.jpg)
Lisa at Laughing Orca Ranch has been getting into Competitive Trail lately, and I cannot read her posts without a little pain.I had a bad experience with CTR. I thought this is such a negative story, and so long ago (2003 IIRC), I shouldn't tell, but after Lisa's experience, I wanted to share mine.
I guess from what Lisa said, there is a difference between NATRC rides and ACTHA rides. I'm not sure ACTHA has a set pace, and I'm not sure they have vet checks. The CTR I've done were sanctioned by NATRC.
I thought Competitive Trail was a neat idea - you not only have to ride 50 miles or so, but you are judged on horsemanship along the way with tests that judges place in your path every so often. I thought, why, any good endurance rider should be able to do this too. It particularly appealed to my sense of competitiveness.My bad CTR experience was not my first.
My first was actually really cool. It was in an area close to home, that I was familiar with, in Olympia, Washington. To my delight, there was a Mounted Orienteering ride going on the same day at the same place. I was trying out CTR my first time, but I could not resist.
After I "camped in" (the CTR people check your camp as well as your horse, to be sure you're camping in a safe manner), I whizzed my truck up the mountain to get the Orienteering map. Of course, I could not do the Orienteering ride officially, because I received the map the night before, and according to CMO rules you are only allowed to see the course map at the moment you begin the competition. I thought, just for fun I could look for a few stations that happened to be on the CTR course. My friends cheered for me, this was a daring feat, they seemed to think. I was sorry to not join them for my heart belongs to Orienteering.
I was riding Mac again. His name is MC Rogue and belongs to a dear friend of mine (who'd better visit me this year as promised!!!!) He's a grade arab from Oregon. He's a total handful on the ground, but magically when you get on him, he seems to feed off the partnership and becomes a trustworthy, fabulously willing horse. His trot is the most ground eating thing I've ever experienced. It's so much like flying it scares the heck out of me. I also should admit that he was, in fact, too much for me at times. Very often I was afraid to put my foot in the stirrup. Sometimes ride managers could not get close enough to us to hand me my map. (Embarrassing.) I informed the CTR ride manager I'm also gonna do the Orienteering course, so don't let that worry anyone when I ride off course on purpose. I felt a lot of eyes on me, as if saying, "Who is this crazy chick, her first CTR and it's not enough for her?"
The important thing was, they allowed it. I suppose it was not in any rule book, yet. And yah, I'm crazy.
Let me add that NATRC also has the strange rule that you cannot get off your horse and walk/jog. Any forward progress must be done mounted. You can get off and backtrack or circle, but not progress down the trail. They try to make everything ultra fair that way I guess. Also, horses are not allowed to camp in paddocks - they must be tied to your trailer. Weird, huh?It worked out beautifully. As I made my way along the open course (the open is a division that is faster and longer), I would swerve off trail with my compass and navigate to an Orienteering station, marking it down on my map. The CTR riders were bewildered, they said, "Hey, wrong way" a lot, and I'd wave at them, "It's OK!" They must have thought I had to pee often, and was very very shy about it.
I happened to be riding a very fit horse, and he had no problem with the extra miles involved. Probably since CTR has a speed limit, that helped us too. (They don't allow riders to ride too slow or too fast - there is a set pace for every division.) I believe the speed limit was 8 mph, strictly enforced. I pulled in and won a ribbon in the end, very pleased and exhilerated, and officially "Crazy."
So when does this story get bad?
My next ride.
To be continued...
(I took these photos of Mac at various endurance/CMO rides. You can also see my crappy old horse trailer! Can you tell which photo is Klickitat Trek?)
.JPG)
9 comments:
I'd love a horse trailer that nice. I have a 1970 stock trailer for a horse trailer. I'd take the one in your picture in a heartbeat.
You write really well. I can't wait to read the rest!!
KT: 2nd photo, where Mac has the blanket on his hindquarters!
I think you've told me this story, hmmm?
The last photo looks like Nevada or Idaho. Is it a(n) Owyhee ride? (It's pronounced with an H sound, right? But it starts with an O, so is it a or an?)
Anyway, CTR sounds to me like a more picky, horrible version of an endurance ride. Maybe as my horse and I get things figured out better it'll appeal, but... we're always dirty, we have pacing problems, and I don't know the "right" way to camp!
