Sponsored Endurance Rider for The Tack Shop
Meet Gini / 2007 Accomplishments / 2008 Goals / List of Tack and Clothing for Endurance Riding
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My name is Gini Agnew and I live in Piedmont, SC. My husband James and I own AGNEW ARABIAN FARMS. Together we raise and train Arabian horses on our 40-acre property. I am also an American Riding Instructor Association (ARIA) Certified Instructor specializing in Endurance riding. I have logged 4000 competitive miles in endurance since 1993. I have also competed in many competitive trail competitions. But my passion has always been for the endurance ride. Why? It is a personal choice as the two competitions are parallel in many ways but very different in a competitive way. The endurance ride can be considered a race but it is a race of the truly gifted rider, as you must pace the ride for 50 –100 miles. The endurance horse is vetted/evaluated consistently throughout the ride and only completes if ‘Fit to Continue’ regardless of speed. A Competitive Trail ride is a paced ride of 25-35 miles and graded on the condition of your horse at completion for awards. The typical Competitive Trail competition of 25-35 miles is considered ‘Limited Distance’ for endurance or ‘Training’. There are rewards for riding both types of competitions and I admire and respect both. Confusing!?! It can be…but here are the REAL differences: Endurance is a RACE and to complete you must be ‘Fit-to-Continue’ after being evaluated throughout the day by the qualified veterinarians. To WIN you must be the first across the finish line within the ‘Fit to Continue’ criteria. There is a MAX time limit to finish but not a Minimum. Competitive Trail is a PACE and you must not only be 'Fit to Continue' but also be as good if not better than you started according to a vet opinion. To WIN: The judge must consider your horse the least affected by the course. It is more of a judged event. There is a time limit to complete the course (Min and Max). Endurance riding is defined by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) as "An athletic event with the same horse and rider covering a measured course within a specified maximum time." Endurance rides are races in which the distance will be between 50 and 100 miles. The ride is covered in a single day. A shorter course, called Limited Distance, ranges between 25 and 35 miles. The horse with the fastest time is the winner, providing the horse meets the 'Fit to Continue' criteria as determined by a veterinary staff. The horses are monitored by veterinarians throughout the ride at pre-determined check areas and will be disqualified from the ride if they are unsound or metabolically unfit. Each ride has mandatory rests or 'holds' for all the horses throughout the ride. Some rides are longer than 100 miles but are completed over a period of several days with the horses typically covering 50 miles per day. These rides are called Pioneer rides. Most endurance rides also have a shorter novice ride of about 25 miles. These rides are not considered “Endurance” rides by AERC but are referred to as Limited Distance rides and are considered to be a training ride. Although endurance rides are technically races, many (if not most) riders participate for completion rather than placing. To these riders the satisfaction of completing 50 or 100 miles on a sound horse is the prize. To learn more about endurance riding go to www.endurance.net or contact me: vamarie@bellsouth.net I am an official AERC mentor for the SouthEast. |
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| ENDURANCE EVENTS: For official AERC schedule of events please go to: http://www.doublejoy.com/erol/Calendar/ |
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Agnew Arabians 2007 Updates and Accomplishments: TRIPROOF
Steve and Triproof rode two 100 mile rides together. The first one was an international “Team” ride where they competed as an AERC team for the Southeast. They came in first place. Ironically, another horse of ours, Golden Lightning, was also in that race with new owner, Jan Worthington. They rode the FEI Team event and were first place in their category as well. The 2nd 100 mile ride for Steve and Triproof was the Carolina Ride over the Thanksgiving weekend. The team competed in the Regional 100 mile Championship. Although they were tied for first place they conceded to Reserve Championship, as they do not allow for ties. The next milestone for the new team is the Presidential Invitational 100 mile ride in Abu Dabi. They are currently getting ready for this challenge and getting passports, etc. Triproof and Steve are one of three teams from the USA to be invited. The event will be held at the end of February. AGNEW ARABIAN FARMS Back at the “Ranch” we have been actively working on getting some young horses on the trails and to get back into competition. It takes years to build a solid foundation on a young horse if you want to do it correctly. We like to build this foundation to keep a sound horse with a good mind instead of “racing” a young horse just for the sake of competition.
The current horses that are in training for endurance are: Chance of Freedom (Freedom), BAF Cat Abu (Sonny), Chancez Czar (Czar), Chance of Trad (Trad), and Moon’s Cygnature (Buddy).
