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Weekend Update

My weekend update is now posted on my website: http://www.horseshoesandhappyhours.com I’ve been slowly switching over to my own website from my Adventures on Annabel wordpress blog. Happy Trails, Ashley

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Weekend Update/Results from McDowell Ride

No riding for me this weekend as I have my family members slowly making their way out to Arizona for Thanksgiving. I can’t relax and go ride knowing I have family members who could be waiting on me. Last weekend was the Lead, Follow, or Get Out of My Way ride at McDowell Regional park where I did the 30 mile LD. This ride was monumental because it was the first ride I did that got me interested…

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You have a healthy horse, transportation, a place to ride at where you can collect some miles and want to try endurance riding? I just went through the process of compiling my new endurance gear this past year and here are my “must-haves” for getting started:

#1- A Helmet

Whether you are going from a free-spirited trail rider or from an expensive show helmet made of Titanium it’s really important to wear head protection in Endurance riding. Endurance is different than a relaxing trail ride as majority of the ride is done at a trot. There are also other elements to consider like rocky trails, or low hanging tree branches. Unlike the hunter/jumper horse show scene, a helmet for endurance is fairly inexpensive. It’s also helpful to get a helmet that is lightweight, (you will be wearing it for 6-24 hours a day!) provides plenty of ventilation and fits well.

My Tipperary wasn’t an expensive purchase, just under $100 in comparison to expensive show jumping helmets.

#2- Ditch the tall boots; get something more comfortable.

One thing that you will not find in endurance is tall boots. The first thing that I got when I decided to switch to endurance riding were my Ariat Terrain Zip H20 boots. I did a 12 mile “Fun Ride” before I officially switched to endurance and could not believe how discomforted I was while wearing paddock boots. It’s very important to find a boot that is shock-absorbing because believe can and will go numb! It is also common in endurance to have to dismount your horse and walk or run alongside him to give yourself and your horse a bit of a break. Some riders wear athletic shoes with cages on their stirrups, but most riders opt for the Ariat Endurance boots which are very similar to hiking boots.

My Ariat Terrain H20 Zips have lasted me hundreds of miles and I wear them when I hike as well.

#3- Comfort Stirrups & Seat Saver

When I did the Fun Ride last year I rode in my dressage saddle and irons. I did not know this would be a problem considering I have spent hours in the saddle in other disciplines. However, with endurance riding you can go hours posting the trot and not realize how uncomfortable that can end up being. I had searing pain in my ankles, and my toes went numb from only riding 12 miles. The other thing you may need is a seat saver, sheepskin cover, or a gel seat added. Being in the saddle for hours at a time can be uncomfortable to the point where you bum is sore. I had a friend who rode in a western saddle during a 30 mile ride and she immediately decided to purchase an endurance saddle after that ride. I ended up deciding to go all out and purchase a Tucker Endurance Saddle that features a “Gel-Cush” seat and “Ergobalance Trail Glide” stirrups.

I love my saddle so much it’s sickening. I bought it off Ebay brand new and fell in love with the black leather and brass heart conchos.

#4 Riding Tights

Unlike other English disciplines, endurance riders steer clear of breeches and jeans. Most riders wear Kerrits or Irideon riding tights that provide seamless comfort and eliminate chafing. Some riders even wear athletic tights.

I actually have Lululemon tights on in this picture.

#5 Hoof Protection

In America, endurance riding takes place in fairly rocky and difficult terrain and especially here in Arizona. It took me some time and some trial and error but my 16hh Thoroughbred mare needed a more rugged set of shoes than just steel. She is now comfortable and happy being ridden in Easy Shoe Performance N/G shoes. My mare is confident now about going up and down steep and rocky terrain. Another common option is to leave your horse barefoot and use boots

Annabel currently wears the Easy Shoe Performance N/Gs (not shown) and has a pair of Renegades as spares. I would eventually like to have her barefoot and use the Renegades all the time.

#6 A HiTie System for your trailer

Camping is a part of endurance riding and it is rare to be stabled at a base camp that has corrals or stalls. You can tie your horse directly to your trailer, but I felt bad that my mare couldn’t walk around and was worried she’d get tangled up in the middle of the night while I slept. I had a “HiTie” system by Easy Care installed on the side of my horse trailer. My mare now has a 13’ diameter and can comfortable graze, lie down, and roll. I’ve been using one this whole season and have never had any problems with it.

Annabel loves being on the Hi-Tie.

Comfort is key when it comes to Endurance. At my first ride, I gawked at the idea of having to wear running shoes while riding, riding tights and putting sheepskin on my saddle (fashion before comfort-not!). I spent years in Show Jumping and Eventing looking trendy in my breeches and button-ups but notice how my “Must-Haves” are for the comfort of myself and my mare? Spending a little bit of money on these things are a great way to get started on successfully, and the least painful way to get through a ride.

What were your “must-haves” when you switched to Endurance?

