Did you catch Part 1 and Part 2? We hustle out of Foresthill. Our friends’ laughter, their encouraging shouts, fade almost instantly. We are dropping off the edge of day, the edge of town, the edge of excitement. It is sobering, this trot into impending darkness. I remember the switchbacks that carry us back into wilderness, and I …
Ride Report: Tevis 2025, Part 3: “Will We Complete?” Read More »
[Did you miss Part 1? Read it here.] At Watson’s Monument, wind whips the American flag. There is snow on the ground, gray with age, unbothered by the morning sun. A shiver rolls up my arms, more nerves than chill. Ahead lies the Granite Chief Wilderness, which last year was the most stressful part of …
Ride Report: Tevis 2025, Part 2 “Is He Supposed to Have a Boot?” Read More »
Day 1: Catching a Ride Hercules jumped when I went to mount. I looked to his mom. “Not normal?” “Definitely not normal.” She handed me her mare’s reins and started Hercules herself. He shifted away. Nope, not normal. Lindsay looked at each other with concern. This wasn’t how we wanted our ride – my third …
12 a.m. I am asleep. It’s an uneasy kind of rest, frequently broken by the stirring of horses in their pens, the breathing of my friends, the drumbeat of not-knowing in my chest. Any endurance ride, on any horse, brings with it a current of uncertainty. Will we be under control at the start? Even if we …
It wasn’t even my injury. The wreck happened to Layne, my dear friend who was just back on the endurance trail after her second spinal surgery in two years. She hadn’t gone a mile from the start when it happened: Her horse, in a moment of impatient head-tossing, fell down. He got up unscathed, but …
As endurance riders, we’re obsessed with our horses’ fitness. We meticulously plan their conditioning rides, track their recoveries, and adjust their programs based on age, fitness level, season, and goals. But when it comes to our own bodies? Too many of us are still doing the same, ineffective routine we started years ago. We’re going …
Raise your hand if you remember doubling over on the middle school track, clutching your side and mouthing “stitch” at your gym teacher. Yeah, me too. As much as we all wish this could be nothing but an amusing memory, the truth is that over 60% of equestrians report experiencing side stitches in the saddle. …
At the recent Pacific Northwest Endurance Rides annual convention, I had the privilege of listening to Dr. Susan Garlinghouse’s series of three talks on endurance horse hydration and nutrition. Although I’ve heard these lectures before, there’s always something to learn or remember! This time around, Atlas’ owner Layne and I sat in the back, scribbling …
Endurance Horse Nutrition: Calculating the Ideal 2-Cup Fat Diet for Peak Performance Read More »
Before you say it…I know. You’re not racing. So, why would you want to make better time on the endurance trail? If you’re angling to top ten, the value of finishing an endurance ride more quickly is obvious. But as I frequently explain to non-horsey types, endurance riding is like human marathoning: A few are racing …
5 Ways to Make Better Time on the Endurance Trail Read More »
Are you hoping to move up to riding longer distances this year? Whether that means entering your first 100 or upshifting from LDs to 50s, one of the first obstacles you’ll need to overcome is fatigue. We all love the idea of those long endurance rides…when we’re seated on our comfy sofa with a copy …
How to Overcome Fatigue So You Can Rider Longer Distances Read More »