Good rides for Newbie, near North Ala

[Huntin_Fool]

Hey Y’all,

I would like to do a 15 mile maybe? Endurance ride on my OTTB. He’s hunted 2 years-1 in the hill toppers and last year 2nd flight (walk, trot, canter, some gallops). We do go around 15 miles most hunts and more than that occasionally, so I think he’d be fine with that distance, he’s ok with the group, etc.

Where would I find a list of nearby endurance rides? And do y’all know any good ones?

We’ve gone trail riding for 2 weekends in May, 11+ miles and I was pleased at his attitude. I do think a real endurance ride would be more like hunting so he might get wound up a bit. But so far he’s been really good.

Of course I am competing to finish and learn-certainly no thought of being competitive!!!

Thanks very much for any help and advice.

Regards,
Huntin’Fool

[phantomhorse]

Check out the AERC Calendar for events. You can pick the specific states you want to search in or pick the region (you would be in the SE - Southeast).

It sounds like your horse would be fit enough to do a Limited Distance ride if you can’t find one with an Intro that is close to you.

Are you on facebook? The southeast has a very active local organization (SERA), so you can ask for info on rides there and maybe find people local to you to train with. Feel free to PM me if you have trouble finding it.

[Huntin_Fool]

Thank you so much for the info!!!

[littlebaypony]

There’s an annual endurance ride at Skymont Scout Camp in southern Tennessee usually in October. Ike Nelson DVM is usually the contact person. Find him online or perhaps on Facebook.

[Equibrit]

https://www.seraonline.org/

https://www.distanceriding.org/ (They have an intro division)

[Djones]

I would steer clear of stuff at Rock Bridge, some of those trails are gnarly and not in a good way! I love it and I like technical riding, but some of the rocky stuff is … gnarly