"At the start of our program we must ask ourselves why we are doing it. Why do we wish to own a horse, care for it and spend hours riding so that we may go to rides and go for 25 or 50 miles, or more, and get sore and tired. Having thought about this for years and come up with no satisfactory answer, it is time to move on & start the actual conditioning process.""
Frank Palka, DVM
Introduction to Endurance, AGENDA.
Introductions:
Hostess, Speakers and Participants
Introduction of AERC and Explanation of Endurance and Limited Distance divisions:
Setting Endurance Goals
Realistic Short-Term and Long-Term Goals.
How to get to where you want to be from where you are now.
Conditioning
Beginning a Conditioning Program, Basic Conditioning, Judging Fitness
Tack
Importance of proper fit
On the trail
Pacing
Trail safety and courtesy
Danger signs
Potential problems during conditioning or competition
Dangers to the stressed horse, how to recognize and avoid them.
Vet checks
How to present/manage your horse at the vet checks.
Criteria.
What the vets are looking for at the vet checks, the parameters they are checking and why.
How the BC sheet is scored.
During the hold; take advantage of the rest time for your horse
Goals of the Clinic; by the end of the day, Participants should...
*... be ready to begin preparation for their first endurance experience.
*... have some basic understandings of the sport,
*... have thoughts about setting first ride, first year, and long term goals
*... be able to present the horse to the vet, and understand the vet scores
*.. have basic understandings of fitness levels & beginning conditioning programs