Must-Haves to Get Started in Endurance Riding You have a healthy horse, transportation, a place to ride at where you can collect some miles and want to try endurance riding?

Friday Favorites

Here are this week’s Friday Favorites: Favorite New Brand- The Parks Apparel Favorite Organization Favorite IG Shot Favorite Barn Favorite Hat

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Weekend Update + Las Cinenagas

I first want to start out this weekend update by informing you how Las Cienegas went. I was really excited that this was a convenient ride for us to attend to. It took place in Sonoita, AZ (the same organizer who puts on the Old Pueblo Pioneer in March) and was a quick three hour drive. I was planning on riding with my friend Andrea and her friend-who is now my friend, Britteny. The ride started…

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Friday Favorites

Favorite Purchase I found these sheets at Target, so now I have to redo the whole color scheme on my bed in the camper. Favorite Manicure Favorite Drink Black Cherry Hurricane from Claim Jumper Favorite Hike A shot from my 4 mile hike yesterday morning at Estrella Mountain Regional Park.

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Hello Fresh

One of the biggest problems people face when dieting or changing their lifestyle is sticking to it. Too often, we pick out a diet that forces us to eliminate a lot of the things we love. When we have to give up what we love, it doesn’t last too long. Other than being on a vegetarian diet for 3.5 years, Hello Fresh has been the longest “Lifestyle Diet” that I’ve ever stuck to. One of the many joys…

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It was only a few days before the 8-9 hour excursion up north to the Bryce Canyon area that I stood in the kitchen responding to some text messages. My mentor was battling some personal/family problems and felt she couldn’t be away from home for that weekend. I respectfully understood, but this meant my friend Katherine and I would have to do it alone.The thought was exciting, but caused a little anxiety at the same time. I have not traveled that far of a distance with my truck, camper, and trailer without the help of my ex-boyfriend. However, I also felt ready to do this. I was already excited for the ride and had begun the early stages of packing and preparing. I already took work off that Friday and had a sub planned to cover for me. Katherine and I finally decided to go for it.

On Friday morning we decided to meet in Flagstaff as it was a great meet up spot. I decided to let the horses drink and stretch their legs at Little Elden and Katherine was able to leave her truck there. Three hours down, six to go! Katherine and I chatted nonstop the entire way there. I think we were both excited to be able to talk horses with each other. As we started approaching Bryce Canyon, there was a lot of “oooooooooooooh!” moments as we saw fall foliage and lots of red rock. We also were excited on the drive into Bryce Canyon as we drove the truck, trailer, and camper through two rock arches. Once we arrived and got the horses settled we sat through a chilly ride meeting and were received to have a 9:15 start time as the mornings were freezing. It actually snowed a bit the night before we got there.

My goal for this ride was to have fun and not get lost, and I definitely hit that goal. I can’t help but be naturally competitive but the rides aren’t fun when I’m trying to keep up with my mentor’s pace as my body is still getting used to long hours in the stirrups. I was taking the “Trot when you can, walk when you can’t” slogan a little too literal. I’m realizing that I can complete an LD even if I allow myself to take walk breaks. I also would like to try to finish without being in a lot of pain. I was having some serious weak ankle issues at Grand Canyon and a much more pleasant ride with Shock Doctor Compression Ankle Braces on this ride.

This was the easiest LD I’ve ever done and fortunately the trails were kind to us to where we didn’t get lost. The trails were off-roading trails so they were wide and fairly flat. We trotted most of the first 12 miles and were surprised when we approached the vet check that we were already there. The XP rides are so kind to their riders at Vet Checks. We had a 1 hour hold, and enjoyed hot dogs, chips, lemonade, and brownies while our horses enjoyed grazing with the beautiful background.

The second half of the ride we were starting to get a little sore and tired so we took it easy the second half. I already calculated how much time we had to finish and knew we would be able to complete. We did a lot of walking and got to absorb the scenery. We even saw a herd of antelope that we probably would have trotted right past. We ended up finishing even though we accidentally did an extra 2 miles at the end. Annabel completed, but the vet said she was stepping really short on her back left which I thought was unusual. I didn’t see it, but the vet advised me not to do Man Against Horse this weekend because of the difficult terrain. I decided to stick the the vet’s advice and hold off for a few weekends to do Las Cienegas in Sonoita as I knew from Old Pueblo that it’s a fairly easy LD.

This entire trip ended up being a favorite of mine. I feel so liberated that Katherine and I were able to safely do that long drive, being able to operate the camper without the help of a man, grilling steaks for the first time, and being able to ride without a mentor at our own pace for the fun of it without getting lost!

Next Adventure: Las Cienegas in Sonoita, AZ

Virgin Outlaw It was only a few days before the 8-9 hour excursion up north to the Bryce Canyon area that I stood in the kitchen responding to some text messages.