With myself riding Freedom I sponsored Taryn on all her rides and Freedom is showing great potential to be a sound-minded mount for Jr's as well. He has completed 3 rides all in great condition. He is currently in training for a 50 mile ride. He will also be in the show ring this year with student, Hannah Bergen. My husband James rode his horse, Sonny, at the Hallelujah 55 mile ride and did quite well. Sonny is currently being used as a lesson horse. We hope that he can not only do the endurance trails with Jr’s and also work in the show arena. Czar has been in training for endurance this past year. He was the horse chosen to participate in the Clinton Anderson 3-day Clinic held at Clemson. After 3 days of intense training, Czar is light, responsive and a bit less reactive. He will be a great Endurance mount this coming year.
I jumped out of the box (and some say, into the fire!) and tried some “Reining” with Trainer, Joey McRae. We are still working on the process with “Flirt With Chance” and “A Fine Lace” (Flirt & Lacey) we hope to show our stuff sometime this year. The horses that we have bred have done well their new owners: PW September Hero with owner Patsy Gowen 9 top-tens 2 Wins 2 Best Condition See more about Hero at his page: www.endurance.net/agnewarabians/2007/hero.html Fancy That Chance with owner Liz Galloway Five top-tens 100% Completion An Angels Chance with owner, Stephanieanne Smith 3 Top-tens 100% Completion You can see more on our Competition page at: www.endurance.net/agnewarabians/competition |
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We are excited to have several plans this year in all different aspects of horses and horsemanship. Endurance: We plan to keep four – five horses in competition this year. Due to the fuel prices, we plan to stay closer to home and concentrate on finishing rather than “competing”. We feel this is the first step to creating a sound and solid endurance horse. This will be the first full year of competition for Buddy, Freedom, Sonny, Czar and Trad. The main goal will be finishing and the secondary goal will be to get them in condition for 50 mile rides and multi-day rides. Current rides that are planned will be the Sand Hills and Biltmore. In addition, horses to be started on trail are: Traveler, Lacey and Wind.
Shows: The farm plans to be active participants in most of the local shows including: Carolina Horse Show Association Shows, the South Carolina Dressage Association, AHA Western Carolina Shows at Clemson, Clemson University Equestrian Team Schooling Shows, AHA Reg. 12 Youth Jamboree and the Foothills Riding Club Dressage shows. Hunter Paces: HP’s are great for training our young horses or horses that are getting ready for competitions. The Western Carolinas Hunter Pace Series offers great trails and friendly competition for all levels. We hope to get to a few of these this year as time allows. Higher Education: We are firm believers in constant education. This includes horsemanship and riding skills. We don’t know it all and never will but will always strive to learn more in different areas of equine interest. Increased knowledge not only improves our own skills but we are also able to pass our knowledge onto others in the lesson program. This year we plan to get more educated working with local trainers, Carolyn West in the Dressage discipline and with Joey McRae in the Reining area. We also learn a lot from the Clinics at the AHA Youth Jamboree and in the past we have been lucky to attend clinics like Clinton Anderson and Road to the Horse with winning trainer, Chris Cox. We hope that we can attend a high level clinic this year as well. In addition, this year we are able to get RFD TV and can take advantage of many clinicians that are featured. The main motto here is: Never Stop Learning! |
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of Tack and Clothing for Endurance Riding Endurance Riding is all about being comfortable. For you AND your horse. Here are my basic suggestions for outfitting the endurance team: Horse: Note: There are no specific restrictions or requirements in AERC riding. I know someone that rides bareback! For International (FEI/USEF) Riders there are a few minimal requirements as having caged stirrups and collared shirt. Saddle: It is so important that your saddle properly fit your horse. A poor fitting saddle will cause pain for your horse and will not allow him to move freely beneath you. Obviously, this would hamper his ability to excel in any sport. You also want your saddle to fit you well. The Tack Shop offers professional saddle fitting for you and your horse. Comfortable, well-fitting, and lightweight saddles are strongly suggested. Saddles are so personal that I could never make a recommendation of a particular model for you and your horse. I know that Wintec’s are very popular…I personally have ridden in the Wintec models and liked them very much. I currently ride in a Stubben Survival. It is what works for my current horse and me. It’s also nice to have lots of D rings for attaching/hanging “extras”. The stirrups in the endurance saddle are usually wider than your average stirrups similar to a western style for comfort and stability. Girth One that does not rub and fits well. Again, every horse is different. There are many choices available depending on your particular horse’s needs. The following is a short list of some available girth types: - Mohair: Considered the least likely to rub/chafe, pinch or roll. Made from Goat Hair and comes in string/cord style - Woolback: Provides the most padding and comes with elastic on both ends for extra comfort. - Biothane: