This document provides guidance for beginning endurance riders on how to prepare themselves and their horses for distance riding competitions. It emphasizes starting slowly with basic riding skills and conditioning the horse gradually through increasing distances, terrain challenges, and speeds over several months. Proper nutrition, tack, and rider gear are also discussed to help riders succeed in this sport safely.

1. You Can Do This!

2.  Almost all distance riders came to the sport from a
different discipline
 Almost all of them started with the horse they
“happened to own at the time”
 Nearly all found it more than a little intimidating at
first
 AND NOW THEY ARE COMPLETELY
ADDICTED!

3. The variety of horses (and mules) and
riders will amaze you!

8. Photo courtesy Bill Gore Photography

9. Photo courtesy Lynne Glazer Imagery
Hall of Fame Icelandic
horse Remington
Over 10,000 miles and
twenty years of competition and STILL going at 28
years old!
Other gaited breeds include Peruvians, Foxtrotters, Rocky
Mtn horses, Standardbreds, Saddlebreds…

13. Julie Suhr, 92 years
old, has finished the
Tevis Cup 100 mile
ride 22 times

14. Bill Wilson, Earle Baxter, Crockett Dumas
Photo © Genie Stewart-Spears

16. It’s A Lot More Like This!

17.  Lynne Glazer Imagery
 Angie McGhee
 Wendy Webb
 Rachel Lodder
 Kate Rogers
 Karen Chaton
 Bill Gore
 Susan Garlinghouse
 Richard and Patti Stedman
 Troy and the AERC Office
 Members of ECTRA
The photos used are for educational purposes and are not to be copied or
printed! Thanks!

18. You Can Do This!
We Can Help!

19. Where Do I Start?
THE RIDER
19

20.  Started the sport from some other riding discipline:
 Fundamental horsemanship and riding skills are
critical in the sport
◦ Balanced riding
◦ Ability to handle on-trail obstacles
◦ Help and not hinder the horse (and you!)
◦ Good judgment and common sense
◦ A top endurance rider succeeds not by riding
“fast” but by riding SMART
20

21.  Riding is a life-long skill that needs to be honed
and developed
 Everyone needs a set of “eyes on the ground.”
Even the world-class riders!
 Assymetries or old injuries – a crooked
ride=crooked horse=sore horse
 Look for instructors that teach BALANCE, not just
show ring “pretty”
21

22. From Riding Light TM
White = heat. Same horse, same saddle, two
different riders.
22

23. 23

24.  Walk, trot (maybe canter) alone or in group
 Ride your own ride!
 Deal with obstacles and “scary stuff”.
 Help and not hinder your horse for a long time.
 Demonstrate good ground manners, etiquette and
SAFETY in areas with lots of other people and
horses. ALWAYS!
24

25. 25

26. 26

27. Wendy Webb Photography
27
“Practice” at home by
walking over big sheets of
plywood or home-made
bridges

28. 28

29. 29

30.  This is the key to improving your riding and
horsemanship skills.
 If you need help, get it:
◦ From a mentor
◦ From a riding instructor or trainer
◦ From your riding partners
 Developing these skills is important to your horse
and important to having FUN on distance rides.
30

31. Where Do I Start?
THE STUFF
31

32. 32
Bridle (leather or biothane)
Fits well and doesn’t rub
Halter/bridle combos
Steering/Brakes
Hackamores
Bits
Sidepull
NOTE: You may not recognize the evil twin horse who
shows up on ride day and needs more brakes than you
thought!

