Don’t Force the Issue

“Most horses don’t like ditches because they have a hard time with depth perception,” says Crow. “Horses should have a lot of self-preservation, so if they have a choice, they’ll go around something that looks unfamiliar or unsafe. For showing, you must cross at a certain place. You have to develop the horse’s confidence and show him you’re not going to put him in a bad spot or ask him to do something that’s unsafe.”

Crow says he often sees riders force their horses to keep facing the ditch when the horses are showing fear.

“What I won’t do is force the issue,” he says. “That’s the biggest mistake that people make. Riders will go to their leg and create a lot of pressure. The ditch itself creates anxiety and pressure for the horse, so adding pressure doesn’t make sense. That’s just creating a fight with your horse. You may get him over, but you didn’t build confidence or create a better experience for the next time you need to ride across [a ditch].”

Create Options

If you aren’t sure whether your horse will cross a ditch, find out his current comfort level. As you ride straight toward the ditch, look ahead and ride ahead, expecting your horse to move forward.

When you’re close to the ditch, allow your horse to lower his head to investigate. He needs to plan out how to move. You don’t want him to walk blindly into a dangerously deep ditch. He should pick his path.

If your horse doesn’t want to cross a ditch, give him options about where to be and how hard he must work. You’ll make being close to the ditch easy. If your horse moves away from the crossing, he’ll need to go to work.

“Horses respond really well to options,” Crow says. “I’ll immediately cue my horse to work—trotting circles left and right at a fast pace. Then I’ll walk up to the ditch again and give him the opportunity to cross. If it looks like he’s interested and investigating, then I sit softly and let him think about crossing the ditch.”

If Crow feels his horse balk and want to turn away from the crossing, it’s time to go back to work.

“I go back to work, trotting or loping, depending on what the footing and grounds are like near the ditch,” he says. “For some horses, this is a quick fix. For others, this takes a long time. If a horse isn’t showing lots of fear and only mildly balks, I’ll work him for 20 to 30 seconds, then try again. If a horse has a more severe reaction to the ditch, I might work him for two to three minutes before trying again. I need to create enough work that the horse would rather choose the easier option, which is just going over the ditch. The amount of work depends on the horse and his amount of resistance.”

Moving forward in a fast-paced trot keeps the horse thinking about moving forward over the ditch.

“I’m not really a big fan of trying to back a horse in a bunch of circles when he’s already got something that he’s worried about,” says Crow. “I think that could make one try to rear up. I try to fix this with forward motion. I’ll trot the figure-8s tightly and keep his feet moving forward and freely. That’s what we want—for the horse to go forward over the ditch.”

Here, Crow demonstrates riding over the ditch between his barn and hay field. The horse he rode, Mister Fahrenheit (aka “Radar”), wasn’t sure about the 3-foot water ditch crossing, and at first balked and backed away.

After working for only five minutes of trotting circles away from the ditch and resting at the crossing, Radar was ready to cross. His first attempt resulted in an eventing-worthy jump.

Be Prepared to Jump

Crow warns that horses who are fearful of the ditch may jump—or over-jump—on their first crossings. Be prepared to stay with the motion and land softly on the opposite side.

“If a horse has had some anxiety about the ditch, when he finally decides to get across it, he’s going to jump,” Crow says. “I’m OK with that. I just want to be prepared.”

How do you prepare for a ditch jump while riding in a western saddle?

“I’ll make sure that when I’m getting ready to cross the ditch, I’m not looking down,” Crow says. “I want to have my eyes up, looking forward. I make sure that I have a hold of the horn, and I’ll lean slightly forward. I’ll make sure to give my horse enough rein so I don’t hit him in the face when he lands on the other side. You don’t want to punish the horse for finally getting across.”

Crow says that if he feels a horse taking off toward the ditch, he’ll slow the speed by pulling back on one rein before the horse crosses.

“I don’t want my horse to be ‘sucked back’ on his hocks and ready to leap,” he says. “Instead, I’ll use my reins to disengage the hind end so that he steps more than leaps.”

Keep in mind, jumping is an honest reaction for a horse.

“If the horse can’t tell how deep the ditch is, I want him to give a little hop,” Crow says. “I would much rather ride a horse that’s going to hop over a hole. That’s much safer than riding a horse that blindly steps into something where he can’t see the bottom. This is very different than if you have a graded path down to a water crossing. I don’t want a jump then. But if there’s a hole in the ground, I’m OK with the jump.”

Praise and Rest

Once Radar jumped across the ditch, Crow rewarded him with a walk on a loose rein. The pair moved up and down the ditch without turning to face it right away. After a few minutes of rest, Crow asked the horse to cross the ditch again. This time, he didn’t need as much encouragement.

Crow says forward motion is what ranch-riding judges want to see. At the highest levels of versatility ranch horse competition, the events are held outside in natural ranch settings. The judges want to see that your horse can go over and get to the obstacles and anywhere you need to work.

While the ditch may not officially be an obstacle, you may have to cross over one to get to your course. Judges want to see that your horse trusts your guidance and will move willingly wherever you point him.

This article about how to teach your horse to cross a ditch appeared in the July 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Based on the ancient horse messenger system used by Genghis Khan — in a country where the horse is king — at 1,000 kilometers, the Derby is the toughest test on the planet for equestrian endurance riders. Whilst horses are changed roughly every 35km, at checkpoints strung out throughout the country, riders must endure being in the saddle for up to 200km a day and face the challenges of riding over 28 different semi-wild horses. The riders must face the animals’ varying temperaments and bucking abilities, and the inevitable falls and mishaps that happen along the way while navigating through challenging terrain, including giant sand dunes and freezing mountain passes.  

The thirteenth edition of the Mongol Derby kicked off on August 2 and looked set to be a firecracker from the off, with 42 riders from 11 different nations competing for the prestigious win. 

Watch this recap of day one of the Mongol Derby.

