"Kim's Guide for New Crewers," from one Newbie to another.

Second Crewing Gig - Death Valley Encounter, XP Rides
(All photos are from Day 1 of the Death Valley Encounter, 2013 ride)

When I first started asking questions on the Facebook group page for AERC, a few folks suggested that I volunteer to crew so that I could see how the rides were managed, vet checks were run, how the horses were managed in camps and so on. This is my second crew gig. For the story of my first crew gig click here.

Pre-ride day one. 

I am not a veteran crewer, but I have two intentions to help the rider and to learn. I watch all the riders, and horses. Notice the different tack, supplies and routines the riders practice. I approach it with a curious mind, and am just happy to help.

Here are a few notes and ideas about how I approach crewing and what I have learned:

First, check in with the ride managers at the riders meeting the night before the ride to find out when the “crew caravan” is leaving. While you can drive your own vehicle – if you have it with you – carpooling with the caravan is fun, you won’t get lost, and it is a great opportunity to meet other endurance enthusiasts and you don’t have to worry about getting your Honda Accord stuck in the desert (and thus being banned by your husband from ever going to another ride on your own). The caravan will likely include a few of the ride managers, the lunch crew; ride volunteers, the veterinarians and any other crewmembers. As crew for a rider, I offer to make sure their crew bag gets on a truck with the caravan either the night before or in the morning.

Driving out from base camp.

In the morning I try not to interfere with the riders routine. An experienced endurance rider has a routine that begins days, if not weeks before a ride. They pack, prepare, train, examine tack and supplies, check tires, schedule a visit from the farrier and maybe start adding electrolytes to feedings. A rider will wake up hours before the ride, to ensure the horse is eating well and drinking water. The crewer (yes, I may have invented that word) might offer to walk the horse out a bit, walk to the water troughs – some horses don’t like to drink out of the smaller water buckets at the trailer. Since I am a new crewer for these riders, and they don’t know me that well, I choose to not offer to groom or tack up their horse (although if they were to ask, I’m happy to do it). I know that if I were the rider I would want to do it myself. It is part of the ritual of preparing, and I imagine it settles the mind as you near the start time. One rider let me know where their truck keys are, so that in an emergency someone could start their truck.

Officially off-roading in the desert, heading to vet check/lunch stop.

If there is time after the riders leave, before the crew caravan heads out, I will muck out and make sure the water buckets are filled, it’s nice to come back to a clean space after a ride.

I also make sure my bag is packed - Sunscreen, hat, gloves, a lighter shirt (for warmer weather), a chair, snacks, first aid kit, Chap Stick and a chair. We are likely to be at the vet check for several hours, until the final rider comes in, and usually until most have left. As a crewmember I am also happy to help out with the ride in any way I can. I’ve made sandwiches, loaded and unloaded crew bags, mixed iced tea and lemonade and anything else the ride managers might need done.

Learning to do P&R. When a rider comes into the check, there is a set amount of time they must stay there. That is called the “hold” time. For a 25-30 mile ride it may be 30 minutes to an hour. For a 50-mile ride it is generally one hour. But that time does not necessarily start the minute to get to the vet check, your horse must first “pulse down.” The ride managers set “criteria”, usually at 60 beats per minute. So a horses pulse much reach 60 beats for your hold time to begin. Some riders dismount prior to reaching the vet check and walk in to help their horse pulse down, while some come in, dismount and take their horse to the water for a drink and then check in.

At the Vet Check/Lunch Stop the crewmembers tend to lend a hand wherever needed as they wait for their rider to arrive. Generally there is a lot of waiting. I choose to locate my riders crew bag right away, and choose a spot that I think will be away from the hustle and bustle of the Vet Check, but near the water for the horses. I try to bring along a chair. Most crew bags don’t include a chair, but I imagine that having a comfy chair to sit in during the hour (or half hour) “hold,” adds a bit of comfort. 

The lead riders tend to arrive at the vet check a few hours after the start of the ride. If my rider is not among them, and I’m not doing anything else, I offer to hold horses at the water while the riders locate their crew bags (they can usually find them quicker because they know what they look like). Riders may also appreciate someone to hold their horse while they go to the bathroom, get some food, or prepare a wet mash.

 To do P&R you need a watch with a second hand and a stethoscope and to be able to find the horse’s heart rate. You listen for 15 seconds, and if over 15 beats, well then it’s over 60 a minute and you just let the rider know to try again in a few minutes.

Other crewmembers help each other keep an eye out for their rider. When I see my rider approaching, I just make sure that I’m somewhere easy for them to see, and let them know where their bags are. I try to just let them catch their breath for a minute or two. Once they have “pulsed in”, they’ll settle in a bit and want to make sure there horse is drinking, eating and generally looking good. At some point – maybe 30 minutes into their hold – they’ll see the vet for confirmation their horse is doing well, is sound and deemed “fit to continue.” At this point you can help hold the horse, get some lunch for the rider, fill up water bottles, or find a band aid or Advil for the rider – basically, anything that is needed a crewer can try to help with. I also am mindful to be calm and positive. A rider might be having a tough time, not feeling well, not feel like talking, I just go with it.

Then as they leave, I wish them well, let them know if there is a mounting block set up and then pack up their bags, clean up their spot and go back to helping others as needed and wait for the first vehicles to be ready to head back to base camp.

Your rider may get back before you. If I arrive first, I hang out at the finish line and final vet check area. Then it’s sort of the same… offering to hold the horse, walk to the water, help untack etc.

Are you an endurance rider? What have you really appreciated about having help from a crew? What is something you want your crew to do? Not do? Please post in the comments below. 