33. Bosal, not seen often
Halter/bridle combo w/elevator bit
Bridle with S-hackamore
Hackamore Halter/bridle combo with standard English bit
33
Some Bridle Options

34. 34
 Saddles
◦ English/Dressage
◦ Western
◦ Australian
◦ Treeless
◦ Flex-panel
 Saddle Pads
◦ Endless varieties and combinations

35. 35
 Billets or rigging
 Girth or cinch
 Stirrup leathers
 Tree integrity (for treed saddles)
 Buckles, D-rings
 Bridle and reins

36. 36

37. 37

38. 38
 Help prevent saddle movement, especially on
rides with elevation
 Breast collars are an excellent safety device if you
have a girth/cinch/rigging failure
◦ Recommended for every ride
 Cruppers may be needed by some horses with
some saddle set-ups
◦ Practice, practice, practice!

39. 39
 Whatever works!
 Many rides recommend hoof protection due to
terrain
 Some rides suitable for barefoot horses, but most
trails are more comfortable for your horse with hoof
protection
 Huge variety of shoeing/booting combos
 Use what works for you and your horse

40. 40
 Easy Boots in many styles, also glue-ons
 Renegades

41. 41
 Some horses interfere despite best efforts
◦ May be due to conditioning, conformation,
behavior, trimming/shoeing.
 If you use leg protection, make sure it:
◦ Stays in place
◦ Does not rub
◦ Does not cause excessive heat buildup
◦ Does not get filled with sand/dirt as you ride

42. 42

43. 43
 You will see a
WIDE VARIETY
of rigs at camp
 Safe and
comfortable
 Or hitch a ride
with a friend!

44. 44
 Nothing that rubs or binds – if it bothers you on a short
ride, it will be unbearable on a long ride
 Most riders opt for:
Riding tights (even the guys)
Half chaps
Riding boots or running shoes (with a stirrup cage)
Helmet (required for juniors and STRONGLY recommended for
everyone else)
Gloves
 Be ready for unexpected weather
“There is no bad riding weather, just inappropriate riding gear.”

45. This ain’t the
show ring. If it
works, it’s fine.
45

46. 46
 Recommended items:
◦ Stethoscope and/or a
heart rate monitor
◦ Buckets
◦ Hay nets/bags
(depending on your
camping set up)
◦ Feed pans
◦ Basic grooming stuff

47. 47
 Recommended:
◦ Rump cover (for
cold ride starts –
practice so your
horse isn’t spooked
in wind)
◦ Sponge(s) or scoops, sweat scraper
◦ Cooler sheet and blankets, even if you don’t blanket
at home. Warm muscles are happy muscles.

48. 48
 Warm, dry clothes and bedding
 Place to store food and drinks
 Cooking equipment
 Flashlight/Headlamp
 Potty (most rides provide porta-potties)
 Place to keep/secure your horse
◦ More on that later…

49. Where Do I Start?
THE FEED
49

50. that riders complicate
long before they have to!
Keep It Simple!
50

51.  Free choice, good quality
grass hay
◦ Orchard, timothy, bermuda,
grain hays
 +/- alfalfa (never
more than 50% of diet)
 Enough calories to keep
good body condition
◦ Many commercial formulas
on the market
◦ Usually better +/- cheaper than home recipes
51

52.  Choose ONE high quality
vitamin-mineral supplement
◦ OR feed a supplement with vit-
min premix included
 Resist the urge to buy
another bucket “just
because”
◦ “It’s the beginning of ride
season…”
◦ “It’s the end of ride season...”
◦ “It’s breeding season…”
52

53. 53

54.  Free choice salt at all times
 Endurance horses lose as much as an ounce of
electrolytes through sweat loss per mile of trail
◦ Doesn’t have to be “designer” salt
◦ Salt is the ONLY mineral that horses will develop a
specific appetite for
◦ Loose or block?
◦ Trace minerals?
 TM blocks are formulated for livestock, and not really a
significant source of anything other than salt
54

55.  Clean, fresh water
◦ Nutrient most commonly
neglected
◦ In the sun? Dirty?
Frozen? Inappropriate
quantity/water pressure?
◦ Horses will drink 10%
more water if their eyes
don’t go below the brim of
the container
55