Day one saw Spanish rider Xavier Ferrer riding at the front of the pack for most of the day, but he wasn’t in the lead as evening fell. Having had a reversal of fortune when he abruptly parted ways with his horse en route to HS3 (horse station 3), Xavier had to hitch a ride back to HS2. This left German rider Judith Jaeckle at the front of the race as night fell.  

Over the next eight days, Judith was never far from the front of the race and showed true horsemanship skills by never having to redraw a horse (new to the race this year, every horse station was a ‘lotto’, meaning riders had to ride the horse they were given, rather than picking a horse themselves, testing their horsemanship all the more. You could, however, choose to ‘redraw’ a maximum of three times in the race if you didn’t like the look of the horse you were first given). 

The real battle of the race would come on its final stretch, as Swedish rider Linda Hermann — who had been in a game of cat and mouse with Judith over the previous days — finally managed to overtake the German rider to take the lead. . . but only just, and it certainly wasn’t a two-horse race. Hot on the ladies’ tails was American Marine Matthew Perrella, whose navigation prowess and luck of the draw with some seriously fast racehorses, now put him in contention for the Mongol Derby win. 

As it came down to the last two horse stations, Linda found herself deep in a bog. Luckily she and her horse were fine, but it was a very tense moment and a vet team was dispatched before her horse was cleared to continue. This slowed the Swedish rider down, and allowed Judith and Matt to both gain ground, riding on very fast horses. It was down to the wire, but Linda was able to make it to the final horse station, before the finish line. She cleared the vet check (these checks happen at every checkpoint to ensure all horses are OK and haven’t been ridden too hard), and remounted on a seriously fit racehorse while still in the lead. The win seemed hers, as long as her horse passed the final vet check at the finish line. 

But Judith and Matt had other ideas and reached the final horse station almost within eyesight of Linda. They both changed horses swiftly. With Matt on one of the most feral and fastest horses on the course, he crossed the finish line shortly after Linda, with Judith a mere few minutes behind him. 

With bated breath, everyone waited for Linda’s vet check to clear (a penalty would lead to her losing the win), but finally the news came that her horse’s heart rate was below the 56 beats per minute requirement and the win was hers. Matt and Judith cleared their vet checks shortly after crossing, with Matt claiming second place and Judith third. 

Not only was the race an incredible success for all those involved, but it also helped raise a huge amount of money for charity. The Mongol Derby to date has raised over $1 million for charities, with each rider asked to raise funds for good causes. Among them was the race’s official charity partner, Steppe and Hoof, whose objective is to support the herders and their animals while working to save the unique traditions that are part of the Mongolian nomadic lifestyle as it comes under fire from climate change and urbanization.  

Matthew Perella was also raising money for The Righteous Life Rescue Ranch, which he founded to help retired horses and death row dogs, as well as to provide equine therapy to veterans with PTSD, those with special needs, and anyone seeking inner peace and overall improved health.   

For more details on the Mongol Derby, visit www.equestrianists.com.  

Comments from Winner Linda Hermann at the Mongol Derby Finish Line

Linda on being stuck in the bog en route to the last horse station: 

“I had a lot of pressure today. . . but [the horse] just got up and nothing was wrong with him. The vet cleared him and we continued to the final station.” 

Linda on her favorite part of the race: 

“Riding alone.” 

Linda on expectation vs. reality:

“The rodeos at the horse station, I expected that, and I got it. Most notably being kicked in the stomach.”

Linda on the horses she raced on: 

“The thing is, when you’re going so fast on some of these horses, there’s a feeling that, ‘If my horse trips, I am dead,’ but they didn’t trip. The risk and the feeling was just incredible.”

— Edited Press Release

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For the first time, the sport of mountain trail was experienced in Israel, thanks to Noam Sitbon Alimi – board member of the Summit Association – who arranged to have Mark and Lee Bolender from Bolender Horse Park in the United States come over and do a judge’s clinic, trail clinic and a mountain trail challenge this past month. 

Mark and Lee Bolender founded the International Mountain Trail Challenge Association (IMTCA) in 2014 because they saw a need for a regulated mountain trail sport with set rules and a scoring system, allowing challenges to take place anywhere in the world. And it has. Since the founding, the IMTCA has spread, not only throughout the U.S., but to Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Italy and now Israel. 

“They wanted to bring it for the horsemanship,” shares Mark Bolender on why they asked IMTCA to come to their country. “Beautiful discipline, fair and consistent.” 

The clinics and challenge were held at Haniel Farm in the city of Khani’el, Israel. It took them five months to prepare for the event, including overcoming naysayers and having to build the IMTCA obstacles based off design drawings from Mark. However, the team from the Summit Association did not let anything get in their way to bring the exciting sport to their country.

“To bring a new branch of riding to Israel has its bureaucratic challenges, as this is the first that the Summit Association has done this, but good communication between myself with Mark and Lee helped overcome some of the difficulties,” shares Noam.

IMTCA Clinics and Challenge in Israel

While the Bolenders were there, they held a judge’s clinic. Part of what makes the IMTCA different from other trail events is that it has a set of scoring rules on a points system – similar to reining – so that the scoring is as objective as possible. Each obstacle is broken into three scoring sections: entrance, middle and exit. Horse and rider teams can earn a 0, which is an acceptable score meaning no points were taken away; have points deducted for things like not being straight, hitting a pole, entering or exiting an obstacle wrong, refusing an obstacle, etc.; or achieve pluses for a truly stellar ride. For example, a horse that is actively hunting – looking for the trail with his head/eyes downward – may receive a +.5 or +1 on a section of an obstacle. 

During the judge’s clinic, 15 participants from Israel learned all the rules for the challenges, including what tack is acceptable, as well as how to score someone’s ride. At the end of the clinic, the participants received judging certificates and can now judge official IMTCA trail challenges. 

In addition to the judge’s clinic, the Bolenders held a trail clinic to teach the ins and out of mountain trail, including how to safely introduce a horse to an obstacle, how to improve your scores and other tips. The Israel team was excited to have the Bolenders come over to teach them the sport of IMTCA in what Yair Alimi called a, “professional, informative and exciting clinic.”

