Traders 1 = Greater


Houston Area Lone Star Horsemanship


2 = North/North East Texas DH Performance Horses Teddy Jacobs Obediance Training


3 Mos • $70 6 Mos • $125 12 Months • $250


713-562-8846/advertise@swhorsetrader.com


Discover a new sport for you and your horse


The time spent with your horse is precious.


For those who compete in equestrian sports, those few minutes in the ring may not satisfy your crav- ing to spend more hours in the saddle. If you’ve been longing to hit the trails and really ride, it’s time to discover endurance riding. With introductory, fun rides of 10-15 miles,


and then the competitive distances of 25-35 miles (limited distance) or 50-100 miles (endurance dis- tance), there is no doubt this sport will bring you and your horse closer in partnership. The nonprofit American Endurance Ride


Conference, now in its 43rd year, welcomes riders of all ages and equines of all breeds. Most people with a reasonably conditioned horse or mule will be able to complete a 25-mile ride within the al- lowed six-hour time frame. “And they’ll have a fun time, discovering great trails and meeting other endurance riders and their horses,” said AERC Executive Director Kathleen Henkel. AERC rules require that a prize be given to


each finisher - it can be anything from a photo taken during the ride to a T-shirt or certificate or handcrafted item. Often there are prizes for win- ners in varying weight divisions and for the horse deemed best condition in each competition of 25 or more miles. Sound intriguing?AERC has reissued their


16-page Discover Endurance Riding booklet, which is available free upon request at 866-271- 2372 or www.aerc.org/AERC_InfoRequest.


Just a few of the AERC rides across the


U.S. and Canada this summer include: Shamrock Pioneer – run on the historic


trails of southeastern Wyoming, where Na- tive Americans, pioneers and outlaws once roamed the West. This picturesque and chal- lenging ride has a 30-mile and 55-mile op- tion each day, July 1-3. Bandit Springs – Held in the Ochoco


National Forest in Oregon on July 9 and 10, this ride offers distances ranging from 25-75 miles. And, of course, the ride that started it all and


remains THE ride that draws more people to the sport of endurance riding than any other: The Tevis Cup (real name: Western States Trail Ride 100). Begun on a dare in 1955, the riders and horses traverse the Sierra from Squaw Valley to Auburn in a true test of horsemanship and stam- ina.


Taking the first step towards entering the


Tevis—or a 25 mile LD ride—is the easy part. AERC has extensive educational materials (in- cluding its own YouTube channel) and a mentor- ing program that can match up new riders to experienced veterans of the sport. And the rider’s partner?While Arabians


and part-Arabians are numerous, the sport is see- ing a rise in the number of gaited horses, Paso Finos, and other breeds. All equine breeds are wel- come, and it’s typical to see Mustangs, Ap- paloosas, Quarter Horses and even Icelandic ponies at AERC rides. All competitions are run by a ride manager and overseen by veterinarians, known as control


judges, who check over the equine athletes before, during and after the ride to be sure each one is “fit to continue” as they make their way along the course. Hundreds of endurance rides are held annu-


ally around the U.S. and Canada, with everything from small, low-key rides to ultra-competitive races. The nation’s top riders are gearing up for the national championship ride to be held Sep- tember 8-10 in Utah’s Antelope Island State Park. The organization’s national office tracks


miles and points for all members and their horses, and confers annual awards in both regional and national competitions, including a family award and an award given to the rider 65 or older who completes the most miles each year. AERC’s monthly publication, Endurance


News, includes an extensive ride calendar and awards standings each month as well as education articles and features. New members can join AERC at


www.aerc.org/NewMbrReg or by phoning the AERC office, located in “the endurance capital of the world”—Auburn, CA—at 866-271-2371. w


March 2017 SouthWest Horse Trader 37 Mail Card & Payment by 15th. 1 Month • $25


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