56.  Pasture/fresh grass is
“green magic” if you can
get it
 Even a few minutes of
hand grazing during rides
is beneficial
 Teach your horse the
“snatch and go” trick on
the trail
56

57.  Your horse does not need to be
“skinny” to compete in this sport
(this horse is too thin). =>
 Body Condition Score of 5 is
ideal
◦ Can feel but not see the ribs
 Too thin = higher risk of
metabolic problems and non-
completion
 Too fat = insulating layer, more
core heat to dissipate
57

58.  LOTS of hay!!!
 No last minute
changes or additions
 Feed any grain or
concentrates so that
they are consumed
no later than midnight the
night before
58

59.  No 4 a.m. grain or
concentrate breakfast
 Why not? Don’t they
need the extra
energy?
 Does the Space
Shuttle need
starter fluid?!
 Glucose- insulin
curves
59

60. 60
Hay or grass far more
beneficial than concentrates
Wet is ALWAYS better
than dry, including hay
Carrots always good but not
exclusively
STILL LOTS of hay!!!
Neighbor’s feed pan
with permission okay as a “bite”
but beware making an entire
meal of it!

61.  None – perfectly
acceptable if horse
eats/drinks well
and you’re riding
conservatively
 Homemade formulas
(be careful not to get
too creative with “extra”
ingredients), like No Salt
(potassium chloride)
61

62.  Formulas that horses readily
eat (probably not doing
much, though)
 Pre-loaded e’lyte syringes
(e.g. Lyte Now, EnduraMax)
 Load-your-own syringes with
powdered electrolytes (many
brands) and some “carrier”
(e.g. applesauce, water,
buffer, etc.)
62

63.  Night before
 As soon as you get up
before start
 After first good drink
 Every 12-15 miles or so
(usually at the vet checks
before leaving)
 Don’t use as a “treatment”
for not drinking
63

64.  Smaller doses more
frequently better than
one or two mega-doses
 Think salt shaker, not
shovel
 Never exceed
manufacturer
instructions
64

65.  The best thing
you can give
your horse
during a ride
is hay, water
and directions.
 The rest is just
details.
65

66. Where to start?
66

67. 67
 Age, stabling situation, conditioning and training
opportunities
 Experience
◦ Fitness base
◦ Training base
 Evaluate your schedule. How much time can you
realistically give your horse?
 What are your short term and long term goals?
 Plan a weekly schedule

68. 68
 A systematic approach to
◦ Hardening the horse’s connective tissue,
◦ Developing appropriate musculature to do the job, and
◦ Ensuring adequate cardio-vascular fitness
 It involves work and REST!
 Gradual increase of the work load:
◦ Distance, difficulty (hills, sand, concussion), speed
 Never more than one on the same day
 Don’t increase each stressor by more than 10% per
week to avoid chronic injury

69. 69
Train at the pace you intend
to ride
Don’t condition at 6 mph
and then decide to be
a front-runner
THIS IS THE MOST
COMMON MISTAKE
NEW RIDERS MAKE
Don’t confuse “adrenaline”
with “ability” and don’t be a “one season wonder”
horse

70. 70
 The horse’s appearance does not change at all (i.e.
horse does not lose weight if overweight, does not
gain muscle, does not “tighten up”)
 The horse never appears to be challenged by the
work
 The horse’s heart rate is at or below 60 by the time
you dismount (when you did not have an extended
cool down period)

71. 71
 The horse is sour, reluctant to work
 Avoidance behavior---bucking, unbalanced movement, runaway
 Won’t change diagonals, bend, change gaits
 Difficulty keeping weight on the horse; lack of appetite (may
indicate gastric ulcers); dull eye and hair coat
 Chronic soreness
 Back, girth area
 Legs (filling in legs, other signs of strain, lameness, stiff at the start of a
ride, or avoidance behavior)
 Stiff and sore, “ouchy”
 Poor heart rate recoveries (more than 10 minutes to reach 60
bpm, and more than 20 minutes to recover to resting heart rate)

72. 72
 25 mile ÷6 hours = 4.1 mph
average speed to complete
 But wait…
 Subtract 1 hour of holds =>
25 miles ÷ 5 hrs = 5 mph
 Subtract another hour at water
stops, adjusting tack…
25 miles ÷ 4 hrs = 6.25 mph
average speed to complete
 Learn what 5, 6, 7, 10 mph looks like
 GPS technology is very helpful, but not req’d.

