Ft Valley Fall Ride-Old Dominion Endurance Rides

[Ridge_Runner]

Has anyone here done this ride? I’m considering making my endurance debut with my young horse (also a newbie) here in late October and do the 25 mile LD ride. I have ridden around Ft. Valley but was curious to get more details of the ride and the route.

I am still learning so please forgive my ignorance. How fast is the pace? I saw the rules says 4.25 mph…which is a fast walk slow trot. I’m guess I’m just curious what to expect if anyone can clue me in. Is there a stop halfway for a vet check on an LD ride?

My gelding has been on trails and some tough ones…good with water, etc…sane but he’s not been around horses racing up on him (well yes once and he twirled around to see who it was) but I don’t think he’ll be bad once he figures out it’s a big trail ride more or less. I also know I can hang back and wait at the start if he’s nervous or worried about the mob. He’s generally pretty good but he’s young (5) and still somewhat green.

I know I need four boots/shoes…no problem…you’d have to be crazy to go out up there without them on that terrain. JMO.

I’m legging up my horse now and trying to ride 4 times a week. Still doing more flat work than anything as he needs it but am going to take him out on a trail loop alone tomorrow. WE also head to Hungry Horse East (ironically right before a ride in a few weeks in that area) to ride/camp for about 3 days on Aug. 18th. Can’t wait…need a vacation and lots of hours on a good horse! :yes:

I figured on several trips out to hills to do conditioning rides as well as we have few hills here…very flat. Probably some more overnight trips.

So how much would he have to be doing to be fit to do to do this ride? It’s hard to get a good solid consensus reading websites and stuff so I’m curious at what you all here have to say.

If not this ride for my first time out, can anyone suggest a good one around VA, MD, NJ, SC, NC later this Fall?

Thanks!

[BigHorseLittleHorse]

I did Fort Valley (the 50) for the first time last year. You will have 6 hours to finish the LD, which includes 1 hold – probably 45 minutes – and the time it takes your horse to pulse down to 60 bpm at the finish. So probably about 5 hours or a little less of actual riding time, just to be safe. If you walk/trot the hills and do a good, steady trot on the flat, you should finish with plenty of time to spare.

Basecamp is in a large field in the valley with lots of good grass.

The LD course takes you almost immediately up the mountain, a loooong uphill climb, which is nice if your horse is hyper at the start – he won’t be hyper by the time you get to the top! A great view of basecamp from up there. Then you head down the other side of the mountain and ride for several miles along the Shenandoah River, which is beautiful and a great place to make up time if you prefer to take it slow on the hills. Then you head back up the mountain and down the other side to the hold, which is back at basecamp. The rest of the ride keeps you in the valley, but there’s still lots of hills.

FV is a challenging ride, but if your horse is fit and good at hill climbing, I think you’ll do fine. I would not do it with a less-than-fit horse, though.

As far as how fit your horse needs to be… my general rule of thumb is that if my horse can do half the distance at the target pace on similar terrain and still feel like his peppy self at the end, then he can generally do the whole thing. So if you aim towards having your horse fit enough to complete 13 miles in 2.5 hours or less on hilly terrain and recover easily at the end, you’re likely to be in good shape. Arena work is great for training, suppling, etc, but you should try to get in a decent training ride on the trails at least once a week if you can.

OTOH, if I’ve now thoroughly intimidated you about Fort Valley, there’s a 3-day CTR at Fair Hill (MD) in September that’s a lot of fun and a perfect first ride – distances from 15-100 miles. Or, you could even use it as a warmup for FV. http://ectra.org/cms/test-article/icalrepeat.detail/2013/09/20/138/-/chesapeake-fall-30-50-80-100-pf-star-rated

[chicamuxen1]

I’ve ridden the 50 at the Fort Valley ride and done drag riding and trail clearing over the trails. I guess I don’t have any of the ride maps saved. It is a 30 mile LD, not 25 miles. The camp is in a really big hay field in Fort Valley, Detrick VA. If you do a google maps search for Detrick VA look for the Fort Valley Fire Dept on the map. Seven Fountain Rd intersect 678 next to the VFD. You will turn off 678 HERE (not further down 678) and drive ,5 miles to Many Waters Lane. This is where the hay/ridecamp field is located.

