On Feb 29th one of our riders completed her first 50 mile endurance ride. Read about her experience below.
My journey to a 50-mile endurance ride began about 5 months ago with Vic and Vance Stine and one of their horses named Cam. They helped me begin endurance riding and guided me through the process while making it so much fun. When I first started riding Cam, we didn’t like each other that much. It took a lot of time to really bond, and training and riding 50 miles did that. We started by doing 5 mile trail loops with not much trotting, but progressed to 15-20 mile loops with trotting almost the whole time. When training, I rode Cam at least once a week. The trails had natural obstacles such as roots and hills, but they also had creeks every few miles for the horses to get a drink and stay hydrated which is very important. So, after all the training and hard work, on February 29, I had my first 50 mile endurance ride. I rode this ride with Mrs. Stine and she rode her other horse, Sam.
My day began at 6:15, when I arrived at Kings Mountain State Park to get Cam ready. We groomed and had our first vet check of the day. A vet check is where a vet checks your horse’s breathing, pulse, and other things to make sure they are fit to continue. Also during the vet check, you have to trot beside your horse so the vet can make sure they are sound. We were tacked up and began our ride at 7:00 with 48 other people also doing the 50 mile ride. We started trotting down a gravel road for about 3 miles, during this time, everyone started to spread out and we were no longer in a huge group. Then, we turned into the trail and passed some people along the way.
After 13 miles of trails, we were back in the parking lot to do our second vet check. After this, we had a 40 minute hold. During this time, we let the horses eat, relax, and drink more water. We also ate some snacks and drank some water to stay hydrated and energized to continue in the ride. Once our hold was over, we were off again for another loop. This one was about 9 and a half miles. This loop also started out on the gravel road for about a mile, then we turned onto the trail. We mostly trotted and cantered some on the road and trail. After we finished the trail, we turned back onto the road and got off about a quarter mile away from the parking lot to let our horses cool off a little before the vet check. Once we got back, we untacked the horses and then they had their third vet check. After this, they had another 40 minute hold and we were back on the trails.
This loop started out like the first one with 3 miles on the gravel road and we trotted the whole thing. We then turned onto the trail and trotted a lot. We then turned onto the power line, which was a grassy open area that was lined with trees on both sides. It was the perfect place for a canter. After we finished the power line section, we continued on the trail for another 2 miles, before we were on the road again. We went on the road and trotted for about a mile before we were back in the parking lot. We untacked and had our fourth vet check. This went well and after our 40 minute hold, we were back on the trail.
This loop was the same as the second one and it was 9 and a half miles. The horses already knew this trail, so it was easier the second time. We started off on the road for about a mile and then we turned onto the trail. We mostly trotted on this loop and only walked in the really muddy spots. After the trail, we went back on the road for about two miles before the finish.
Before we got to the finish line, I trotted up beside Mrs. Stine so we could tie. All of my family was there at the finish and it was so much fun. It was exciting that we tied for 6th place. We then got off and walked our horses back to the parking lot to let them cool off before the final vet check. Once we got back to the parking lot, we untacked and headed for the vet check. At the vet check, I was told Cam and I could stand for the best conditioned award. To be able to stand for it, you have to finish in the top 10. A few other people wanted to stand for it. To get the best conditioned award, Cam had to get the best combined score of the vet scores, time, and the weight of me with all of my tack that I used in the ride. After I got weighed holding my tack, I groomed Cam for at least 30 minutes before he had his final vet check, and after we finished that, we loaded up the horses and headed back.
It was a very fun day! Cam and I ended up getting highest vet score and the best conditioned award. It took lots of hard work and help to make the day possible, but it was worth it. I am very thankful for everyone who made it such an amazing experience. Through this experience, I gained a lot of confidence in my riding and trust in Cam. Throughout this experience, I trusted him more and we became a team instead of just a horse and rider.
-Felicity Adams