Mark always starts people on the ground first, to get the horses and riders used to the obstacles in-hand, before mounting up. The 35 participants learned the Bolender Method, which involves teaching your horse to stay out of your “bubble” so they don’t come over on top of you while completing an obstacle. 

Finally, on the fourth and final day, they held an official trail challenge. Typical IMTCA challenges have both in-hand and riding for different divisions, which can include novice, youth, level 1 (walk only), level 2 (walk and trot) and level 3 (walk, trot and canter/lope) as well as special classes such as gambler’s choice or ride one, lead one. 50 competitors competed in youth riding, level 2 and level 3 at Israel’s first IMTCA Challenge.

“All rode western except one person on an Arab riding English,” shares Mark. Other breeds represented were Quarter Horses, Paints and one mule. 

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After the challenge, they held a ceremony to thank all those who had worked so hard to make this event happen – including the board of the Summit Association, as well as Mark and Lee Bolender – and to celebrate the cooperation between the two organizations.

“It lived up to all my expectations and more,” shares Noam, “and the feedback that I received from all who participated was positive. [They were] impressed.” 

The Future of IMTCA Mountain Trail

The Summit Association plans to continue the sport of IMTCA mountain trail, Mark shares. “They are looking forward to participating in the IMTCA World Buckle competition,” he adds. In addition, they have already made plans to have Mark and Lee back in 2024 for more clinics. 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark and Lee for their super interesting and professional clinic,” Noam shares. “We really enjoyed having them here in Israel and we’re looking forward to seeing them again next year.”

For more information about the International Mountain Trail Challenge Association and events in your country, visit the IMTCA website.

This article about the IMTCA is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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First developed in England strictly for the purpose of racing, the Thoroughbred began with three foundation stallions: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. Named after the men who owned them, these stallions were born in the Middle East and brought to England at the turn of the 18th century. They were bred with hardy native mares.

The horses that resulted from these crossings proved to be very fast over long distances. The British aristocracy had discovered the sport of horse racing, and the Thoroughbred became a favorite.

Selective breeding made the Thoroughbred faster and faster with each generation, and in 1791, James Weatherby researched and published the first volume of the breed’s General Stud Book. The book featured the pedigree of 387 mares that could be traced back to one of the three original foundation stallions.

Since then, the Thoroughbred breed has become synonymous with professional horse racing around the world. When people think of racehorses, they think of the Thoroughbred. Household names such as Man o’ War, Seabiscuit and Secretariat made racing a favorite American pastime.

More Than Speed

The Thoroughbred has been a racehorse for centuries, yet it turns out this amazing breed can do a lot more than run. An organization called the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) has had a hand in proving that Thoroughbreds bred for racing are also incredibly versatile as sport horses, and they can excel in a variety of disciplines.

Jen Roytz, executive director of the RRP, has seen this firsthand and knows why.

“So much careful thought, research and planning goes into the mating that produces each Thoroughbred with the goal of creating an elite equine athlete,” she says. “During their formative years, they are raised and cared for with that same goal in mind, and as a result receive proper nutrition and care as they develop.”

This care, combined with centuries of careful breeding, results in a very athletic horse, according to Roytz. And while the goal for most Thoroughbreds is to be a superior athlete on the track, racing is not the only good use of its athleticism.

“Their agility, stamina, adaptability and versatility make them well-suited for a variety of sports outside of racing,” she says.

Many people are familiar with Thoroughbreds competing in jumping, eventing, dressage, and even barrel racing, polo and endurance. But there’s more to discover outside the box when it comes to this breed.

“Their demeanor, intelligence and curiosity make them the perfect partner for everything from ranch work, trail sports, liberty training and recreational riding to lesson programs, therapeutic riding and more.”

Thoroughbred Horse Makeover

Over the past few years, Thoroughbreds have proven this at the RRP’s annual Thoroughbred Makeover event, held in Kentucky. Over the past six years, the group has named champions in 10 disciplines: barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, show jumping, show hunter, field hunter, polo, ranch work and freestyle (a free-form division).

More people are starting to recognize the value of the breed in different sports.

“This can be seen in the increase in the number of horses adopted from the racetrack and the increase in the prices paid for them,” says Roytz.

“Each year, more than half of our Thoroughbred Makeover trainers are competing in the event for the first time, and many are formally taking on the task of retraining a Thoroughbred from racing to their new career for the first time. That shows us the needle is moving, and more people are choosing Thoroughbreds for equestrian sports.”

Other organizations are also aware of this. There is the Jockey Club’s Trainer Incentive Program (TIP), which encourages the retraining of retired Thoroughbred racehorses for other disciplines. The TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, run by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., is another.

It can be breathtaking to watch a Thoroughbred run at full speed on the track, but it can be just as impressive to see one of these athletes perform a flawless dressage test or soar over an oxer in a show jumping class. Whatever the sport, Thoroughbreds are proving they remain the horse world’s finest athletes.

The post Thoroughbred Horses Find a Second Calling appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

For centuries, the ancestors of today’s Arabians were carefully bred by the Bedouin tribes of the Sahara Desert. Used for war and for traveling long distances, these horses lived in close quarters with their nomadic keepers, sharing their tents on cold nights and developing deep bonds.

Life in the harsh desert meant only the strongest of these horses survived. The results were the development of a breed with a large lung capacity and great endurance that can travel for miles without stopping, with the heart and spirit to match.

In more recent times, Arabian horses have contributed their ancient genes to help create and refine other breeds. The Thoroughbred, Andalusian, Welsh Pony and American Quarter Horse are just a few of the breeds that owe their influence to the Arabian horse.

An Arabian Horse Ambassador

What does it mean to live with a horse whose heritage is considered the oldest and purest of all of the breeds? Husband-and-wife team Lee Pearce and Naomi Preston of Baker City, Ore., know the answer.