73. 73
 This doesn’t mean you never
travel at any other speed—
 Ride the trail in front of you-
Walk uphills and difficult footing
Get off and walk/jog down hills
Make time when conditions
allow you to move out
 Never go faster just because
your horse says, “Let’s GO!!”
“Race brain” affects both horses and riders!
This is how you create a “one-season wonder”
Does great for a few rides and then disappears because of chronic
injury

74. 74

75. 75
 Short “wind sprints” of
10-30 seconds, rest, repeat
◦ Increase time and repetitions
as fitness increases
 Doesn’t have to be flat-out
gallops
◦ Hill training?
◦ Altitude?
◦ Swimming?
◦ Be creative but always mindful of not overloading bone,
tendon, muscle systems too soon

76. 76
 Appropriate time spent developing your horse’s
physiology
Cardiovascular develops in 6 months
Tendons and ligaments 12 months
Bone up to 24 months
 Many experienced riders believe that a good prospect
with an ‘active’ work background can be taken to a
conservative LD ride with little additional conditioning
 Many also believe it takes about three years to build a
fully developed, potential 100-mile horse

77. 77
 You should have PRACTICED the skills you will
need to have fun and be safe
◦ Remember that “training the brain” and “conditioning
the body” are two different things
 Be able to keep at least a 6 mph pace
AVERAGE
 Your long conditioning rides are approximately
1/2 – 2/3rds the distance of the planned event
without problems.

78. Location
Terrain
Amenities
78

79. 79
 Ride manager
 Ride flyer/web site
 Other riders
 Past ride results
◦ Of the starting riders,
how many finished?
 Good completion rate
= a “doable”, well-managed ride
 Was the winning time an hour ahead of cutoff?
 more than one or two Overtime pulls?
 Hint = TOUGH RIDE!

80. 80
 Know what tack works for your horse
 Know what clothes work for you
 MAKE CHECKLISTS
 Pre-pack your crew bag.
 Watch the educational videos on
YouTube’s AERC Educational Video
channel
 Familiarize yourself with the rules

81. 81
Make a goal to
COMPLETE with a
happy, healthy
horse and rider and
make it happen!

82. Look at AERC YouTube Channels for videos on
camping and setting up (really).

83. What To Expect?
ARRIVING AT CAMP
83

84. 84

85.  Getting good directions is CRITICAL!
 Consider buying a US Rider membership
 Plan a route that work for you – interstates? Two
lane roads?
 Beware of following GPS directions without checking
 Some ride managers give better directions to their
rides than others
 Plan to leave early enough to give yourself time to
settle in, relax, and deal with any delays
85

86. And be prepared for whatever Mother Nature might throw
your way on ride weekend!
86

87. 87

88. 88

89.  You may need to check in with the Ride Manager or
parking coordinator
 Ask where various things, like the vetting area, will
be set up, so you can find a parking spot that will
work for you
 Factors:
◦ Shade
◦ Access to water, potties
◦ Neighbors
89

90.  As soon as
possible, get
your horse off
the trailer
and give him
a drink, a
chance to eat, urinate, roll, and stretch his legs
 If you need help, always ASK!
 No, this horse doesn’t actually travel like this.
90

