Trying LD rides this year...

[normandy_shores]

My PMU mutt and I evented last year, and are aiming for a true 3 day this year or next. I’ve also just recently gotten my own truck and trailer (woohoo, F350 and a 2h gooseneck!) and being more mobile means more trail rides and I REALLY want to try both horse camping and LD.

Despite being a kind of heavyish stock horse paint mutt type, he’s pretty fit during event season. I figure adding some more long trail rides will have us pretty ready to do an LD.

I have reviewed the sticky and many of those links, especially the ones geared to starting endurance.

My guy is happiest at the back of the pack, though will lead when necessary and gets along with others. He’s great over bridges and through water, though admittedly we haven’t done many “rough trails”, mostly groomed local parks. I’ve hacked him alone and while he’s cautious and slower, he’s pretty darn good then too.

My complaint is when the group starts trotting. He’s normally happy to lag along, but as soon as we start trotting he curls up into a little ball and turns into a sewing machine. If he tries to break into the canter, he does a couple strides of in place rocking horse motion before I boot him on and he goes nicely. How can I improve these behaviours to prepare for what I predict would be a hairy start (if he doesn’t shape up!) at an endurance ride? Over the weekend I went with a small group that did a fair bit of trotting. When he’d start to get silly I’d mostly half halt and push him forward and keep his head up (to discourage any bucks!) and then soften and reward as he relaxes. Partway into the ride he was going around on a loose rein, but got anxious again later down the trail.

I plan to spend the next few months before the season mixing lots of solo trail miles with group miles.

[ehwaz]

It sounds like you know how to get him to relax on a loose rein in a group, but that it takes time and isn’t consistent yet .I would say practice in a riding in a group as much as you can- both with horses he does and doesn’t know. I would also practice passing and being passed as prep for an endurance ride. One thing to consider if you are worried about the start is to start at the back of the pack- you can easily wait 10-15 minute to let the fast/ potentially crazy part of the start get ahead of you and then start. It can make for a much nicer ride.

[Lieselotte]

There will be a fair amount of excitement at the start and no matter how well trained your horse is, he may get caught up in it. So start 10 min later on your first ride and go it alone. When you catch up to someone, don’t stay with them, just keep on going. Passing and being passed will become routine the more competitions you do. You don’t ride in groups like on a trail ride, and finding a “bubble” for yourself is the best way to go, IMO. It’s rare to find someone who rides at exactly the same pace as you.

If you’re just practicing “group riding exposure” at home, check out some other threads that discuss leap-frogging and other exercises for horses that get too excited when the speed picks up. But again, you won’t be riding with a group on your LD (unless that’s your plan for some reason.)

[sign_of_Grace]

Yep, start late. Took my new guy to his first 50 this past weekend and we were at least 5 minutes late if not more. Most people, especially the late starters in the back with you, are pretty considerate if you ask them to walk by.

[Effie1221]

Looks like you are off to a good start. Experience and time will be your friend.

The late start sounds like a good idea too.

[candysgirl]

I’ll echo the start late suggestion. I generally just go for completions so I start at the back of the pack. I let my guy eat and hang out in the staging area while everyone starts. I let them get a few minutes down the trail and then head out at a more relaxed pace.

We typically do end up passing people, but its at a relaxed trot, not an obnoxious wound up one.

[normandy_shores]

We did a solo ride today, and trotted a good portion of the park (13kms of trails). He was a champ except when a gaited horse came from above/behind us (We’d just gone down the switchbacks). He had NO idea what to think of this prancing beast!

[patti]

You’ve gotten really good advice here, and I always start my new/green horses after the pack has left camp, but I say keep practicing the “leapfrogging” exercises with your friends as you’re able.

This sounds like one of those problems you have well in hand and will resolve with some more “wet saddle blankets.”

Good luck.

–Patti

[The_Equestrian_Vagab]

I often start late, even on an experienced horse!
And Multi-day rides are great for teaching calm starts, particularly when many of the riders have the goal of riding day after day, and they aren’t in a hurry.
Saddling up and going out day after day, even if you start late, just teaches your horse there is no need to race out of there when many of the other horses are strolling out of camp.
Also there’s nothing wrong with leading your horse out on foot for a hundred, couple hundred yards (if, of course, he’s not going to run over you), half a mile, however far you need to, just so he learns there’s no reason to fret or rush.
(but of course, it always depends on the horse.)

[ehwaz]

Another great thing to try is to set up a fake vet check ahead of time. Have a friend( preferably one your horse doesn’t know) check mucus membranes, gut sounds,pulse, trot out and back, preferable all in a strange place.

I just read Endurance 101 - really good book with alot of tips for starting out.