So,
you are interested in learning more about Endurance or perhaps looking
at attending your first endurance ride and not sure
how to go about it.
Hopefully we can help answer some of your questions or guide you to
where the info is.
Joining
your local club
Whilst you
can enter endurance events without becoming a member of a local club,
most would agree joining a club is
invaluable
especially if you are new to the sport. There are many
experienced endurance riders that are only
too willing to share helpful
advice and support to get you started or even show you local tracks to train.
Endurance
rides would not be possible without the hard work of Ride Organisers
and Volunteers, without them Endurance
Ridng
would simply not exist. Being involved within your local club will
enable you to learn what happens behind the
scenes and allow
you to give back to the sport. You will also make some great friends
along the way!!
Murrumba
Endurance Riding Club welcomes new members. Our club is a
friendly bunch who enjoy training together and looking
out for one another at endurance events. We hold meetings regularly to
organise up and coming events, We would
like to see you
there.
To join our
club please go to our contact page for
details and membership form and fees
Joining QERA
(Queensland Endurance Riders
Association)
(If
you are in a State other than QLD, please see our links page for the
association relevant to your State)
You
can enter Social, Intro & Training Rides without joining the
State body, such as QERA. However
joining becomes compolsory
when
you are looking at entering your 80km rides. Joining QERA
initially is recommended as it will provide you with insurance
coverage along with the newsletter which will keep you abreast of the
latest ride information and rule changes.
Please refer to the QERA website for further details
Sources
of Information
Joining
a new sport can be daunting and overwhelming, for that reason we
recommend you attend an Education Seminar to learn the
ins and outs of Endurance. Please refer to our ride calendar to see if
one is coming up. Like many of us you will most probably get
bitten by the bug, at this point joining your local club would be a
great start.
There is also a wealth of information readily available, you may find
some at the following locations;
Queensland
Endurance Riders Association (QERA)
QERA has a great 'Helping Hand' section
which covers;
- The Process - Where should I
start
- What should you expect at
your first ride
- Commonly asked questions
- History of Endurance Riding
- Horse Containment Guidelines
- Endurance Ride Etiquette
- The Spirit of Endurance
Riding
- Feeding & Training
the horse for a first Endurance Training Ride
- Strapping the Endurance Horse
- TPR Bay & Vet Ring
Etiquette
They also have a great library of dvd's
and books available to hire free of charge to QERA members (except
postage)
They also have the latest;
- Rule Book
- Newsletters
- QLD Ride Calendar
- Nomination Forms
- Links to Endurance Sites
Please refer to QERA
for further details, see 'Helping Hand' on their navigation menu.
Endurance Riders Official Chat List
Endurance
Magazines - available at your local newsagent or from VINK PUBLISHING
- Endurance Beginner to
Advanced
- Endurance News
What
equipment will I need
(courtesy of Melissa
Longhurst)
Apart
from your float/truck/gooseneck, this is a list of gear that you may
find yourself needing at an endurance ride.
| For
the Horse |
For the
Rider |
Camping |
- Portable
yards/Electric Energised Fence
- Feed
- Water
- Molassas
- Electrolytes
- Rugs - different
thicknesses
- Baby Powder, Vasaline,
White Healer
- Hoof Pick
- First Aid Kit
- Buckets
- Sponges &
Scraper for Strapping
- Sponge for Saddle
- Towels for Strapping
- Stethescope
- Stop Watch
- Spare Halter &
Lead
- Bridle &
Saddle (check for wear)
- Saddle pad/s
- Brush boots
- Spare Shoes/Boots
|
- Membership Card
- Entry Fee money
- Spare Joddy's
- Wet & Cold
Weather Clothes
- Clothes
- Logbook
- Helmet
- Riding
Headlamp/Torch
- & Batteries
- Spare Night
Torch/lantern
- Toiletry Bag &
Towel
- Hat
- Watch
- Sunscreen
- Camelbak or Water
Bottles
|
- Swag
- Tarp/Tent
- Cooking Utensils
- Food
- Water
- Electrolytes
|
A
few points to remember
- Always check your
vehicle/float/gear for wear and tear well before the weekend of the ride
- Always test new gear for fit
and comfort during training and never at a ride
- Remember to plan your rides
well in advance, look at maps and work out where you are going ahead of
time.
- Leave with plenty of time to
arrive at the ride base with your horse and yourself refreshed prior to
pre-ride vetting
- If you need help, don't be
afraid to ask. Everyone has been new at some stage
- Always listen to your horse
and plan/ride accordingly.
Great
Endurance Reads
|
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