Light, thin easy to clean and keep clean. Doesn’t get hot and won’t absorb moisture/sweat - PVC: Durable/Easy to clean. Is a “waffle-like” material so it has better airflow than regular neoprene. - Neoprene: Rubberized foam material that easy to clean and has minimal moisture absorption. - Leather: Most endurance riders avoid leather, as it WILL get wet. Save it for the show ring. I personally like the Professional Choice model with elastic on both ends for my current endurance horse and all my horses in training/lesson horses as well. TIP: If your horse is “girthy” or tends to get rubs….use a little “Show Sheen” just behind the elbow and it will slide instead of rub. Replace your girth often especially if you are using it for miles on end…it is one of those VERY important pieces of equipment that you just cannot do without and needs to be in very good condition. Saddle Pad There are many saddle pads available on the market. The rule here is comfort for your horse, lightweight, breathable and can hold up for miles on end without losing all the above mentioned attributes. I personally like the natural wool-back pads by Toklat. The wool back offers much comfort with lightweight, moisture wicking properties. It is easy to care for and lasts a long time. Some pads can be purchased with an optional “Velcro pocket” for ultra-cell inserts made of high-density foam that adds extra concussion protection. There is also an optional “high profile” type pad that offers wither protection for high-withered horses. Toklat also offers a less-expensive “cool back” pad that is a polyester fabric. Recently there has been a big market in high-dollar, high-tech type pads that can cost up to $200. I have not personally tried these pads so I cannot make any recommendations on them. My theory is to go back to basics (and reality) and use what works and has worked for many years and many miles at reasonable cost. Remember that you must REPLACE old pads when needed. Bridle/Bits/Reins BRIDLES: Most endurance riders use Bio-thane or Beta-thane type bridle that is a combo halter/bridle. You can usually get an assortment of colors and styles to suit you and your horse. Some models are even the bitless type and are very popular for horses that can be ridden in hackamore type bridles as this affords the horse more ability to eat/drink on the trail. BITS: Any type of bit can be used in endurance but remember that a really harsh bit does not stop any better than a well-trained horse with a lighter bit and better hands. Do your homework at HOME. For many people, bits are a largely misunderstood subject. I have seen horses with bloody mouths that have been disqualified at rides. There are books and videos available at The Tack Shop that thoroughly explains bits and their use. REINS: As for reins there are many nice materials available for the endurance/trail rider. My favorite are the braided rope type reins as you can get a good grip on them without gloves and if you get wet you can still hold on to them. Bio or beta-thane type reins are available and I have used them and will use them occasionally but usually need to use gloves and if I get wet it is very difficult to hang on to them, as they are very slick. Accessories: SADDLE PACKS: Several models and styles are available that are suitable for any type/model/style of saddle. Make sure it fits securely and that you try it BEFORE a competition! Nothing is worse than being in a pack of 50 horses galloping down a trail and your saddle pack is bouncing off your horse! Stow-Away Packs by Easy Care are very popular and can fit many styles of saddles. Saddle packs should be able to hold water bottle (s), Electrolytes, Rider Card, Easy Boot and any other comfort care you need for hours out on the trail. Most rides are loops back into camp in 12-15 miles. Although you need to be prepared you do not need to carry the “kitchen sink”. Remember to travel light and efficiently. In an average endurance ride you will be on trail for one-three hrs for a “loop”. Ride management will be monitoring you on trail and will know if you have come back into camp or not and sometimes have checks on-trail as well. There are also other horses and people around you at all times…you are never too alone for too long. Here is a short list of items to carry on trail (remember this is for an endurance ride where you will be monitored throughout the competition and not just trail riding on your own): Ride card…(a ‘report’ card for your horse before/during/after ride to monitor the horse’s heart rate, hydration levels, soundness, & overall condition) - a must Water Electrolytes Easy boot Medications Snack (nuts, power bars) Other items: Emergency kit: Pre-purchased kits usually contain all the necessary items you might need in an emergency. Sanitary Pads for compression on cuts Baling twine (tie to saddle) Knife Identification/insurance information PROTECTIVE BOOTS: Any type of boot can be used but it must be removed prior to any vet exam, including bell boots. Look for a boot that does not build up heat and does not chafe. If needed, endurance riders use a splint or ankle boot made of either neoprene or other type of porous material that can be easily cleaned. Look for a boot that is easy to take off at vet checks and clean. If you use boots on your horse, make sure they DO NOT RUB! Be careful on sandy rides and make sure to take them off at all vet stops and rinse out well before putting them back on. I have found that good farrier work will usually replace any boots you think are necessary. But sometimes boots are necessary in very rocky areas to protect the legs. Ice