulse and noting his respirations before the ride, after you stop and every 10 minutes until he's back to his normal. Values that increase with time are trouble signs - throw a cooler over your horse, listen for gut sounds and take his temperature. Lack of gut sounds and a temperature over 103 are both signs trouble signs. Dehydration and overheating are often involved. Soak the horse down but keep his large muscles warm - unless it's very hot out, don't put water over his back or on the large muscles of the shoulder and hindquarters. Put water on the bottom of the neck and on the legs and lower abdomen where the big vessels are and keep him walking so he can flush the waste products out of his muscles. If the horse is really hot, make sure you scrape off the excess water with a sweat scraper or it will act as an insulating layer retaining heat. If his temperature is down and his pulse is still up, look for signs of colic, lameness or soreness.

Give your horse every opportunity to drink while on the trail. As long as you keep moving, don't worry about him drinking too much on the trail - usually the problem is that the horse doesn't drink enough. Try adding Gatorade or Kool-aid powder, some sort of flavoring to the water at home if your horse is finicky at rides. That way you can flavor the water at rides to mask the difference somewhat.

At the beginning levels, most horses don't need electrolytes unless it's very hot and humid. As the speeds and distances of competition increase, many riders add electrolytes to their routine. Make sure you try them at home so you can find out which ones are compatible with your horse, horses can get upset stomachs from electrolytes just like people. Keep a salt block (or free salt) available at all times at home and it's a good idea to bring one to the ride. Electrolytes used for distance riding should include calcium but that's getting ahead of ourselves since most horses don't need them until you get to the 50 mile level. Always make sure the horse is drinking before giving electrolytes and make sure he has access to plenty of fresh water afterwards. The fitter your horse gets, the fewer electrolytes he'll lose in sweat.

Train in the tack you'll be using for the ride. Would you like to take a 10 mile hike in new shoes? Any type of saddle is permissible as long as it fits your horse. Look for dry spots on his back after riding, they indicate areas of increased pressure. Many distance riders use biothane tack since it can be sponged or hosed off for easy cleaning. Nylon tack is easily laundered. A sponge or scoop on a string is a way for you to pour water on your horse without dismounting - definitely practice this at home as it can be exciting the first time you try it. The same goes for tying a slicker on your saddle and trying to put it on (rides go on rain or shine) or using a rump rug for chilly mornings. Try to expose your horse to as many situations and obstacles as possible before the ride so it becomes old hat by ride time. Practice riding both alone and with a group. During the ride you'll want to keep the pace you trained at, you may not always find someone who rides like you do.

Regular maintenance including worming, shots and visits from the farrier are important throughout the year. You don't want to come to a ride needing a reset - while there is usually a farrier available, don't count on it and they seldom trim like yours does at home. You want to avoid any sudden changes in angle right before the ride. Many horses are sore or feel a little punky after vaccinations so time them accordingly. If you need a coggins or health certificate, leave plenty of time to get them done.

Check the rules, but most rides allow no medications of any kind including salves and liniments and especially bute and banamine. Discontinue any medications your horse may be on long enough in advance so they won't show up on a drug test if one is taken during the ride. This includes herbal medications.  OAATS follows AERC's medications rule

Make a list (see page 6) of everything you'll need for the ride to have on hand when you pack your trailer. You're bound to forget something but it's a start! You'll find that distance riders are some of the friendliest people on earth and odds are someone will help you out if you've forgotten something.

A quick note on nutrition - most distance horses are on all the good grass hay they can eat, but you want to keep the amount of alfalfa down to less than 20% between rides to enable the horse to use his stored calcium when he needs it. Most are on just enough grain (very little) to keep their weight up.  Alfalfa is good to bring to longer rides as a calcium source at rest stops.