They have shared the past 17 years with a purebred Arabian gelding named Fire Mt Malabar, who has proven to possess the endurance famous in his breed. Named the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) 2019 Hall of Fame Equine, “Mal” is 22 years old and still competing in endurance.

Mal started life as a racehorse, running more than 50 races by the time he was retired at age 5.

“Naomi saw a classified ad for him in the AERC Endurance News,” says Pearce. “She said, ‘If you want a champion, take a look at this horse Malabar.’ She knew his owner and his bloodlines, and that his sire, Sierra Fadwah+/, was the 1992 AERC Hall of Fame equine. Sierra Fadwah was one of the top sires in the sport, producing many outstanding endurance horses.”

Arabian Endurance

After bringing him home, Pearce and Preston spent two years conditioning Mal for his first endurance ride in 2006. Although Mal had no prior endurance training, the Arabian horse breed made him a natural for the sport.

“He had total ‘race brain’ for the first 25 miles and went much faster than I had planned,” says Pearce. “We spent the remaining 25 miles trying to preserve as much energy as we could to keep him going.”

Three years into his endurance career, Mal was still challenging Pearce with his racing mindset, but won his first ride and received two best condition (BC) awards, the most coveted title next to an outright win.

“That’s when I knew he was something special,” says Pearce, who notes that over the years, the horse kept getting stronger and stronger while carrying his heavyweight rider, and seemed to love his job.

“He started to excel at longer rides, including 75, 80 and 100 miles, and won the Heavyweight Division [riders 211 pounds and over] in the 2013 National Championship 100-mile ride,” says Pearce.

Finding His Stride

Throughout the years, Mal started chalking up lots of BC awards and won the National Best Condition Championship in 2011 and second place in 2015. The athletic ability and quick recovery that the Arabian horse is known for helped Mal achieve longterm success in the sport.

“To date, Mal has won 48 best condition awards, displaying not only his strength, but his ability to shine after the ride is completed,” says Pearce. The horse currently has 8,410 miles on his record.

Mal is now being ridden by Preston, who is a lightweight rider (161-185 pound division), and is still competing.

“Last year at age 21, he had a 100-percent completion rate,” says Pearce. “He maintains his incredible soundness, love for his job, and excellent condition. And for the last three years, he’s been carrying a lightweight rider, which has given him continued stamina in his veteran years.”

Over the last few years, Mal has also excelled at multi-day Pioneer rides, ranging from 155-mile three-day rides to 260-mile five-day rides.

“His mileage capabilities have not diminished at all,” says Pearce. “In fact, our hope is that he can achieve AERC’s Perfect Ten award by reaching 10,000 miles.”

Fast Facts about the Arabian Horse Height: 14.1 to 15.2 hands Color: Bay, chestnut, gray and black. Overall Appearance: Small head, straight or preferably slightly concave profile; small muzzle, large nostrils; large eyes set well apart; small ears with tips curved slightly inward. Long, arched neck and high withers. A short back and horizontal croup with high tail carriage. Find more details about the breed by visiting the websites of the Arabian Horse Association and the World Arabian Horse Organization.

This article about an Arabian horse appeared in the May 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Preparing for a 100-mile horse ride is no small feat. I’ve trekked across Mongolia as an official for an endurance horse race, but that seems like a warm-up for The Tevis Cup, which spans across the Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern California. This is a true test of horse-and-rider athleticism and mental endurance. Recently, I attended my first Tevis, also known as the Western States Trail Ride, as a crew member for a friend’s first attempt.

Held annually during a full moon in late July or early August since 1955, the longest North American trail ride starts at Robie Park in Truckee, Calif., and runs 24 hours over mountains and through canyons to finish at McCann Stadium in Auburn.

The trail winds through canyons and a popular Western States Trail, which travels through a few small towns. For example, the town of Forest Hill, which is a one-hour hold, is lined with volunteers, crew, and the locals all cheering on riders as they pass through the neighborhoods on their journey. The annual event is celebrated, and it is hard work to coordinate 100 miles of public and private lands for this adventure.

Starting in the Tevis Cup

For many, competing for The Tevis Cup buckle is a lifelong goal. Horses must be six years old to enter. A horse that is able to complete 100 miles takes years to condition and train. While some equestrians bring their own horses, others lease proven animals that have been trained for this event. Riders must have completed 300 miles in sanctioned events to apply. Once you have competed in the event, you are welcome back. However, there is a maximum number of 210 riders at the starting line, and yet only 40% of riders usually cross the finish line.

Riders start in two groups before dawn the morning of the ride in Pen One and Pen Two. The early front-runners have to maintain that distance over the long haul. But remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint, so most riders prefer to start in the middle and slowly increase speed throughout the course of the day. Riders in the back often are slowed by other horses on the single-track trails.  If there is an incidence on course like a downed rider or horse that needs assistance, this can slow the rest. Passing other horses may be difficult when the terrain is narrow or visibility is low.

The terrain is often battered by sun, and in recent years been troubled by drought, which has created dusty, dry conditions, and neighboring wildfires have affected air quality and made the footing more difficult.

“Tevis was hot, smoky, dirty, challenging, humbling and altogether awesome,” says first-time Tevis Cup rider Michelle Morges, DVM, who traveled to California in 2021 all the way from New Jersey to compete, “This was the ride I had hoped for from the start but quickly ended at mile 68 when my horse was pulled for lameness. I have never been so disappointed as we both had it in us to finish but also so grateful for the opportunity to even have started the race.”

Horse Health During The Tevis Cup

The horse’s health is of utmost importance to riders and organizers of the event. Horses must be vetted in before the event with a lameness check, dehydration check, and more. Just because you make it to the event doesn’t mean you will be at the starting line. From there, there are 19 checkpoints along the trail with water that are stationed with volunteers and veterinarians who track the health and welfare of horse-and-rider pairs. After crossing the finish line, the team must walk to the stadium and complete the final victory lap, and trot out as well.