Boots: Useful as an emergency leg cooler or for preventative therapy after a long hard ride. Can be used in-between loops during the ride and afterwards for preventative therapy. Not necessary but sometimes nice to have. Breastplate: A good safety item in mountains plus it doubles as a place to hang things. A must-have if you use a martingale. Crupper: Not required but can be used if you need it. Some riders find it useful for riding in the mountains. Again, this depends on your horse and your personal needs. Heart Rate Monitor: Useful training tool recommended to learn pacing and your individual horse’s condition. A hand-held type model is helpful in the vet check area. Sponge On A Rope: A very necessary item for hot rides. It is very important to keep the working horse cool and having a sponge on a rope to dunk into a stream/river is a useful tool. Remember to practice at HOME with dunking and pulling a sponge up onto your horse. Keep the cool water on the neck and head. Electrolytes: Necessary to replenish the salts/minerals lost during heavy competition. Administer with 60cc Syringe mix with Applesauce, Yogurt. Again practice at home. Many brands are available. Do your research and find what works for you & your horse. Easy Boots: Great for emergency shoes during competition. There is not always a farrier available during the rides. I always carry one in my saddle pack. Remember to fit your horse and know how to use it. RumpRugs/Blankets: Rump rugs are useful on those cold rides where you need to keep the rump warm especially during the vet checks where sometimes you must stand in line. Keeping the rump warm will help prevent the horse from stiffness and/or elimination. A good rump rug will be waterproof, will not slide during riding and can be rolled up when not needed. Blankets are nice to have especially if the weather is cool and when your horse has worked hard and long miles then must stand in camp over night. It helps keep those hard worked muscles warm and prevent stiffness. Make sure your blanket fits your horse well and is waterproof in case it rains. Blankets can also be used in the vet check areas in-between loops during the ride to help keep your horse warm and/or cover the horse, saddle/tack while in the vet area. Hay Bags: A hay bag that will keep your hay good and dry is so nice to have at camp during the vet checks. Horses need to eat during their rest periods during competitions. Most endurance riders will offer wet beet pulp mixture w/grain and/or hay. A hay bag can be taken into the vet area while you wait for the vets so your horse can be eating. RIDER First and foremost is COMFORT. Breeches: Any breech that is comfortable for YOU is what matters. I do not recommend jeans. My personal favorite is Irideon. Tops: Comfort again…anything comfortable and make sure the “girls” are taken care of as well. Irideon has a nice no-bounce Sport Bra that is very comfortable. Boots/Shoes/Socks: Comfort, wearability - waterproof helps too. Anything goes here, even sneakers…although I highly recommend AGAINST sneakers as I have been stepped on in the vet area during a competition with all the high level activity and even in good boots it was not fun. An extra set of boots/socks at camp is nice to change into halfway during the ride. For socks I like the Wool type for winter and the On-Course for summer. Half Chaps: Many riders find that half-chaps helps prevent lower leg rubbing and gives a firmer grip in the saddle. I used to ride in them but have improved my riding level that I do not need them any longer. If you need them they are a big help…better to be comfortable than sore and rubbed. Ariat makes the Terrain half chap which is very breathable and cool. Helmet: WELL fitting and lightweight is the key here. The Tack Shop is great at helping fit a good quality helmet. Most rides require a helmet. Gloves: Gloves are optional but are helpful on colder rides, or if you need extra help in controlling your horse they give more grip |
The Tack Shop - 499 South Pleasantburg Drive - Greenville, SC 29607 - 864.271.7121 - Driving Directions - E-mail
Open M-F, 10-6, Sa 10-3, Su 1-5 and by appt.
Triproof was sold to Steve Rojek
from Vermont. Steve is a high-level endurance rider
with many wins in AERC as well as International FEI
rides. We were thrilled that he was able to purchase
Triproof and take him to higher levels.
Buddy is leased by Jr. Rider, Taryn
Lorey (pictured left) and coached by me. The team has been showing all
year and racked up several milestones including the
Clemson University Team Championship, Carolina Horse
Show Association Championships, Res. Championship AHA
Open Event Incentive program and CUET High Point
Champion. After many successes in the show ring, Taryn
wanted to branch out and try out the Endurance World. I
rode Freedom as Taryn rod Buddy to complete the Biltmore
30 mile ride as their first Endurance Competition!Taryn
was hooked! She went on to finish the Hallelujah and
the Sandhills ride coming in just under the top-ten at
11h place. She was first Jr. Rider in the
last two rides as well. 
The farm was a participant in the
2007 Youth Jamboree held in Conyers, GA Int. Horse Park
this past year. We took two horses, Moons Cygnature and
Belesema Baskolour (Buddy & Belle, pictured left) Buddy ridden by Taryn
Lorey was shown in the Class A Dressage, Sport Horse and
Hunter classes. She placed well in all but was very
excited about the 1st place ribbon for the
Hunter Under Saddle at her first time out in that
class. Student, Hannah Bergen showed Belle in the
“Open” show and was Champion Dressage Horse, Champion
Sport Horse. Well done, Ladies!
