Tevis Forum 2011

TEVIS FORUM 2011 ★ 21 P reparing your horse for one of the most challenging equine events in the world is an endeavor that is worth the time, sweat and dedication that it takes in order to cross the finish line. Having a successful Tevis requires a horse that has been trained to, or very close to, its athletic potential. This takes not weeks or even months, but years of exposing your horse to the rigors of trail riding in varying terrain, conditions, and weather. There is both a physical and men- tal preparedness required of both you and your horse in order to have the most successful outcome. The Tevis is not the place for the inexperienced or ill-prepared horse or rider, as the challenges of the course will find the trail-ending weakness in either one of the teammembers, be it horse or rider. Before investing the time and ef- fort it takes to prepare a horse for an event such as the Tevis, it is prudent to assure yourself that you are start- ing with a horse that has what it will take to withstand the physical and mental demands of a 100-mile ride. This includes attributes such as cor- rect conformation and size, and a temperament suitable for your capa- bilities as a rider. This is where getting professional help, unless you are an experienced horseman, is well worth the investment. There are experienced breeders and horsemen that can help you select the horse most suitable for your size, riding ability and experi- ence level. It is very disappointing to spend countless hours on a horse only to find that the horse is not suitable for endurance riding either due to struc- tural unsoundness or not being safe enough to suit the skill level of your riding ability. Do not set yourself up for failure by choosing the inappropri- ate horse for yourself or for the sport of endurance riding. Once you are reasonably certain you have the best equine candidate you can find as your partner for tak- ing on the challenges of the Tevis, it is time to start conditioning both you and your horse for endurance riding. If your horse has no mileage base training, you should start with more frequent, shorter conditioning ses- sions. The purposes of these training sessions are to expose your horse to the many obstacles one encounters on the trail and to begin to build muscle, bone and soft tissue strength. This can take months, and it is wise at this point not to rush through your horse’s training program. A bad experience on the trail can set a young horse back. Either getting over-fearful of ob- stacles or having a rider come off will cause many long term behavioral problems with the horse that may be difficult to overcome. Also, causing the horse to become over-tired and discouraged mentally can negatively affect a horse’s winning attitude. Spending extra time in the early months and years of your condition- ing program will pay off in the long run. Before attempting to take on the most challenging course in endurance riding, it is a very good idea to gain experience and physical stamina by riding other shorter distance endur- ance rides. Riding in 50-mile rides will help both you and your horse physi- cally prepare your horse for the rigors of longer distance endurance riding. If possible, it’s a good idea to com- T raining for the Tevis by Robert Ribley Robert Ribley is a rider/trainer with 36 years experience, 11 Tevis buckles, and over 29,000 AERC miles. He’s also trained two Haggin Cup winners. (photo by Silent I)