“During the various aid stations and vet checks along the trail, it is easy to lose a lot of time,” says Christoph Schork, owner of Global Endurance Riding Center. “Folks are friendly, lots of snacks are offered, but again it is easy to get distracted and get tight with cut-off times. So my advice would be for all riders: never hurry, never tardy. Keep moving down the trail with intent. I also might add that electrolytes are playing a bigger role at Tevis, horses just go through more electrolytes at Tevis than other rides. So, it is advisable to administer them more generously compared to other rides of equal length.”

Each rider is allowed two crew members to provide physical and emotional support at up to 9 checkpoints, including two one-hour holds at Robinson Flat and Forest Hill. The crew may strap (cooldown by sponging the horse), untack, give electrolytes, feed, and water the horse, and care for the pair along the route at designated holds. Because of the mountainous terrain, the checkpoints are difficult to access, and it is often hard to know where their rider is unless they check with an official or follow the optional GPS trackers, if an internet signal is available.

If a horse and rider are pulled, they are trailered to a hold where their crew can meet them. Some riders may choose to opt out of completing the ride for themselves or their horses, or a veterinarian may pull during a check because of lameness, dehydration, or metabolic issues (such as the horse’s heart rate not lowering to an acceptable level within an expected time frame). Horse wellness is the priority at all times.

To start the Tevis Cup is an incredible feat but to complete the ride is a huge point of pride for riders and horse owners.

The post The Tevis Cup: A 100-Mile Endurance Ride Like No Other appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Trail riding is among the most popular equestrian pastimes, and competing on the trail was once something many trail riders enjoyed. But due to a variety of factors, two organizations that sanction competition on the trail have seen a big dip in both membership and ride participation: The North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC) and the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) have experienced a significant decrease in interest in horse trail sports over the past several years.

Without enough members and rider participants to support events, the very existence of both organizations was in jeopardy. Fortunately for those who love to compete on the trail, both NATRC and the AERC are actively working to save their sports.

Competitive Trail

NATRC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is the oldest competitive trail riding organization in the United States. The group started in 1961 with the goal of creating interest in developing both good trail horses and good on-the-trail horsemanship.

NATRC rides are not races; they are judged competitions with veterinarian and horsemanship judges. NATRC-sanctioned rides are held throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and are held at 8- to 90-mile distances, depending on the division.

In the three divisions that have existed in NATRC for decades—Novice, Competitive Pleasure and Open—both horse and rider are judged separately by different judges. Rides vary from one to three days in length and require horses and riders to camp overnight.

During competition, the horse is evaluated by a veterinary judge, who examines the horse for soundness and baseline vitals—temperature, pulse and respiration—before the ride and then again after the ride.

The vet gauges these same stats at points along the ride, in addition to the horse’s manners and partnership with the rider. The horse’s vital signs are taken with the goal of determining his condition and ability to continue. At the same time, a horsemanship judge evaluates the rider’s safety, handling and riding at check-in, checkout and during the ride.

The horse in each division with the highest point score is the winner in this horse trail sport. A separate win goes to the rider with the most points in each division.

Twenty years ago, NATRC rides had so many entries that participants had to be turned away. More recently, the sport has struggled to find enough people and horses to even hold an event.

According to Sarah Rinne, NATRC’s executive director, this 30 percent decline in participation over the past several years has several reasons behind it. Some of the main factors include a decrease in free time, age-related barriers for NATRC’s main rider demographic, and general finances.

“Society is busier than ever, and our sport [requires] a lot of time for proper care and conditioning of a distance horse,” she says. “It’s not just the time commitment of traveling to rides and competing.”

Rinne adds that it is exceptionally challenging to draw younger riders these days.

“The sport is competing for a substantial amount of time and expendable income from those who may not have it while starting careers and families,” she says.
Realizing the sport was in trouble, the NATRC’s national board of directors took a poll to determine the kinds of changes they should make.

“We conducted a survey in 2018 that was open to current members, past members and those who have not been members,” says Rinne. “This was to capture a better picture of what we were doing well, where we needed to adjust, and the barriers that exist for current or potential riders. In addition, we worked to evaluate other organizations and the market as a whole in order to develop strategies for the future.”

As a result, a number of new concepts designed to increase participation in the sport were implemented in 2019.

“NATRC has responded to these barriers by offering more levels of membership that fit our members in different stages of life, as well as introducing a new competitive option called the Leisure division,” says Rinne. “Our new division is geared to be a one-day format in which competitors can arrive onsite that morning, check in for the competition, ride the designated 8- to 12-mile course, and check out. There is a quick turnaround for awards, allowing competitors to return home that day.”

Rinne points out that the Leisure division embraces NATRC’s philosophies while also accommodating riders’ busy lives. So far, the addition of this division is showing promise.

“We have noticed an increase in ridership due to the addition of the Leisure division format,” says Rinne. “In some cases, that division has enabled our rides to be financially successful, or at a minimum, not take a loss.”

Endurance

The AERC, also a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, started in 1972 as a group of local riders in California, and eventually grew to become a nationwide organization. Endurance rides around the U.S. and Canada are sanctioned by AERC and span 50 miles or more.

The organization also sanctions limited-distance rides of 25 to 35 miles. AERC rides take participants through scenic trails consisting of all kinds of terrain, and have been the most popular type of trail competition for decades.

In AERC endurance rides, participating horses are examined for soundness before starting out on the trail. Along the ride, they are periodically checked for soundness and for normal physical and metabolic parameters.

Horses that appear lame are excused from competition, while those whose pulse and respiration remain elevated after a 30-minute rest are held until their vitals return to normal.

Once the ride is complete, the horse is checked again for soundness and normal vitals. Horses that pass this final check are given completion status.

The horse-and-rider team who finish first are the winners. However, AERC’s philosophy is “to finish is to win.” Many riders participate without the intent of winning, but just to enjoy the sport. An award for the best conditioned horse is given by the ride veterinarian, based on a horse’s soundness and metabolic status at the end of the ride.