There are three trail loops used by the 50 mile riders, the 30 mile riders will use two of them. Your first loop will take you out Seven Fountains Rd then up Milford Ln which turns into a trail. You will go up and over the mountain ridge and down the other side of the ridge towards the Shenandoah river. You will ride over there and then take a differnt trail back up to the ridge top, along the top and then back down to camp, the same way you went up. This is your longest loop. Only the parts where you are climbing the ridge are hard work and they aren’t too long. Your last loop is entirely in Fort Valley. If they haven’t changed it there is one section that is ROCKY!!! and the rest of the trail is relatively easy.

What you need to do if possible is go practice riding rocky trails because you need to be able to trot on rocky trails. Obviously there are places that you HAVE to walk but the first time I rode in Fort Valley I nearly ran out of time because I walked too much as horses trotted by me. Trotting rocky trails is key at this type of ride. If you have 10 feet good enough to trot DO IT. If you have a clear area of trail on a down hill, TROT IT. Practice trotting down hill trails so you can use them to make up time. I don’t ride up hills fast except when doing training rides. In a ride I use flat and down hill trails to make up for NOT galloping the uphills and it reserves my horses energy and they stay cooler. This also allows you to do a ride with a horse that may not be quite as fit as you would really like them to be.

Remember, you will have a 40-50 minute hold between your loops so that is time lost (not on trail). You also have only 30 minutes to pulse down after arriving at the hold. And you only have 30 minutes to pulse down at the end of the ride AND you ride finish is the time you pulse down at. So you have to allow for that time at the end or come into the hold and finish with a cooler horse.

Oh, take an extra boot along, not just four.

Another alternative ride is the ECTRA sanctioned Chesapeake CTRs at Fair Hill in Sept. There is also both CTRs and endurance rides in NJ in Nov.

Bonnie

[Ridge_Runner]

Thanks for the info and advice.

I"ll check out that ride in Sept. That would be a nice prep. I will know more about his fitness level after our riding trip in a few weeks in Western VA. I’ll be riding with my husband so will have to keep it slow, but I’ll get a sense of his fitness. I may be pushing it to have him ready to do mountains/distance at that rate by Oct. Hauling from here weekly would be tough…I live in the flattest place…seriously…it’s going to make conditioning hard.

His resting heart rate is about 40 (using a stethoscope) so not super accurate…that’s where he is now.

What about Broxton Bridge Plantation in SC or the Carolina ride in SC? Any info on those? They sound a bit easier terrain wise.

Thanks again for posting. I have a lot to learn! Getting excited though…this is going to be a blast!

[Ridge_Runner]

PS…I’ll probably glue on the boots and carry a Glove as a backup. He keeps his gloves on really well so I have a good fit. I am a trimmer/farrier so I have the advantage of using what works best. I also shoe with Eponas but I have a better feel for the Gloves honestly for him.

[BigHorseLittleHorse]

yes, the Chesapeake CTR in September would be an excellent prep – Fair Hill doesn’t have the steep mountains or rocky terrain, but there isn’t much flat ground there either, so you’d certainly get to see how your horse does at a brisk pace on hills.

Oh, and I would carry 2 spare boots, if I were you. Those rocks eat boots. I rode in Renegades last year and had my first-ever boot mishap during competition – the boot got torqued between some rocks, came halfway off, then snapped back on with the side of the boot folded under his hoof. I only saw it because I got off to tail up the Indian Grave trail (which is NOT part of the LD), and was luckily able to change it out right there.

[Ridge_Runner]

Thanks! I appreciate the advice! I’ll see what I can manage to work in.

Two spare boots it is then…good idea.

[chicamuxen1]

Oh, I do know about flat! I live in flat lands also, just a bit above sea level. It is harder to get them the right level of exercise. galloping helps some. I feel your pain.

