Post by lilnagy on Jun 22, 2010 10:14:33 GMT -5
last weekend I rode in my first Competitive Trail Ride on my 19 year old Kiger mare, Conchetta. It was great! Competitive trail is not a race, in fact you get penalized if you come in too fast. It is judged on your horse's fitness, your horsemanship, and a number of natural obstacles along the way.
This ride was sponsored by Washington State Horsemen, and the novice division was 15 miles, and our target time to complete was 4 hours 20 mintues. It poured the night before and the trails were slick and muddy, so walking was slow, and we had to take every safe opportunity to trot. It was up and down hill, treed, and open, and we were judged at a creek crossing, a bridge, a hill, and once at a required rest stop we were quizzed on what we carried in our packs (hoof pick, first aid, etc). There were two required stops where they checked your horse's pulse and respiration.
We were also judged by a judge and a vet pre-ride and post ride, in-hand. They check heart, lungs, gut sounds, look at each hoof, feel every leg for lumps and bumps or heat/injuries. They want to see them trot out so they can look for soundness. And while they do this they are judging your horsemanship and the care you have given in grooming your horse.
My mare Conchetta came out of the wild at 12, and has been a real project; very leary of humans. I was SO proud of her, because she has to stand for these strangers going over every inch of her, and sometimes both of them had their hands on her at once. She had her suspicous expression on, but never moved a hoof. She let the woman lift all four hooves, reluctantly. The only thing she wouldn't tollerate was the capillary re-fill test, where they press on the gums for a second, then release and want to see the pink color come back right away. She was NOT going to let that strange man put his fingers in her mouth!
My 16 year old daughter rode her black, 23 year old Nevada mustang mare, Checotah, and my 12 year old daughter rode her pinto, 19 year old Paisley Dessert mare, Dancer. I came in fourth in my division (adult novice lightweight), and my daughters came in first and second in theirs (junior novice). The only pics I got were of us camping the night before, and I didn't know the camera was set on black and white, but here is one picture for you all to see our lovely horses. Lil
This ride was sponsored by Washington State Horsemen, and the novice division was 15 miles, and our target time to complete was 4 hours 20 mintues. It poured the night before and the trails were slick and muddy, so walking was slow, and we had to take every safe opportunity to trot. It was up and down hill, treed, and open, and we were judged at a creek crossing, a bridge, a hill, and once at a required rest stop we were quizzed on what we carried in our packs (hoof pick, first aid, etc). There were two required stops where they checked your horse's pulse and respiration.
We were also judged by a judge and a vet pre-ride and post ride, in-hand. They check heart, lungs, gut sounds, look at each hoof, feel every leg for lumps and bumps or heat/injuries. They want to see them trot out so they can look for soundness. And while they do this they are judging your horsemanship and the care you have given in grooming your horse.
My mare Conchetta came out of the wild at 12, and has been a real project; very leary of humans. I was SO proud of her, because she has to stand for these strangers going over every inch of her, and sometimes both of them had their hands on her at once. She had her suspicous expression on, but never moved a hoof. She let the woman lift all four hooves, reluctantly. The only thing she wouldn't tollerate was the capillary re-fill test, where they press on the gums for a second, then release and want to see the pink color come back right away. She was NOT going to let that strange man put his fingers in her mouth!
My 16 year old daughter rode her black, 23 year old Nevada mustang mare, Checotah, and my 12 year old daughter rode her pinto, 19 year old Paisley Dessert mare, Dancer. I came in fourth in my division (adult novice lightweight), and my daughters came in first and second in theirs (junior novice). The only pics I got were of us camping the night before, and I didn't know the camera was set on black and white, but here is one picture for you all to see our lovely horses. Lil