91.  Set up your camp with horse comfort as top priority
 Be a good neighbor – say hello and make sure you’re
not crowding others
 Don’t forget to take care of you – rest, hydrate
 Find out the times/locations for:
◦ Registration/Check-In
◦ Vetting in
◦ Pre-ride meeting
◦ Meals (if provided)
 Be a social butterfly! Take your horse for a walk
around camp and say hello – be sure to tell people
you’re new to the sport!
91

92. 92

93.  If you’re lucky enough to have crew, make sure
you’re organized and they are set up to have what
you need, when you need it
 If you’re on your own, it also pays to be organized
 Make a list, set up your crewing area/crew bags
93

94. 94

95. 95

96. What To Expect?
(We have a video for you on AERC YouTube Channel on this topic, too.)
96

97. Repeat after me, “But
he never does this at
home…!!”
97

98.  Novice trot-outs are
often very
entertaining
◦ May need a do-over
 Worried horse? Wait
until less crowded
 Bringing a buddy
horse is okay for
moral support
99

99. Parameters for dehydration
Check heart rate and rhythm for ‘progressive recovery’
Check of saddle/girth area for soreness, rubs
Gut sounds – indicator of excessive
fatigue/dehydration/electrolyte abnormalities
Muscle tone for stiffness, fatigue
Lameness
A straight out and back trot out
Loose lead line
Prompt and under control.
Trampling the vet is Rude.
Misbehavior can get the horse disqualified
100

100. 101

101. 102

102. 103

103. 104
Lift lip
Lightly press on
gums to ‘blanch’
A hydrated,
metabolically
sound horse
‘pinks up’ < 2 seconds
Slow refill time usually means dehydration
Colors other than pink are usually bad

104. 105
Press at base
of jugular groove
How quickly does
vein ‘fill’?
Quickly =
well hydrated,
good blood pressure
Slow = dehydrated, low blood pressure from
decreased plasma volume (not good)

105. 106

106. 107
Horses must meet
pulse criteria (usually
60-64 beats per min)
within 30 minutes
of arriving
Ride staff will take this initial pulse
The control judge (vet) will recheck for ‘progressive
recovery’ and to check heart sounds for arrhythmias,
etc.

107. 108

108. 109
Decreased
sounds of
digestion
usually mean
dehydrated,
fatigued
NO gut sounds may mean pending colic
Vets pay close attention to this
Learn what your horse sounds like at home so you know
when Dis Ain’t Right.

109. 110
Good ‘pucker’
= okay
Floppy and
non-pucker =
exhausted
Never seen by itself,
always part of a bigger picture of fatigue.
Your horse should tolerate this without kicking,
please.

110. 111

111. 112

112. 113

113.  Horse moves out promptly
without hazing
 Trots nicely so handler can
keep lead line loose (why
loose?)
 STRAIGHT away from the
vet, turns quietly around,
then travels STRAIGHT
toward the vet
 The horse stops quietly and
stands for the rest of the
exam.
114

114. 115

115. 116

116.  Pay attention!
 Sit where you can hear
Take notes if you need,
to but mostly just pay
attention to—
How to follow the trail
Any hazards on trail
The logistics of the ride,
where to be and when
 Many rides hold a new
riders’ briefing –
Be sure to attend it and
don’t be shy about asking
questions
117

117. 118

118. On this trail, the
pink, black and
yellow loops go
straight ahead–
that is the
WRONG WAY for
the BLUE loop!
119

119. Don’t laugh. This is a good trick.
HINT: Sharpie ink is easily removed
afterwards with rubbing alcohol.
120

120. 121

121. What To Expect?
ON RIDE DAY
122

122.  Allow yourself PLENTY of time to get ready
 Having all of your tack and crew items set up the night
before is very helpful.
 Make sure both you and your horse have a good meal
onboard
◦ No “breakfast” for the horse, just free-choice hay at all times.
Carrots are okay, no grain.
◦ E-lyte dose if you plan on using them
◦ For you, whatever sits well on your tummy
◦ DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST!!
123