When I did a few Montana Competitive trails rides, back in the '80's, they didn't have the obstacles. At the time, the difference between CTR and endurance was that the latter was based solely on speed (with vet checks to ensure equine safety) and the former was more subjective, judged on conditioning and overall horsemanship over a (25-50 mile) distance. ACTHA is totally different in that it is designed for a more casual rider--only 6 obstacles in 6 miles, no speed should be involved (that was one thing that threw Lisa for a loop, the speed of her "group"). Although I like the idea, I have been totally turned off by ACTHA's pushy marketing, and the money factor--you can't compete, even for fun, without joining.
I think since ACTHA is fairly new and in no way affiliated with NACTR, there are just not as many rules, and the rules they do have are very simple and only have to do with the obstacles themselves and fair treatment to other riders, judges and horses.
I had to laugh at your words: "Probably since CTR has a speed limit, that helped us too. (They don't allow riders to ride too slow or too fast - there is a set pace for every division.) I believe the speed limit was 8 mph, strictly enforced."
How did they do that? Like the police do with those speed machines? lol!
I wish ACTHA had similar rules, but then again, not. I don't like so much control. And actually 8mph is really fast. Faster than I prefer to ride on the trail. The ACTHA rides I've done are only 6 miles and are done within 2-2 1/2 hours, so the pace expected to be between 3-4 mph.
On Saturday's ride, I'm sure our pace was more like 5-7 mph, though.
Also, you can basically contain your horse the way you like at your trailer (paddocks, high-line, tied to trailer, hobbles, pens, etc) And noone will come by to see how you are 'running your ship'.
Oh, and I actually like your old trailer. Looks rather roomy and like it had a nice tack room, too. Much nicer than the one I have now.
The photos were great, by the way. You looked like you were really enjoying your horse riding experiences.
~Lisa
OH and I forgot to add that I really like the reason and focus that ACTHA was created and exists. They are not a money making organization, but rather a fundraising organization to help raise money for horse rescues across the country.
The horse rescue I volunteer for, Walkin In Circles in Edgewood, New Mexico would be seriously struggling to feed and care for the rescued horses at their facility if it weren't for the funds that ACTHA sends them, along with the opportunity to host the ACTHA rides, which provides directs funds from ranch/location and stall/camping fees. It all goes to the horse rescue because all of the people working are volunteers.
Oh and most of the money collected from membership fees (only $25 a year, so it's very reasonable) also goes to horse rescues.
I like knowing that when I ride and/or volunteer I am helping needy horses.
~Lisa
I have ridden in one 25 mile CTR when I was in my early twenties. Fortunately, it began at our stable and went around the Air Force Base lands- mountainous, canyon, and mesa- so I didn't have to worry about trailering or overnight provisions. From what I remember, it was around 4 1/2 hours with one, or maybe two, vet checks. Gosh, I remember being very tired afterwards but I did get a belt buckle.
Wazzoo, Actually I loved that old trailer (except for the rust) because it was the perfect design - a 2 horse straight load walk through to tack room (no wall). I tried to find one like it, but newer, and they are out there but expensive. So my next trailer was a 3 horse that I converted to be the exact same walk-thru setup. I just love hanging out in my tack room before/after a ride with my horse. It is a rare trailer that permits that.
Aarene, you are right, and you've heard the story: ) I tried to tell everyone - learn from my mistakes!
Funder, I have no idea how you say that word Owyhee. I never rode in Idaho. That photo is Home on the Range, my very favorite ride, my first, and the first of every season in Washington. Yah, Washington, right about the middle of the state it looks like that. Werid, huh? I'll try to put up more HOTR photos later cuz you need to see how pretty it is there! You say it sounds picky and horrible? Wait til I get further in this story! (BTW, I was warned in advance by endurance riders, but I just had to try CTR anyway.)
Evensong, so that answers my questions. Thanks.
Lisa, how they "enforce" a speed limit: every vet check they look at your time and say "you need to go faster (or slower) in order to not lose points" because they want you to go the "optimal" speed for your division to be fair. You would be able to find your appropriate division and pick your speed - I was doing the "open" which is not normal for a newbie. I made mistakes, as you will see. But boy talk about rules! I will have to try to remember some of the other weird ones.
FV, you'll have to blog about your experience! Which horse did you ride?
Ooooh, I want to hear more about competitive trail riding and orienteering. I'll bet you've got a whole stockroom full of memories you can share. Who cares if they are negative? People have both positive and negative experiences with just about everything.
Post a Comment