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Thread Four: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1332664/posts |
Posted on 12/30/2004 7:01:16 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
Hmmmm.... I'm not sure what she's talking about with those differences.
I haven't watched a lot of ~good~ barrel riders go or what they do with their hands.
It may be that she was talking about training - sometimes when you are starting horses you are working with hands higher than you would be later. Wish I'd had a chance to watch her.
The ride I'd like to take him to, would be his first, in Tulsa at the John Zink Ranch. It's a privately owned place, and the only time anyone can ride horses there is on this ride. It's moderatly hard ride. That's why I like it, not to easy like the ones in Tex (as far as terrain), not so tough as Ark. Will be a good first one for him.
CTR (competitive trail riding), is very differnt from endurance, in that it is not a race. The horses condition, trail manners, response to cues, etc, are judged by the vet judge. There is a horsmanship judge who is judgeing the riders, how they handle their horse.
It is a timed event. For instances, the novice class does 20 miles one day. The night before the ride they have a ride meeting, give you maps of the trail to follow with check points marked so you can check you time. They tell you to go 4 mph. So you leave camp, say checkpoint A is 2 miles from camp. You should hit check point a in 30 minutes. If your to fast or to slow you adjust. Points aren't lost on time at any check point except the end.
2 times within the 20 miles you will be stopped to have your horses pulse and respiration check. You are given 15 minutes on time for these stops As you come in to the stop they give you a card with the time you got there on it. 10 minutes after you get there your horse is checked. They set parameters on what the horses pulse and respiration should be at. You can be over up to a certain point and just lose points, if you get to high they hold you there for another 10 minutes, you will lose points for that, if after THAT 10 minutes your horse is still to high your pulled out. So, a 20 mile ride at 4 mph, with 2 15 minute stops, your total ride time would be 4 hours 30 minutes. They have min. and max. times allowed with no point deductions. It's a 30 minute window, 15 minutes either way of 4 hours 30 minutes. So you could come in as early as 4 hours 15 minutes or as late as 4 hours 45 mintues. The last marker of the ride is always 2 miles from camp. At the 2 mile marker is where you make a final adjustment to your time. If your moving fast and too earlier you stop there and wait the appropriate amount of time for you. If your late, you hussle. Once you cross the 2 mile marker tho, you are not suppose to stop. You can walk, trot, lope or gallop, but you can't stop.
When you get to the ride, the vet checks your horse all over making comments on the score card, you have trot the horse on a lunge line, straight out, circle, and straight back. The vet notes the way the horse goes, and on a scale from 1-5 rates the horses animation. After the ride is completed, they are 2 day rides, the vet goes thru this same routine. The horse should not limp of course, but is also required to rate the same on animation. If he goes lower, then your marked off for a tired horse. The vet checks withers, back, loins, legs, feet, etc. for soreness.
Every horse and every rider starts out with 100 points. The person with the most points of course wins. The horse with the most points wins best horse.
The horsemanship judge watches how you present your horse, how adapt you lunge, him , he will also check your horses "stabling" for the nights. All horses have to be stabled the same, which is usually tied to the trailer. You have to tie them the right lenght, hang your hay net properly, always have water buckets secured safely, etc. He also checks grooming.
IT's alot of fun and the best part for me was, that at the end after the awards are handed out, you get your score cards with all the comments of the judges. It is a great tool to help with your horsemanship. I learned so much from those cards.
Sorry this is so long, but I love the sport, and it's kind of hard to make a short explanation anyway:)
Becky
Yeah, this was for training only, but I thought even then you needed to keep your hands low.
Becky
Yeah - I don't see any benefit to having deliberately high hands.
Sounds great, and I didn't know that much, I am glad the post was long!
OK, I wasn't sure about that. Since you're in training mode more often then competitive mode, I would think that could lead to bad habits on the part of the rider. Low hands have been drilled in to me sooooo much, then I hear that...LOL...opinons everyone has one:)
Becky
WEll good. I love the sport so much I tend to go on and on about it. I'm afraid sometimes it might be boring for some to listen too.
Becky
Not here, I'm finding it fascinating. This is a sport that I didn't realize existed.
Well I also don't think enduracne rides have "obstacles" to negoiate???, Like opening shutting gates from horseback, backing thru trees, water, etc, mounting in front of the judge, one time "off side mounting while pretending our right arm was broke" that was a tuffy:) They do all sorts of horrible things to us out there.
The competition in this area is so close. They place people up to 6th place. I've scored 92 points before and not placed. So the judges dream up all this stuff to help weed out people. The best I did one time was 99:) on my horse points and 98 1/2 with 2 + marks on me. I got first place horse, rider, High combination score, and high point Quarter horse at that one ride. And it was in Ark, hardest ride in our region.
Most rides have a 60 rider limit, and most times the rides around here are full.
Becky
Okay, that's a major difference. Some of the endurance rides have obstacles of a sort - creeks that have to be crossed, gates that have to be gone through, trails through cow pastures, etc., but no judged obstacles per se - you either cross the creek or you don't get to the finish.
Also, no judging on horsemanship, mounting, dismounting, etc.
I forgot to add, that score is impressive :)
There aren't 'test' obtacles in endurance, no... just normal trail obstacles, and it's just a race, not an art form.
I think the little tests along the way make it seem like even more fun! Do you know they are coming? or are they surprises? I don't know if I've ever mounted from the wrong side!
Here's the wall in my house with all my awards. Most awards are donated, or made by someone. I think the Arab association has cash back awards for rides scantioned by the Asso. I think that is alot why so many ride them.:
I guess one reason I like this sport, it's the only time I've ever won anything:)
Becky
That is something to be really proud of. It looks like you've done really well more than once :) I would have been walking without my feet touching the ground.
Sometimes the judges hide in the woods and watch you say go up the trail that has a log over it. But generally you don't know when your going to come to one, and you never know what they're going to ask you to do. You just have to have a horse that backs, sidepasses, stops and stands, etc...in any situation.
When Belle lost points it was always because I get nervous in front of judes. I always would rush the obstcle. But then sometimes they were times. Like to sidepass to a tree branch and tie a ribbon in it they might give you so many seconds. One time we were stopped and told to trot till the jugde gave us further insturctions. Well we trotted down the trail and all of a sudden the judge said stop your horse. He was judging "emergency stops".
So the obstacles can be anything.
NATRC us a national Association and if you compete in the Open division 60 miles, at least 5mph, you can win national awards and go to a national convention. I went to a regional convention once. I got 4th place regional horse and 5th place regional rider in the novice division that year.
Becky
Becky
I love that trophy wall! I have a really old picture of me as a teenager by my trophy wall... it's not scanned so yer spared ;~D. I still have my ribbons all in a box, some of them I was smart enough to write the date and the horse and the event on the back :~D
That's great! I think I'll look into those for me 'n ecurbh after we get our trailer and can go.
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