Tell us about your horse. When/how did you come to get him/her?   He was a trade-in on a mare. He was bred by Oak Hill Arabians, trained by Robert Ribley. I got him from David St. Charles.

What is your horses breeding?   Sire: Le Fire. Dam: Catch the Wind.

Sex:  G
DOB:  1985
Horse height:   14.3
Approx. Weight:   840
Color:  Bay
Shoe size:  0
Easyboot size:  0

Why did you decide to purchase this horse (or if you didn't purchase, why did you choose to use this horse in endurance)?   He came in a trailer, sound and conditioned.

Did you do endurance with any other horses before this horse?  Yes.

How many different horses have you ridden in this sport?  About 10.

Do you participate in any other horse sports or activities?  I used to show. I currently pack into the backcountry. I've owned a few racehorses.

How many years have you been involved with horses?  56 years. In endurance?  23 years.

What got you interested in endurance riding? What was it that kept you interested?  I didn't have to wait around for something to happen. I still don't have to wait around.

How old was your horse when first started? First ride?   Started at 3 years, first ride around 5 years.

What mileage distance did you start with?  50.

How long till you top tenned or 'raced'?   3 rides.

How much time off do you give between ride seasons?  Sometimes 60 days, not always.

If you have done 100's, how much time off do you give after doing one? What is your schedule in the month leading up to the ride?  I ride this horse all the time, he got 1 day off after the VC 100 2003. I just don't ride him too hard after a ride. I ride pretty hard up to a week before a 100. A multiday is good before a 100 (2 weeks before).

If you have done multidays, how much time off do you give after doing one? What is your schedule in the month leading up to the ride?   Same as 100's – 1 day off after the Outlaw Trail 5 days in 2000.

What kind of tack do you use?  Wintec English, woolback pad, Dr. Bristol Pelham bit.

What kind of shoes do you use on your horse?  Steel shoes with pads.

What kind of problems have you encountered?  None.

What was the worst or most severe injury your horse has had?   Jumped a barbed wire gate (not high enough!) cut his knee and had stitches.

How did you work thru it?   Rode him a week later.

Describe the best ride you ever had on your horse?  Outlaw Trail 2000 – placed 8th overall and got his 5000 miles on first day.

Describe the worst day you ever had with your horse?  None.

What was your most humbling experience?  Fell off on 2nd day of Outlaw Trail. Got back on!

What lessons have you learned along the way that you feel are the most important?  Ride smart, ride your own horse, don't let others influence you; don't find out your horses breaking point!

Where does your horse live?  Dirt lot at home.

What kind of environment did your horse spend the first few years of its life in?  Pasture with herd.

What are your horse's strengths? Weaknesses?  He's plain tough. He's tough and hard headed!

What advice do you have for new riders?  Ride slower than you think you should.

Looking back, what would you do differently?  Nothing.

What do you feel you did right?  I'm easy to pull.

What was your highest goal for your horse? Did you achieve it?  5000 miles, yes and still going.

Describe your horse's personality? How is it like or unlike yours?  Hard headed, we both are.

What kinds of rides do you enjoy the most?  100's.

Describe your electrolyte protocol.  I feed salt in grain all the time, dose AM before ride with prepared electrolytes, after each drinking during ride and after.

Is there anything special about your nutrition program you attribute to your success?  Good hay, calcium/phosphorus balance, worm every 60 days, float teeth regularly.

Are there any major changes you've made to your nutrition program (i.e., changed from one hay to another, added something special) that you feel made a noticeable improvement or solved a problem?  Just added senior LMF feed when he got to be about 15.

What kind of supplements (if any) do you use?  LMF Senior.

Do you give any kind of joint products?  No.

How far do you usually travel to rides?   Anywhere from 10 miles to 1400 miles.

Do you go to many rides outside of your region?  Some.

Name three people involved in the sport of endurance that you look up to, and why?   Trilby Pederson, she's a master at doing long rides. Cliff Lewis, a man who could write a book and hates rule as much as I do. Becky Hart, just simply the best.

Did you have a mentor or first trail partner? Tell us about him/her/them.   Vicky Sherwood (now Cliff), Pat Fitzgerald – 2 of the best riders ever in the sport.

To many, the sport is changing not necessarily for the best. Too many inexperienced people who think a horse is a race car. Too many rules to try to control them! This hurts everyone. AERC needs to wake up and seriously start an educational program that addresses the issues of under-trained horses, under-trained riders, poor feeding, lax worming programs, lack of routine maintenance of endurance horses, poor trailering practices. These factors all contribute to equine injuries and deaths. If they don't – endurance riding will be history.

Return to Top