Taking photos at an endurance ride
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325759)
Rockingham, Australia
March 18, 2017 7:04am CST
This morning we were up at 4.30am and out the door at 5. We were heading for a (horse) endurance ride. We often volunteer at these rides but this time we were just going to take photos. Another lady usually takes 'official' photos of the rides but she was not at today's so we didn't feel we were threatening to her. She makes a living from selling her photos.
I thought Vince knew where we were going; Vince thought he knew where we were going but we got lost and missed the 6.30am start. It didn't really matter as we found ourselves a spot on the side of a gravel road and shot dozens of photos as the riders went past.
It's hard to choose just one photo but I've chosen one of a group of riders. We came home around lunch-time but I don't think we'll be staying up late tonight. Some of the riders rode 80kms, some 40kms and some 25kms.
28 people like this
27 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
18 Mar 17
80 km with the same horse
? It is a lot for a horse, but I mainly pity the bottom of the rider
. I went to a lot of show jumping competitions when my brother was competing long ago, and to a few hunting parties as a spectator (my relationships with horses have never been very good
), but I never attended at an endurance ride. Very nice picture of smiling riders and horses
. I would like to see their faces at the end of the competition
.
? It is a lot for a horse, but I mainly pity the bottom of the rider. I went to a lot of show jumping competitions when my brother was competing long ago, and to a few hunting parties as a spectator (my relationships with horses have never been very good), but I never attended at an endurance ride. Very nice picture of smiling riders and horses. I would like to see their faces at the end of the competition.3 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
18 Mar 17
@garymarsh6 You need every kind of people to make a world. My brother was in a sport-study section section in rugby in high school, but he was also loving horses and he has a riding instructor diploma : the horses had to be brave to do a jumping competition with a 110 kg loose-head prop on their back, and he got more medals in rugby than in riding
. Personally the only horses that I like are the iron horses called bicycles
.
. Personally the only horses that I like are the iron horses called bicycles.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Mar 17
So you are saddle shy? I loved horse riding. Did you know the queen still rides horses today! She used to ride side saddle which is quite difficult to do as you need to have tip top balance!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
At some of the rides we go to they do 120 kms in a day. Another is 80kms a day for 3 days. They are getting pretty tired and sore by the end of that. I know show-jumping is a very competitive sport. I'd love to attend a big competition.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Mar 17
Out the door at 5 am - no way! I may be awake at that hour but dressed with camera in hand can't happen at that hour. men tend to always 'think' they know where they are going.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv My husband gets lost if you turn him around twice fast.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
This is the second time lately that Vince has got lost. Seems like I need to take a bit more responsibility on 'how to get where we want to go'.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
18 Mar 17
Sounds like you had a great time. I am sure that you would not be standing on her toes. You take photos as a hobby which is different if that is her profession!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
At such an event you can only really take photos as the horses pass you on a road or as they are being trotted out in the vet ring. Vince gives his photos away mostly so it could become a bit delicate if she lost out on sales. But we keep out of her way as much as possible. It was good today to have 'open slather' as regards talking photos. .
1 person likes this
@abhinalstrikr (4111)
• India
18 Mar 17
How long do they ride,is it competition of some kind
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
It is a competition. They left at 6.30am and do the ride in several stages. They might finish around 1 or 2pm.
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Mar 17
@abhinalstrikr I think it is an 8 or 9 hour limit. There are compulsory rest-points along the way.
1 person likes this
@abhinalstrikr (4111)
• India
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv does there distance limit in time
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
18 Mar 17
It is not ordinary that the two of you have so much in common. More power to you. I like this photo
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458091)
• Switzerland
18 Mar 17
They always know where to go, until they get lost. My husband got lost last Wednesday when we went to Italy. I had to grab a remote control to open the door of my Mom's box and we spent half hour searching for the place.
He refused to use the GPS system of the car.2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
Thank you. We don't have anything on tomorrow so we can sleep in if we want to.:)
We don't have anything on tomorrow so we can sleep in if we want to.:)
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
18 Mar 17
they look like they are having fun
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
19 Mar 17
@JudyEv I can only guess, I get cramped after an hour in the car
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Mar 17
You always up to something Down Under. Very busy.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
If you're not used to it, it does make you stiff and sore but so does lots of things.
@Hari101 (1123)
• Chennai, India
18 Mar 17
Nice photo, I am also interested in horse riding but in my place, it is not so popular. Maybe if I get a chance in future, I will definitely learn. So far I have gone for horse riding when I was in a college trip. That was a very memorable experience with my friends.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
18 Mar 17
that is a lot of riding - no wonder it is called an endurarance event
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
19 Mar 17
@JudyEv I walked 50 miles once for charity - it was excruciating by the end especially when the organizer ran off with the money collected too
@TheHorse (205716)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 Mar 17
They look like they're having fun. Just thinking of doing an endurance ride makes my back hurt a bit, though. How far apart are the "watering stations," or whatever they're called? There are vets at each station as well, right?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 17
An 80 kms ride would have probably four 'legs'. At around the 20 kms 'checkpoint' there would be water, hay and carrots available for the horses. They are usually encouraged to have a 'pick' at some lucerne hay/whatever as part of the vetting criteria is the presence of gut sounds. The halfway mark is back at the base where they have half an hour to tend to their horses before presenting them to the vet. Then the second half is often a repeat although they might give them slightly different tracks to follow.
Some of the competitors are very well set up with little motors that warm a binful of water and operate a pump to hose down the horses. There is always at least two vets and a rescue float if there is an incident on the track somewhere.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Mar 17
I hope the horses endured it well. Great shot of the riders.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic What? Glad to hear the riders weren't so good? There was a lot of lameness! LOL
There was a lot of lameness! LOL
