WOW I have had a busy week working with Linda on a fun project for you all. For those of you who were at GEC last October, you will remember how much fun our Harvest Hack was. Chances are for a lot of you, this was your first introduction to trail and distance riding.
It was great to see you all taking an interest in the sport, and comparing heart rates, speeds etc. Many of you keep asking us when we will be doing it again. While we are not planning a specific ride until Thanksgiving of next year (as will now be tradition), we are preparing a mileage program to help guide you through doing it yourselves!
If you WERENT here last year, let me explain. Distance riding is like doing a marathon on horses, but you don't start by running a marathon... you start small, set goals, and track your progress. The point of this is to teach you how to condition you and your horse for long hours of work. This is great if you want to do any sport, not just distance riding! Or maybe you find your new calling?
I have had the pleasure this week of making up the materials... rules, tips, property maps, and starting to maybe look at some prizes? Oh ya, we will make sure there are some great ones again this year!
I don't want to give away all the rules yet, but I will drop some hints.
First off, get your form and fee in ASAP! We will start recording your mileage this coming Monday and the sooner you start, the sooner your miles count. There are quite a few incentives for riding mileage, we will have a tracker in the viewing lounge to see everbodys progress, there will be points that can be cashed in for prizes. There may even be an opportunity or two to attend a real distance event. Did I mention its all closing on the day of the Harvest Hack? So it is a great way to start practising, conditioning and getting to know the course and sports.
We are also planning on hosting an information session/clinic for all mileage riders. Date is still TBA, but it will likely be in May. This will include a walk or ride of the property's trails while discussing health, strategy, upcoming events, and really anything else you want to cover!
Anyone who goes to GEC is welcome to enter. All levels, all disciplines, all ages are welcome (only restriction is kids under 18 must not ride alone... but who wants to anyway when you can bring a friend along?!). You don't need to be mounted to earn miles. You can also earn mileage in the outdoor sand ring if you aren't comfortable on trails yet.
Fee is only $10 and it covers you for the whole season. All the money will be pooled for prizes.
If you want to enter yourself with more than one horse, you need more than one entry (2 horses = $20). If you part board someone, that's ok, both riders can enter, but they will be calculated separately and require separate entries.
Even if you just ride one lesson a week, and cool out with a lap around the cornfields, your mileage will be tracked. Chances are, you are already putting mileage on your horse... just not getting any credit for it!
So if I have sold this to you, hunt me down and get an entry form from me! Even if you have to glue your form to my horse's butt... ok maybe don't do that... hes pretty messy. Linda and Laura also have forms and can take your entry. Get your form and fee in over the weekend and you will be given your info package on Sunday... not a bad head start!
Good luck girls! I cant wait to start watching your progress.
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