1.
TO COMPLETE IS TO WIN; TO WIN IS SWEETER’
Sandy (chief steward) says 'your minimal time is forty-five minutes', 'Mr T this is not a Race but a 5km kids walk.' I think 'why pick on me?'
Here we are ,at the start of the very tuff 5km at Smythesdale ,THE REEF ride. Check your watches and ,ready set go.
We had two of our granddaughters in this ride, Camille leading Maddy on 'Stubby', and I leading Lilly on 'Bugle Boy'. Off we walk down a lovely sandy track, right turn up the road for a few meters, then left . Lily watching for arrows making sure we didn’t go too fast , we didn't want to be disqualified. (Haa, me walk 5km in any less than 45 min, couldn’t happen.)
On we head on this grueling 5km ride. What a lovely ride , 'I really like walking thru these trees Tone, you can smell them' sais Lil. ' Look at the hoof prints see how they fill up with water? she chats away. 'OH OH, watch out for that tree' 'can we get around it without hurting 'Bugle boy'?' YES!! We can. 'yeehaa,' she says 'how cool is this?' 'Phew', say I.
Are we going to fast for 'Bugle'? 'No Lil' I say, as I am dragged along at 9km an hour. Bugle is just fine, not sure about me.
'How are you Tone are you alright,!?' Lil declares a few moments later. 'Yep am ok', I check in with her. We keep going and come to a seat along the track. I go to sit a while, only to hear the shril of Lil as she looks over her shoulder to our nearest competitor. 'NO you wont they will catch us. Get up Tone.'
I wonder to myself, what the future holds for this young rider.
Back to the ride, there’s another arrow, we are on course. There’s the check point . Lollies and water, yippeee. Lil checks 'Bugle Boy', feeling under his blanket, checks his feet and legs, strokes his necka nd ears and offers him a carrot. 'Shoes are still on' sais Lil.(they had better be I only shod him last tues.) All good, so she sips some water, passes 'Bugle' the cup,ok ,no he doesn’t want any. So she hands the cup to me sighing 'well you can drink it Tone ,but not too much ,you don’t want a sore tummy.(ME needing more than a mouthful of water,) 'ok Lil'.
Three lollies each was all Lil allowed, we don’t need a sore Tummy, we will eat when we get back. COME ON let’s go they might catch us, Bugle has had a rest ,(what about me ) oh well, off we go.
We start passing the rest of of them coming up to the check point, we say hi as we go on our merry way, I look up and see Camille, Maddy and 'Stubby' coming. I say’s to Lil 'we might walk back with Nan and have a chat'. ' NOOO!! We won’t... Bugles had his rest just keep going and look straight ahead and don’t stop and Talk' she professes. We pass that seat again, and I am urged onward. (WHAT ABOUT ME DRAGGED ALONG COMING HOME AT A 14 KM AN HR WALK.,,,what about me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
We get to the corner, I say to Lil 'which way now, straight ahead, left or right?' Now these next words brought home again to me how much this seven year old listens , and has listened since she was three and first came to a pre ride talk.
'We turn right, didn’t you listen to Sandy? He said come back the way we went out. Just follow the Bugles hoof prints back. Those are his there.'
So I followed his hoof prints back to the finish where Lily and Bugle both gave their victory salute. I was again reproached by the R/O with ‘’Didn’t Sandy say this wasn’t a race!!?' ' Lucky I wasn’t vetted' I gasped in reply, catching my breath.
The way Lily has taken to endurance is astounding, she goes to every pre ride talk, listens and absorbs everything said. If there are ignorant people talking around her she will tell them to shh and listen.. it's important. She cares for her mount and is competitive/ If there is something wrong with the track we stop and fix it so no one will get hurt, even if this means losing any chance of winning, or placing. She straps her horse, vets her horse, feeds ,checks water ,watches till they have had a wee, can tell if the horse has a problem. She watches as many horses in the vet ring as she can, knows a lame horse, tired, or stressed horse. All this in a 7 yr old. This is why we push 5km rides, this is what our youth building blocks are made of. This is our future rider. She has been shown the right way and her compassion will take her to the top. Her sister Maddy is on her way as well.
To these kids who brave the cold ,rain, wind, as they did at Maldon ,the sun and fine weather down at Toongabbie, the nice mild good riding weather at Smythesdale. What a credit they are to the sport of endurance.These kids do the same conditions as we do, and want to do more, how cool is that, .
5km is far enough for our kids and 'us' but plenty to keep them encouraged and enthusiastic for the sport, in hope that one day they will go 20k or even 40k...and from there it will be easy to see them go 80k+
Regards Tony and Camille.
2.