Annabel’s Renegades for her front hooves came in on Friday. They are so pretty to look at. I’m using them as a spare in case her glue ons or shoes come off and I would eventually like to transition her to barefoot.

On Saturday, my training partner and I rode the competitive track at Estrella Regional Park. We did close to 9 miles in about 2 hours. The first 1/3 was a lot of trotting and Annabel had no problem wanting to trot over the rocks. I encouraged her to slow down or walk but she urged forward. The 2/3 was up and down hills at a walk, and the last part we did a lot of walking as I think the heat was getting to her or she just got tired.

I also made a trip out to Scottsdale after my ride to look for a full seat breech. Since I gave Andrea her fleece seat cover back I tend to slide around in my saddle (which is leather) a lot with tights. The best fitting pair was a pair of pink full seat breeches by Horseware Ireland as they were the only ones with a modified rise.

I also did a full moon hike at Lake Pleasant in the evening for a few hours where we did a 3 mile guided hike. It was really neat to hike up a hill and watch the harvest full moon rise up and over the lake.

Today, I thought it would be best to see how my breeches would hold up. Andrea and I went to Skyline this morning to do the Granite Falls loop which is a 1.7 mile extension we like to do because it’s flat with some fun little hills that the mares love to do.

Tonight, I’ll probably go hiking for about an hour at Estrella.

So that’s three regional parks I’ve been to in one weekend. I love Arizona.

Weekend Update 9/18/16 Annabel's Renegades for her front hooves came in on Friday. They are so pretty to look at.

It’s been a very busy few weeks for me as I have been off on adventures the past three weekends in a row. This is the first Saturday in God knows how long that I’ve gotten to sit and enjoy my morning cup of coffee. It’s also been a very busy short week for me.

I left for the Grand Canyon ride last Saturday at 4:30am. The drive was fairly easy and straight forward. I also did something a bit different. I wrote down the directions to the ride without using any sort of GPS. Most of these rides have no address for the base camp and I attempted GPS to the Mt. Carmel ride in May and ended up having to drive my truck camper and trailer through Zion National Park. I arrived to the base camp after 7 hours start to finish with my directions that I had written down. I was a little proud of myself as a millennial to not have to use a GPS and will attempt this now for every ride!

The drive there was beautiful as I passed through the Glen Canyon area on the way to the North Rim.

On Sunday, I ended up riding with another “Zonie” friend named Shannon. Shannon was going to do the 50 but I pleaded how I had no one to ride with in the LD, which ended up being 35 miles. My training partner Andrea did the 50 on Saturday in a saddle she hasn’t used before in a 50 and was too sore to ride with me. The morning of the ride was chilly and it was a strange feeling to have a rain jacket on considering it’s still 100+ in the valley. I bought Annabel a “Rump Warmer” from Riding Warehouse as I was told to be prepared for rain and it helped fend off that morning chill.

The first 10 miles of the ride were down a forest road on a slowly declining flat gravel road. The cold air felt good and Annabel was surprisingly calm while leaving the camp and settled right into a brisk trot with her new Arabian gelding friend “Temptest”. However, my ankles started to give out early on in the ride. I don’t know why, usually they start to get weak the last 5-10 miles. My ankles became numb and started curling under me which was extremely painful. I became miserable and did not get to enjoy the ride. After several more miles I started riding with one hand and gripped the pommel of my saddle with the other to keep me balanced and help me rise in the post. I had a refreshing view of the Grand Canyon which took my breath away and made me forget about the pain I was in.

I ended up doing 24 miles before the 1 hour hold. That was the longest I’ve ever been in the saddle without a hold. I was hopeful that during the 1 hour hold my Ibuprofen would have kicked in more and my ankles would have felt better but unfortunately that was not the case. After the hold, I trotted off into the woods for about five minutes and my ankles started to give again. I gave up and told Shannon that I’d have to walk the last 9-10 miles. Shannon had prepared for this but we found out during the hold that we had a couple hours to make it back and it could be done at a walk. I decided to just enjoy the scenery and was back. The walk back felt like it would never end, but I was so happy it did unfortunately. I really wish this would have been an enjoyable ride for me.

However, I did tie Annabel up to another trailer later that evening and got to take a peak at the Grand Canyon for the first time. It was so amazing, I could have looked at it for hours. It’s been somewhere that I’ve always wanted to go but have never gone to see.

My next ride is in Utah on Saturday September 24th, just two weekends away. I’m a little stressed I have so much to get done in such a short amount of time now that the fall rides are starting to take place. I need to take my Camper in to fix a leak, need to get my sway control welded back on my trailer, I need to take my truck in and get it serviced for an oil change, have my checked, and tires rotated. Annabel is having her wellness exam on Monday. I need to order some new stirrups to help with my ankle pain and a new saddle pad. I need to figure out what I’m going to do with her shoes as she is due September 27th on her back hooves.

Grand Canyon Ride It's been a very busy few weeks for me as I have been off on adventures the past three weekends in a row.