123.  It’s more important to
have a GOOD start
than an ON TIME start
 Excited horses? Wait
for few minutes before
you start.
 It’s polite to let ride
management know if
you’re starting late.
124

124. 125

125.  REGARDLESS of fitness,
weather, age or breed, it
takes 25-30 minutes for all
the “machinery” of muscles
to reach full operating
temperature.
 Ride accordingly, plenty of
easy warm-up. You have
lots of miles in front of you.
126

126.  PAY ATTENTION!
 Be prepared for your
horse to insist he is
suddenly capable of
running up front.
 Use good judgment,
not “race brain”!
 If you need to adjust
tack, get off the trail to
do so safely.
127

127.  Good endurance
horses are not FAST.
They are CONSISTENT.
 Find your all-day pace
for the footing and
stay there.
 “Never hurry.
Never tarry.”
 Never waste time.
 Learn to multi-task, i.e., eat and drink
in the saddle without changing your
pace.
128

128.  No tail-gating
the horse in front.
They are not your
personal braking
system.
 You should be able
to see all four heels of
the horse in front
of you.
 Announce/ask for trail when passing, then keep
moving out. Don’t pass and then slow down.
129

129.  If your horse kicks,
hang a red ribbon on
the tail!
 DISCIPLINE a
misbehaving horse.
 If you cannot
control your horse,
GO TO THE BACK!!!
 If you pass a dismounted rider, ask if it’s okay to keep
going.
 If someone else opens a gate, go through and then
WAIT for them to remount.
130

130. 131
Remember that multi-
tasking thing? Now’s
your chance for a potty
break.

131. 132

132.  Don’t shove in if
there’s a crowd.
Wait your turn.
 Arrive and depart
slowly and calmly.
 If your horse is
clearly not
drinking, be
considerate and move your horse out of the way. You
can try again in a few minutes.
133

133.  Don’t interfere with
another drinking
horse. If your
horse cannot be
well-behaved,
move to one side
until they have
finished.
 Move out of the
way before you
adjust tack, syringe,etc.
 Don’t sponge or scoop out of tanks unless ride
management has said it’s okay to do so!
134

134.  Find the in-timer
◦ They may want your
vet card, or will hand
you a slip of paper
 Time to let your horse
cool down and pulse
down
◦ Coming in to the in-gate, slower is smarter
◦ Politely ask for “pulse” when your horse’s pulse is at or
below parameter (often 60 or 64 beats per minute)
135

135. Many horses
pulse down
faster if their
rider
dismounts,
loosens their
saddle a bit,
and hand walks
them in as a
“cue” that it’s
time to relax.
136

136.  On a hot day, pull the saddle
 Sponge.
 Scrape.
 Repeat.
 Water left on the
horse more than 30
seconds or so becomes
an insulating layer
to trap heat.
137

137. 138

138.  Lead your horse to the pulsing area with your vet
card or pulse slip in hand
 Be aware of other horses around you.
 Encourage him to stand quietly and relax
 Don’t let your horse rub his head on volunteers,
crowd other horses or create a disturbance in the
pulse area
 Pulse etiquette
Don’t get your pulse taken and then walk your horse away
from a ‘buddy’ in the pulse area – that horse’s pulse rate
will jump up when your horse walks away
139

139. 140

140.  Be sure to tell the vet if there are concerns you have
about your horse – they are there to help you get
through the ride safely!
 Safety first-- Pay attention!
 Listen to what the vet tells you about what they are
seeing and any concerns they have
◦ They know what they are doing. If they advise slowing
down or doing some different, DO IT.
141

141.  Many veterinarians will routinely conduct a CRI
 The veterinarian takes the horse’s heart rate
 The horse trots 125 feet out and then back.
 After one minute from the first heart rate, the heart rate is
re-taken
 Horses who are recovering well will have a second heart
rate the same or lower than the first
 A second heart rate that is higher might be a sign of:
Discomfort
Overexertion
Fatigue
142

142. 143

143. 144

144.  Your hold time begins when your horse gets their pulse time
recorded
 Time for you to:
Get your horse to eat/drink/rest
Eat/drink/rest yourself
Hit the potty
Re-adjust tack
 You can always take more time at the hold; just remember
that it eats into your on-trail time
 If your horse is not EDPP (eating, drinking, peeing, pooping)
or seems NQR (“not quite right”) talk to the vet or your
mentor about what to do
145

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Don’t
forget to
rest
yourself,
too!

