You might be an endurance rider....

What sets endurance riders apart from the other horse disciplines? I know that when I found endurance and went to my first ride, my first reaction was “here’s where all the horse people like ME were hiding!” How you know that you are an endurance rider? Here’s a simple list that will help YOU decide.

• When faced with a long stretch of muddy unimproved road, in a 2WD truck, pulling a trailer – you yell “hang on” to your horse, close your eyes, and hit the gas. And secretly, you enjoy it.
• You hear the word “strap-on” and think “boot”, not….er...well….we won’t go there…
• You think a fine use of your remote key is to check your trailer lights.
• Horse blankets are viewed as extra insurance on a cold night – for yourself. In fact, when your parents and crew forget their sleeping bags, you offer them the choice of a wool cooler, or medium weight size 78 blanket.
• Your idea of cleaning tack is spraying everything off with a power washer once a year.
• You’re confused when you can’t find your “clip” in the popular magazines. Doesn’t everyone clip for maximum cooling and sponging efficiency?
• Your trainer refers to your horse as a goat, and then you realize that she’s talking about the hairs under your horse’s chin, not her uncanny ability to navigate difficult terrain.

I’m sure you guys can add more!

I’m showing in a super casual combined show this weekend. Should be interesting….Somehow Farley and I will navigate an 18” cross bar course without embarrassing ourselves. Although I’m not reassured by my most recent lesson. Have you ever seen the cartoons of little kids on fat ponies when jumping? How there’s a ‘whole lot of sky between their bottoms and the saddle? And their feet sticking out to the side? And the rather startled look on both the rider and horse’s face?

Last Wednesday, Farley was a bit full of herself – my point and shoot pony of previous jump lessons was gone, replaced by a wild thing that alternated trying to duck out of jumps, and then take 2 jumps in a line at a full gallop (half halt, half halt, HALF HALT, OH CRAP WE ARE GOING LONG!). It’s never a good sign when your instructor yells “keep going! That buck is entertainment value for the crowd!”. Then tries to convince me that there will be “plenty” of people at this show that have never jumped before this week doing the cross bars.

In attempt to not look like a complete idiot during the show, during my canal ride yesterday, I rode in my half seat and 2-point, trying to hold the position and look pretty and balanced. Half way through the ride I dropped my stirrups back into dressage length and it was amazing – my legs were like noodles and my leg/heel/foot wanted nothing more than to drape elegantly around Farley’s barrel. Apparently the secret to a “drapey” leg is to hold a half seat or two point at trot/canter for 25 minutes. Did I mention I can barely walk today? *sigh* It doesn't help that Farley has decided bounding over jumps like a gazelle is perferable to jumping with any sort of scope what-so-ever! There will NOT be vidoes of this weekend!

BTW - thanks for all of you that commented on my 100 mile eating post. Your ideas are really going to help! I can't comment directly because of my work internet access, but I got every single one of your comments!