Bonnie

[Ridge_Runner]

Bonnie, I live at 60 ft above sea level and that is high ground for SE Virginia. We have a very gentle roll here but I mean its so gradual it might as well be flat. Do you haul out to work hills at all? I can put the miles on him and probably gallop a bit as he gets more settled.

I used to event for many years and had to do interval training and galloping sets to get a horse fit for that…so I do have some idea…but I know endurance is a lot farther and a lot slower than eventing…so it’s different.

Thanks again for the info!

[GotMyPony]

What about Broxton Bridge Plantation in SC or the Carolina ride in SC? Any info on those? They sound a bit easier terrain wise.

Broxton Bridge is definitely flat, I don’t remember any hills at all. Trails have good footing (sandy loam and sand but not too deep) and were well taken care of the times I’ve been. Nice place with lots of hook-up campsites available or primitive camping. Plus they had a food vendor on site (doublecheck that before you go) and would even set up a 12x12 corral near your trailer if you want, so some nice camping perks

The Carolina Ride is in Patrick, SC, so probably the Sand Hills State Forest. Aptly named, mostly sand trails - some deep sand - so you have to be careful of that if you don’t normally ride in sand.

If it’s not too soon you might look at the Biltmore AERC ride in September if you’re trying to find something other than flat. To me Biltmore is “small mountains” but more rolling than I’ve heard the Virginia rides are. I’ve always had a good time at Biltmore, whether AERC or NATRC. But that LD is 30 miles instead of 25.

[Ridge_Runner]

Thanks for the information GotMyPony! I may well end up doing Broxton Bridge if i don’t’ think he’s ready for Ft. Valley. Thanks for the info on it.

I used to live in Southern Pines, NC, so I remember how deep that footing could be.

I was considering Biltmore in May as it does seem a bit too soon for me this fall. It sounds like a good first 50 for him. Thanks again!

[patti]

The OD group also does clinics, which include camping and a practice ride, pretty durned regularly. Highly recommend those too!

www.olddominionrides.org

[chicamuxen1]

I do believe in hauling to the hills to condition if you are going to compete on hills and/or rocks. I have to drive 2-3 hours each way to get to any hilly area. it really helps to have a riding buddy who is also conditioning to do your training rides with.

Of the four people I used to do training rides with, one gave up on endurance because she just doesn’t have the time to do all the riding, one just sold her horse and is shopping for a new one, one has a 25 yr old and decided to stop competing her and is switching to triathalons (???) and the fourth rider just came off her young horse and broke her arm, ribs and pelvis!!!

I running out of riding buddies. I talked my neighbors into inviting me to a training ride. My horse used to be very hot and SPOOKY and that scared them off a few years ago. Wynne is very much improved now (knock on wood) and they were pleasantly surprised when I rode with them last week. I will try to be the ideal riding companion!

Bonnie

123’ above sea level!

[Ridge_Runner]

Too bad we don’t live nearby Bonnie! I’d ride with you. I do have a friend from this forum who lives an hour or so north of me. We hope to ride together this fall. For me it’s probably a bit over 2 hours one way to Beaver Dam which I’m told has some hills. To really find some big hills, I’d have to haul closer to the Shenandoah area…at least 4 hours one way.

[TheOtherHorse]

You can search for rides within your max driving distance from home:
http://aerc.org/ride_planner.aspx

I would hesitate to do a ride that hilly as the horse’s very first ride if you don’t have access to hills to train on…

[chicamuxen1]

Hey, you might want to try riding at Powhatan WMA and Bear Creek Lake State Park. There is some good riding at both places, rolling terrain. Both are off Rt 60, west of Richmond not too far.

In case you haven’t seen this site:
http://www.virginiaoutdoors.com/activities/details/Horseback%20Riding/

Excellent listing of trails although not finished.

Bonnie

[Ridge_Runner]

Thanks Bonnie. That would be closer for me than the Shenandoah area. We are about 2 hours from Richmond…the east side anyway.

theOtherHOrse…I’ll definitely be careful. I want his first ride to be very positive (for me too!)