146. 147
A towel or
cooler over
hindquarters
muscles will
help keep
them warm if
it’s chilly or
there’s a cold
breeze

147. 148

148.  Urine should be no darker than straw-colored, with
plenty of volume
 Some horses are fussy about where they will urinate
and will “hold” it
 You may be able to teach your horse to urinate by
whistling every time he urinates (or your horse may
teach you to whistle by urinating!)
 Warning signs – NO urinating, very DARK urine (e.g.
dark tea or coffee), or lack of volume
 Inform the vet if they posture to pee, but don’t.
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150. What To Expect
AT THE FINISH
151

151. You are ready for a cold beverage,
grub and some Advil!
But not just yet … You’ve got a horse to take
care of!
152

152.  You are not “finished” with a LD ride until your horse
has reached pulse criteria
 A horse that comes in behind you, but pulses in
sooner, finishes ahead of you
 This is a strategic moment if you care about placing.
 All horses MUST reach pulse criteria within 30
minutes to be eligible for a completion. No
exceptions.
153

153.  All LD horses must pass a vet completion check
within 30 minutes and be judged “fit to continue” to
receive a completion.
 If the LD is offering Best Condition (BC) judging, the
Top Ten horses to finish and pulse down will be
eligible to show for BC
◦ BC judging is one hour after reaching pulse criteria.
◦ Don’t forget to weigh in before you leave finish line area!
154

154. 155

155.  Your ‘placing’ is in the order you cross the finish line,
not who reaches criteria first.
 You have 30 minutes to reach pulse criteria after
crossing the finish line
◦ New 2015 rules, but allows flexibility for finish lines that are
a significant distance out from base camp.
 Top ten to cross line are eligible to show for BC one
hour later.
◦ DON’T BE LATE!!!!
 Can present for completion check any time within one
hour.
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156. 157

157.  No disappearing inside for a shower…
 While untacking, look for rubs, sensitive spots,
abnormal sweat patterns or lack of.
 Check OFTEN that he is EDPP and comfortable.
 This means overnight as well.
 Ask the vet for an opinion if you’re unsure
 PLENTY of forage and clean water.
 Monitor body temp to cool out gradually without
getting chilled
◦ Core body temp can take HOURS to dissipate
158

158.  Some horses love a good clean up and brushing;
others want to be left alone to eat and drink. Know
your horse!
 Finding a nice sandy spot to roll is usually highly
appreciated.
 Take him for a ten minute walk a few hours later,
before bed and the next morning.
◦ Check for stiffness, attitude, appetite
◦ Don’t forget to check for lots of poop and urine.
159

159. 160

160. 161

161. 162

162.  Most rides have an Awards Ceremony – try to stay if
you can. It’s a good time for you to celebrate and
socialize.
 Unless you live less than two hours away, strongly
consider staying overnight to let your horse rest.
(Hauling is stressful!)
 In AERC LD and Endurance rides, there are completion
awards and often awards for other milestones
 Usually there is a meal associated with the Awards
Ceremony – you will be hungry!
163

163. 164
NOW you can relax and
celebrate!
CONGRATULATIONS!

164. 165
You’ll want to
be sure your
horse is
comfortable,
has plenty of
hay and water
to recharge his
batteries
You’ll both be less stiff if you go for a ten minute walk
several times that evening and in the morning. This is a
good time to evaluate how you both really feel.

165. 166