How to get started in Endurance riding? Or competitive trail? And what’s the difference?

[phantomhorse]

the Florida season has wound down for the summer, but rides there will pick back up in the fall when the temperatures cool a bit.

Not sure how far away Dawsonville, GA is from you, but there is a ride there the beginning of June. If you are interested in volunteering I am sure the ride manager would find you a job!

The Florida rides pick back up mid-november, with the first being in the panhandle (Milton, FL), and then there will be 5ish rides in the Goethe Forest near Morriston and Dunnellon from December through March (that is the endurance mecca in the winter).

[Annie10]

I’m not sure but I’ll check and see how far it is. OOO my endurance friend lives in Milton, that would be perfect.
Yeah no way am I doing any serious riding over the summer, it already feels like the surface of the sun in FL. But I do plan to do a lot of reading and “research” into the discipline and be ready to go come the fall.

[SharonA1]

@phantomhorse

and as a general statement, I tell horsey people that endurance is like jumpers while competitive trail is like hunters.

And here I really and truly have no idea what that means. (I know what eventing is, and I know what trail riding is. But I know f-all about how hunters and jumpers are different (I don’t need to know; I am just laughing at myself and how different we all are in the horse world).

[beowulf]

I just wanted to update this thread to ask a similar question as OP - the AERC’s website doesn’t have any upcoming events listed within ~150 miles of my area (MA). I was thinking I’d like to try one or two CTRs (volunteer for one, ride for one) this year but don’t have people (to my knowledge) in my network experienced with this discipline. I’d love to dip my toe into this sport with my TB and have had something akin to action paralysis about making this jump for the last four years… I’ve been in the AERC FB group for FOUR years telling myself that I would try a CTR this year. My goal is to make it happen this year!

[MorganMaresVT]

@beowulf, tons going on in Vermont, most rides have intro distances available. Check out VERDA and GMHA. You just missed the last endurance weekend at GMHA, but there are several CTRs left this year.

https://gmhainc.org/events/category/equestrian-events-south-woodstock-vt/equestrian-competition-calendar-gmha-woodstock-vt/

https://www.verda.org/events-one

Also, plenty of volunteer options. The VT100 in July (endurance) is a really cool ride to volunteer at: https://www.facebook.com/share/Z7TcK2ePDnuYmgo9/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Happy to answer any questions about rides here, either as a competitor or volunteer. I only ride the intro distances but have done all the volunteer roles and manage a VERDA ride.

[phantomhorse]

Not sure how far you are willing to travel, but there is a CTR in central NJ the first weekend of November that is fun by a great group (NJTRA).