For decades, AERC rides have been huge events. It wasn’t unusual to see 100 participants or more at an AERC event. The recession of 2008 changed that, however, resulting in the lowest rider participation in the history of the sport.

“The high point in ride entries for AERC was 2007,” says AERC President Monica Chapman. “There has since been a downward trend to 2018.”

By 2018, AERC had gone from 20,972 to 14,939 riders over an eight-year period.

The economic downturn of 2008 led the way in bringing participation down, but Chapman attributes the continued fall-off to more horse owners and riders aging out, while newer riders don’t have the time or money to participate in as many events. She also points to the overall rising costs of keeping a horse.

Faced with this reality, the AERC began an effort to boost membership and rider participation.

“Last year, we ran a campaign called Ride One More,” says Chapman. “Anyone who rode one more ride than the year before got a special award.”

For 2020, AERC is running another campaign called Step it Up. “Step It Up rewards members for [things like] trying a new distance, becoming a ride manager, and volunteering for a ride,” she says. “We also have mentorship programs, educational clinics, webinars, and the Green Beans Endurance Challenge Program for newcomers to the sport.”

These new programs seem to be doing the trick. In 2019, AERC’s ride participation numbers went up, along with membership.

“In 2019, our numbers slightly rebounded, despite many event cancellations due to weather,” says Chapman.

Effects of a Pandemic on Horse Trail Sports

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has caused both NATRC and the AERC to cancel many of their planned rides in 2020, the hope is that both sports will continue to see an upswing in participation once events can be rescheduled.

“All organizations are going to experience the financial and societal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Rinne. “While it’s not entirely clear how extensively NATRC will be impacted, we have taken steps to negate what we can by implementing additional participation options for members to remain active with their horses and NATRC, while also respecting Centers for Disease Control recommendations.”

One thing is clear: if new pushes by these two organizations are successful, horse trail sports will continue to prosper for years to come.

This article about horse trail sports appeared in the August 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Saving Horse Trail Sports appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Not many people would consider climbing aboard a horse soon after breaking ribs. But not everybody is Suzanne Hayes, who won the Big Horn 100 endurance ride just six weeks after a fall that resulted in 10 broken ribs (some in multiple places), two fractured vertebrae, a punctured lung and a lacerated liver, and that led to her spending five days in the ICU and 10 more days in the hospital.

In fact, the 67-year-old Arlee, Mont., native was already discussing the possibility of riding the Big Horn—one of the toughest 100-mile endurance rides in the country—with her trauma doctors in the emergency room when they ticked off all the damage.

“I told them, ‘Well, I’ve got a really big 100-mile ride in six weeks,’” Hayes recalls. “‘I’m hoping that we can still plan on that.’ They looked at me like, ‘You gotta be kidding me.’”

Her accident happened while riding a young horse on a routine training ride. The horse stopped in a creek a quarter-mile from home to drink when he suddenly bolted, violently ejecting Hayes. (Hayes and her husband later determined he’d received an electric shock on his sensitive nose from a live fence wire that had fallen into the creek nearby.)

Compromised!

The Big Horn is one of the last old-fashioned 100-mile races.

“It’s a really difficult 100, and it takes a lot of perseverance to get through it,” says Hayes. “You have to pay attention because it’s so remote. I just really like tough rides.”

Riding the Big Horn 100 in such a compromised state didn’t seem like a far-fetched idea to this experienced high-mileage endurance rider. So many factors went into forging ahead with the plan that it appeared the obvious choice, the way Hayes explains it.

Early in 2020, Hayes had offered her horse, Greenbriar Al Jabal (“Atlas”), to fellow endurance rider Ann Hall to ride along with Hayes on Sanstormm.

“Atlas was three for three [in the top five] in the Big Horn [with a win in 2012], and Sans was zero for two,” says Hayes. “I thought this might be a really good opportunity for Ann to come up and ride Atlas with me on Sans. And that would be really good for Sans, because he would learn a lot from Atlas.”

Hall was excited to do it; she and her husband had planned a big two-week adventure. Hayes didn’t want to let her down. While her decision might seem irrational, she is anything but.

“I carefully weighed it out,” says Hayes. “I thought, how many times have I ridden a horse, how many times have I come off a horse, and what was the percentage. And I just felt like the percentage was low enough that I would do the ride.”

From 9 Miles to 100

Hayes didn’t get authorized by her doctors to ride until a week before the Big Horn, and technically didn’t get an OK at all.

“I got a CT scan the week before the ride,” she says. “I’d hoped they’d look at it and say, ‘You’ve healed up really well. We don’t have any problem at all if you ride at Big Horn.’ But they didn’t. They said that my injuries at six weeks were where they should be: my ribs were still separated, and they were worried about my liver, because it takes three months to heal. They said, ‘We can’t tell you that you should ride. We would recommend that you don’t. You really shouldn’t. There’s a risk involved. But it’s your choice.’”

Her final test was a training ride on Sans the week before the Big Horn, trotting and cantering for 9 miles.

“There was a fair amount of pain, but it was tolerable,” says Hayes. “Later on that night, it was a little worse. But I thought, well, I’ve got one more whole week to heal. Week five, I felt there was fairly significant improvement, so I thought that extra week six was going to be even better.”

The Big Horn would be “just” 91 more miles of riding; how hard could it be?

With Deference

Hayes loaded up and pointed her trailer south for Shell, Wyo., basecamp for the August 1st Big Horn.

She took extra precautions during the ride, wearing both a chest protector vest and an inflatable crash vest, should she unexpectedly part from her saddle. She also rode with a Garmin SPOT.

“I had my own SOS basically, because if I activated that SPOT, it automatically went to 911,” she says. “And Ann was riding with me, which was another reason I felt better.”

Hall opened all the gates (there are some 38 gates on the ride), since it was most difficult for Hayes to mount and dismount.

