Honestly, I don't really want to. It is a long-ass way and it will probably be hot and there will be bugs and snakes and I will hit the wall and get cranky... etc.
But I want to leave the door open for this: http://www.aerc.org/long_table_list.asp.
So we will do what is necessary. I hope we will do it on the first try.
You can TOTALLY do it. It's just like riding 25 miles, only it takes longer. Srsly.
ReplyDeleteWe'll help you.
p.s. not Bare Bones. Just a suggestion.
wow this brings back a bad memory of me introducing a friend to her first 50. she said basically what you asked, and was not happy with me. "50 miles is TOO FAR to ride a horse!" she said. i felt so bad. : (
ReplyDelete25s are simply not enough - they're over too quickly. 75s, i don't know, aarene has to say. 50s are JUST right: )
before i forget, i wanted to tell you what i learned about endurance in germany last week. they have *THREE* LD divisions before they get to 50 miles, good heavens! check out the minimum ages for horses below. 50 miles is 86km.
Einführungswettbewerbe (Intro competition) (ER / EF) 25-40 km (Mindestalter des Pferdes 5 Jahre (minimum age of horse: 5))
Distanzen (KDR / KDF) 41-60 km (Mindestalter des Pferdes 6 Jahre)
Mittlere Distanzen (MDR / MDF) 61-80 km (Mindestalter des Pferdes 6 Jahre)
Lange Distanzen (LDR / LDF) 81-160 km (Mindestalter des Pferdes 7 Jahre)
Well, the plan is to try it on Sunday at Bandit. I have been assured by multiple authorities that aside from the heat it should be a good course for a first-timer.
ReplyDeleteI think the hardest thing for me and Blue will be having all the checks in camp. We both will want to stay there after the second one, I'm sure.
Remember that I had to leave camp BACKWARDS several times during Fiddle's first season doing 50's! She wasn't tired...but she can certainly COUNT. She knew how far 25 miles is (because we'd done a year of LD) and when I got back on at the vetcheck to take off for the next loop, she flat-out refused to leave. Because I was WRONG.
ReplyDeleteSo we walked out of camp backwards. In front of God and everybody. For almost an entire season. She finally got over it at Renegade last year, I think. This year at Renegade, she didn't want to leave, but she didn't argue...because now she knows how to count to 50 miles.
Next year, when we bump up distance to 75's (lord willing and the creek don't rise), I'm sure we'll have to discuss things all over again....
Now that's an interesting point. Blue has only done 4 rides, all LD. But they have all had the same structure: Loop 1, vetcheck, loop 2, finish. I'm not sure how he'll react to a change in the rhythm...
ReplyDeleteYou can do it Ruth! Lead the way! :)
ReplyDelete