My first big endurance ride, by Tom Reay
My name is Tom reay and I am 8yo.On saturday the 6th of March my mum Georgie and step dad Greg and my pony Huey went to Majorca. I was so excited about doing my first 20km ride. Mum's friend Rachael said mum could ride her horse Banjo and Rach was riding her horse Big Charles. We got to camp about 12.00 and set up our yards. Then all of a sudden it started to rain, really heavy rain than it started to hail and the hail stones were huge. My mum and I tried to put Hueys rug on but he was rearing and going crazy so mum said 'quick Tom get in the float'. I was sad because once before I was going to do a 15km ride but it was raining aswell and the track got washed away. It stopped raining and hailing so I begged mum to ride and she said. ok.
I took Huey to the vets and he got all A,s and 1,s so I was happy. The only thing Huey didnt like were puddles and there were lots of them.
We set off at 3.15 and it was awesome. Mum nearly fell off even before we got out of the gate because Banjo did a big shy. I laughed and mum looked a bit cross. Huey was so good, but he did get a bit tired and I had to get off twice and lead him through some big puddles.When I tried to go a different way to avoid a puddle, Huey fell on his knees and sort of cantered threw the mud and water it was a bit scary but fun and I didnt fall off. But Big Charles got a bit annoyed and reared up and tried to kick us cos he was just so frustrated looking after a small pony and a fluffy quarter horse riding 8kph, it was funny, we all laughed so much.
We got back to camp and Greg helped me strap Huey. I took him to the vets and he got A,s and 1,s again. I was so so happy.When I grow up a little bit I want to become an endurance rider for Australia and also be a horse vet and a builder. I am going to do a Quilty when I am 12. I love horses and I LOVE endurance riding..... By Tom Reay
3.
VICTORIAN ENDURANCE RIDERS ASSOCIATION
My name is Tom reay and I am 8yo.On saturday the 6th of March my mum Georgie and step dad Greg and my pony Huey went to Majorca. I was so excited about doing my first 20km ride. Mum's friend Rachael said mum could ride her horse Banjo and Rach was riding her horse Big Charles. We got to camp about 12.00 and set up our yards. Then all of a sudden it started to rain, really heavy rain than it started to hail and the hail stones were huge. My mum and I tried to put Hueys rug on but he was rearing and going crazy so mum said 'quick Tom get in the float'. I was sad because once before I was going to do a 15km ride but it was raining aswell and the track got washed away. It stopped raining and hailing so I begged mum to ride and she said. ok.
I took Huey to the vets and he got all A,s and 1,s so I was happy. The only thing Huey didnt like were puddles and there were lots of them.
We set off at 3.15 and it was awesome. Mum nearly fell off even before we got out of the gate because Banjo did a big shy. I laughed and mum looked a bit cross. Huey was so good, but he did get a bit tired and I had to get off twice and lead him through some big puddles.When I tried to go a different way to avoid a puddle, Huey fell on his knees and sort of cantered threw the mud and water it was a bit scary but fun and I didnt fall off. But Big Charles got a bit annoyed and reared up and tried to kick us cos he was just so frustrated looking after a small pony and a fluffy quarter horse riding 8kph, it was funny, we all laughed so much.
We got back to camp and Greg helped me strap Huey. I took him to the vets and he got A,s and 1,s again. I was so so happy.When I grow up a little bit I want to become an endurance rider for Australia and also be a horse vet and a builder. I am going to do a Quilty when I am 12. I love horses and I LOVE endurance riding..... By Tom Reay
3.
VICTORIAN ENDURANCE RIDERS ASSOCIATION
From 5km social granny walk to 400km marathon.
The concept of the 5km ride is thanks to Marty and Jenny De Groote
Thistle, Marty and Jenni's niece and our granddaughter, Lilly, did their first 5km, ride at Toongabbie, Gippsland. We now hold 5-6 of these little ripsnorter rides a year. They give the kids a goal, something to do, and they love looking after their ponies. Gran, Grumps, Uncle, Aunty, Mum and Dad, they all have a ball too. This is after all a family sport, that allows young and old to enjoy.
This 5km event is open to any rider. Also at most ride weekends is a 20km SOCIAL ride for the people and kids who want to have some fun, with a little more time to take in the ride and the events of the weekend. This allows those considering becoming a member a taster. This is a natural step up for the 5km also.
From 5km to 20km and onward to 40km Training Rides, an easy progression as you go. 40km rides are Endurance Training Rides for new up and coming members and professional riders. Some riders continue to only ever choose 40km as their distance and are rewarded for such effort - this is after all not a walk in the park. 40km rides are the step before Endurance Rides. A novice rider and horse should complete 2x40k minimally rides prior to entering an 80km. These rides allow preparation, fitness training, education and understanding of the sport at a deeper level.
------ ENDURANCE RIDES,------These range from 80km,up wards of 160km, to marathons, up to 400k. ,These rides are only attempted by qualified riders and members. For more on riding at the elite level read our 100miler articles. We must emphasise however that this sport is open to all, professional, or for fun and personal achievement. With the correct preparation most horses can give 80km a go.
For more on Endurance riding, go to the AERA web site. And look up your state.
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