Compared to the prior weeks of drama, the Big Horn ride itself went smoothly. Exhibiting the smarts and patience befitting a rider who has already garnered an American Endurance Ride Conference Pard’ners Award with her previous endurance horse, Kootenai Zizzero, Hayes and Hall strategically stayed in the lead or within stalking distance throughout the ride.

Leaving the last vet check 16 miles from the finish, Hayes felt she had a solid chance to win, but was held back by her impaired condition.

“I had a ton of horse,” Hayes says. “But I couldn’t do anything about it, because I couldn’t ride by myself. When Gabriela Blakeley left our group [to go ahead], I couldn’t go with her, because I couldn’t say, ‘Gabriela, you have to wait and open these gates for me.’”

After the last gate 3 miles from the finish, Hayes turned Sans loose. Texas rider Cameron Holzer kept pace with her, and with extraordinary riding etiquette refused to pass, since Hayes had been ahead of her most of the ride. Those two crossed the finish line in second and third place, in a ride time of 15 hours and 15 minutes.

Tough as Nails

It wasn’t till morning that Hayes learned that Blakeley’s horse, first across the finish line, had not pulsed down in the requisite 30-minute window. That left Hayes the surprised winner of the 2020 Big Horn 100.

Anyone who knows Hayes well always incorporates the word “tough” when describing her.

She took nothing stronger than Tylenol and Aleve during the ride. Elatedly walking up to receive her award at the morning’s ceremony, she gave no indication she’d won one of the country’s hardest rides while mending multiple broken bones.

Hayes credits her friends Tara Rothwell and Lynn Lee for keeping her horses in shape while she was incapacitated. Lee also accompanied Hayes to the ride and crewed for her, as she often does.

While Suzanne Hayes raised the bar awfully high for the majority of endurance riders, Lee, who’s been friends with Hayes for 48 years, is not so surprised at the exploit in the Big Horn 100.

“You’ve got to know Suzie,” Lee says. “I’ve known her forever. And she comes from tough stock. Her dad and brothers were ultra-marathoners, and her mother started in endurance when she was a teenager in Vermont. So it’s in Suzie’s blood. And when she gets it in her head to do something, she does it.

“But she’s way tougher than I am!”

This article about Suzanne Hayes winning the Big Horn 100 appeared in the April 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Winning the Big Horn 100 & Overcoming All appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Will your horse allow you to pick up and swing a rain slicker? The noise and fast-moving fabric on both sides of his body can be spook-inducing. Whether you’re preparing for a trail class that includes the slicker as an obstacle or you need to make sure that you can don your jacket without dismounting during a trail ride, you’ll want to know that your horse is relaxed with the slicker’s sound and movement.

Here, trainer Jessica Dabkowski of Pony Peak Stangmanship in Laporte, Colo., focuses on natural horsemanship techniques while training Mustangs and all breeds of horses. Here, she guides you as you introduce your horse to a slicker. You’ll gain calm, slow and patient training techniques to help you approach and master any new trail obstacle without a big spook.

Before you get started, outfit your horse with a rope halter and long training lead and have your saddle and bridle ready.

Ground Work with a Rain Slicker

Confirm that your horse feels OK with the slicker moving near and around him before you ride with the jacket. While you work from the ground, you’ll be able to see any reactions—whether he steps away, tenses or just stands still and relaxes.

Start by taking the slicker from a post in the middle of the arena. Make sure you have plenty of space to work, so that your horse doesn’t feel “trapped” next to a fence.

Follow Me

Ask your horse to move forward from the halter and lead pressure while fol-lowing you with the slicker. Following an object helps him think of it differ-ently than a predator he must escape. You want your horse to look interested in the slicker, looking at and sniffing it. Let him take in the information.

If your horse is calm with this step, approach him from one side and then the other. Make sure not to stand in front of your horse as you approach his shoulder and side. Allow him to see the slicker and notice his body cues. Note: Be careful not to get too close. You don’t want to be close enough to get kicked.

If your horse seems calm or simply attentive, progress to swinging the slicker around his side, legs and over him. Move slowly. If your horse seems accepting, ask him to move around you in a small circle. Keep the slicker moving beside him, then eventually on him as he moves. Your horse may act differently as something moves while he’s moving.

If at any time your horse tenses, stop and rebuild your horse’s con-fidence by releasing pressure and speaking softly. You are applying mental pressure as you move and touch him with the slicker. Then you’ll help him relax if you stop when he tenses. If your horse is just learning about the slicker, stopping the movement and stimuli before he has a reaction can build his con-fidence. Once he has paused and relaxed, put pressure on again by approaching him with the slicker in the same way that was once daunt-ing. Let him know the slicker isn’t a constantly scary item.

Why stop when you see tension? Many horse owners worry that “you teach what you release.” With this idea, you can’t stop the pressure if the horse is tense or reacting and can only take away pressure if he relaxes. While this can work, the technique isn’t needed in all cases.

In the beginning stages, it’s best to build your horse’s confidence and work to avoid a big spook by stopping the scary experience when you see ten-sion. If your horse reacts in a big way, face your horse, lift up and to the side with your lead rope. This cues your horse to yield his hindquarters. Your horse’s back legs will cross, which slows him and helps him relax. You’ll teach your horse that if he yields his hindquarters, the scary thing will stop.

Saddle Time

If your horse is calm as he follows the slicker and allows the slicker to touch him all over, you’re ready to repeat the steps from the saddle.

Allow your horse to look at the slicker before you pick it up. To start, touch his neck and sides with it. If your horse seems concerned or tenses at any step, stop, calm him, then try again. You can also cue your horse to yield his hindquarters as you ride in a now-familiar response of yielding, then calming.

If your horse accepts the slicker touching his sides, legs and hindquar-ters, swing the slicker around as you would to put it on. If at any point you feel that your horse is too tense, dis-mount and move the slicker in the same way while working from the ground.

When you break down the steps and work slowly and diligently, you’ll teach your horse to accept the noise and movement of the slicker no matter where you stand or sit.

Special thanks to Preston Sander-Ferracane and Bravo for assistance with these photos.

This interview about introducing a horse to a rain slicker appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Rain Ready: Introduce Your Horse to a Rain Slicker appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

To win the world’s longest horse race, Robert Long employed equal parts preparation and smarts. In August, the 70-year-old became the oldest winner of the Mongol Derby, which involves racing more than 600 miles across the Mongolian Steppe, recreating Genghis Khan’s horseback messenger system of the early 1200s. Riding approximately 12 hours each day for eight days, Long beat out 41 top riders from around the globe.

Preparations

Endurance riders make up most of the Mongol Derby crowd, but Long—more of a cowboy—grew up in Wyoming and lives in Idaho. As a kid, he worked cattle and went on horse-packing hunting trips with his family in the Yellowstone-Tetons area. Competition wise, ranch horse versatility is his main sport. It involves ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch reining, ranch cow work and ranch conformation. Long has started many competitive horses for the sport.

So what prompted this cowboy to join the endurance riders a world away?

“It was kind of a lark,” Long admits. While visiting friends, they introduced him to a movie about the race called All the Wild Horses.

“It took me about 20 minutes to decide it was something I should do,” says Long.

After researching the details that fall, Long went all in. “I couldn’t think or talk or behave without worrying or working on the derby,” he says. “It was an all-consuming preparation.”

First, he moved his horse and gear down to Arizona for the winter and made connections in the endurance world.

Long borrowed Arabian horses,riding four every other day, 20 miles per horse, and competed in 50-mile endurance races. When the weather heated up in March, he headed back to Idaho and began conditioning reining and barrel racing horses at a ranch in Cambridge. He worked each horse about 10 miles a day.

“I’d get on a horse at 6 a.m. and still be riding at 8 that night, every day,” says Long.

Next up, he visited past derby veterans, including 2016 winner Marcia Hefker-Miles of New Mexico, who gave him tips for nutrition and water safety, among other things. This included using iodine tablets in the water along with flavoring and electrolytes, plus a daily nutritional supplement. Back in Idaho in the weeks leading up to the race, he tested all his gear, and even slept outdoors.

Starting Out Strategically

The race provides saddles and local Mongolian horses, but riders bring their other gear, including stirrups and fenders. Long also packed a bucking roll from one of his saddles.

“It was instrumental in keeping me in the saddle,” he says. “I’d get on these little waspy Mongolian horses, and they’d crow-hop around and try to squirrel out from under you. Those bucking rolls really did the trick for me.”

After a drawing to determine initial horses, riders picked mounts on a first-come, first-served basis. In all, Long switched horses 28 times during the race.

“The Mongolian horses are heavy in the front end and lighter in the hindquarters,” he says.“Based on my coaching from the previous derby riders, I was looking for a taller horse that was slender and had a big shoulder on him.”

Long’s tips from past winners included befriending the local horse handlers. Small gifts brought from home made quick friends, and the handlers would suggest the best horses.

In addition, Long didn’t follow the safest routes set by the race organizers, instead setting his GPS coordinates to find shortcuts. Sometimes, however, those shortcuts took him away from water sources. On a mountaintop far from the main route that followed a river, the oldest winner of the Mongol Derby met a local woman doing her wash.

“By then I’d learned enough Mongolian words that I could convey that I needed horse water,” he says. “Her two little boys were playing in a galvanized tub of water. She shooed the boys out, and I watered my horse in their play tub. I took pictures of her, and she took pictures of me. It was a really fun experience. I got on my horse and took off, and that’s when I actually moved ahead. I was in the lead from then on. I never looked back after that.”

While many riders slept in gers, or yurts, set up at horse stations, Long preferred to stay with Mongolian families who follow the race and welcome guests.

“I didn’t stay at horse stations and let the rest of the riders catch up with me,” he says. “That would have collapsed my lead.”

Time with the locals also turned out to be a highlight of the race experience.

“That’s the part I enjoyed the most,” Long says. The families displayed amazing hospitality, taking care of his horse and cooking him meals.

Twin girls were sitting on a corral singing songs and watching the sunset as he rode up one night. Their mother made sure he had fresh milk from the family cow before he took off in the morning. Gifts of stickers, barrettes and lip balm were given to the host children.

Racing to the Finish

As with stateside endurance races, vet checks ensured the horses stayed healthy during the race. An international team of all-star vets, including three renowned lameness specialists, checked the horses and dished out stiff penalties for issues they found. Long finished the race with no vet penalties, in part due to a pre-check process he developed.

“Two or so miles out I would slow down, lower the bit out of the horse’s mouth and bring it up under his chin so that the headstall made a halter,” he says. “That gave him time to relax and eat, and then he could drink comfortably. I’d hit the vet stations, and my horses would be calm, their heart rates would be down, and I’d make some fast turnarounds.”

The race is organized by The Adventurists, and Long credits them with excellent organization.

“The message is that preparation trumps youth,” he says of his win. “I really did have some good competition. These guys were professional endurance riders. They kept pushing me, and I thrive on that kind of competition.”

Long finished the race the race two-and-a-half hours ahead of the next rider.

Now that he’s back home in Idaho, this oldest winner of the Mongol Derby plans to have several shoulder injuries that happened before the race repaired. Then he’ll get to work with his 3-year-old ranch horse versatility prospect and do some packing trips.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Long also plans to take a foray into reining.

This article about Robert Long, the oldest winner of the Mongol Derby, originally appeared in the December 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

Further Reading on Endurance

• Four Champions Crowned at Inaugural USEF Endurance National Championships at Broxton Bridge Plantation
• Get Started in Distance Riding with Green Bean Endurance
• Now’s the Time to Get Started in Endurance Riding

The post Horse People: The Longest Horse Race—The Story of the Oldest Mongol Derby Winner appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.