One thing I have learned in spending time in camp at two rides is that I want my horse to be calm and comfortable with “camping.” That I must have a very comfortable (and warm) bed to sleep in. I took my son to this last ride, and he loved it, especially bouncing across the desert in a big four-wheel drive truck. But he just kept asking “Can I ride a horse now?” Hummm, mommy is still looking for her horse, and figuring out exactly what I want. (scroll down for a few more photos) 

Happy New Year! See you on the trails throughout the Year of the Horse.

All photos are Copyrighted 2013 Kimberly Rivers. I'm happy for folks to share them, just let me know please at kimberly.rivers@gmail.com and make sure you link to this blog. Thanks.

First Fun Ride With Endurance Riders - Dec. 22 at Happy Camp, Moorpark, CA

The ball is rolling; I continue to dive right in. And am finding that I live in an area teeming with riders and trails. I continue to be so impressed by the generosity and welcoming nature of every endurance rider I have met so far. What a great way to Start!

So using the world of Facebook I have connected with a great group of ladies in my area and was invited to join them – and ride one of their horses – on the Sunday before Christmas. I offered to come to the stables to help load up the two horses and drive with my host rider to Moorpark, CA.

I had packed my bag the night before. Helmet (with purple shade brim “Da Brim”), check. Chaps, check. Riding shoes, check, water-backpack, check. Munchies to share after the ride check. Clothes laid out – so I wouldn’t wake up the family in the am. And I’m good to go. 

Leaving my house at 6:45 am was easy. I find when I’m going to ride or even just be around horses getting up early is easy. It was a gorgeous hour drive out to the stables. We loaded the two Arabians, father and son, and my gear and were off.

Initially the plan was for me to ride the father. He’s a striking, flea bitten Arabian, 16 years, and gelded sometime in the past 5 years. But our group of riders for the day had grown in number and the owner – knowing her horses very well – chose to put me on the son. His name is Everest, he is 5 years old, and is the spitting image of his father, albeit a bit smaller – for now. She told me he doesn’t do any “baby” things, and is great on the trail; he just likes to “squirt out” from under you every now and then. Sounded great to me.

We arrived at Happy Camp in Moorpark and a few other rigs were already parked with calm horses tacked up and munching happily from their hay bags. We were still waiting on another rig, so we had plenty of time. Everest proved to settle right in, even though his owner said he had only been trailered a hand full of times. He looked really calm and relaxed. I groomed him, and began tacking him up.

The other rig arrived and we all said hello and got ready to mount up. She also told me that Everest stands perfectly still at mounting, which he did. And that he was not “herd bound” or “buddy bound” in any way to other horses. Because he was not stabled with his father he also wasn’t attached to him. I told her to instruct me in anything and I would not be offended or put out in any way. “It’s OK to holler at me if you need to,” I told her. I was riding her baby and wanted her to be comfortable too. Right away, I knew we were going to have a GREAT ride.

As soon as I was on – and he did stand perfectly still - I chose to just go around the front of the rigs, away from the other horses. I just wanted to feel him out for a few moments. I checked in with myself, and my breathing, talked to him a bit, we walked forward calmly and I asked him – with my seat - to stop. And he calmly stopped and stood. Then I asked him to move forward – again no leg, just seat and thinking. And we calmly walked over to the other riders. Stepped over the railroad tie into the park and we were good to go.

Now I would come to learn that I was riding with a couple Tevis Riders. You know the Tevis Cup? (here are a couple great videos related to Tevis: Info on Tevis / a highway crossing ) On some amazing and fit horses. All I can say is they were incredibly gracious. I tend to prefer a long stirrup, and thought I had adjusted them correctly, but after the first ¾ of a mile or so of mostly trotting, I realized they were a bit too long. One rider was hanging back with me a bit – I think just being helpful and making sure I was good on Everest – and I mentioned that my stirrups were a tad long. I was slowing down to stop and hop off I still haven't mastered changing the stirrup length on a western saddle while mounted. Is there a way to do it? My buddy rider hopped right off her horse and cheerfully came over to help me. And again we were off – with me feeling much better.

Everest was wonderful. Maintaining a fabulous trot up the hill. And true to her word Everest’s dad needed to be out at the lead. The group stopped every so often on the uphill portion and my host rider was checking in with me, I’d give her a smile and a thumbs up. Young Everest and I took it mostly easy, both he and I are getting fit to long distance, and as a youngster his body is still developing. We did some great stretches of uphill trotting, along with the other riders. But when we came to down hill portion he so impressed me.

His owner had told me in advance that there would be a steep downhill called Chalk Hill. And that if I wanted to, I could get off and walk with him down the hill. She reminded me that he stands perfectly for mounting so that won’t be an issue. When we got to that hill, I think I forgot what she had told me, and I found that we were in the lead position of four (two riders, including Everest’s owner and father were way out in front of us) riders – five horses cause one rider was ponying a horse, as we headed down the steep part.

At first Everest was wanting to go a tad faster than I was comfortable with – just a fast walk – I check my breathing, I had been holding it a tad, and filled my lungs fully a few times… both of us settled quickly and he lowered his head to really focus on the steep, narrow, rocky trail. I just stayed fully focused. I was aware of the riders just behind me, chatting. Even off of one little ledge, Everest navigated that trail with the ease of a veteran trail horse.

(here's the loop we did- another rider, who I don't know posted this - note the comments about Chalk Hill - that only the most experience horse and rider should do it, others should get off and walk. ) We did not come back up Chalk Hill, but continued on through the canyon. 

At the bottom of the hill we met up with the rest of our group who were resting under some oak trees. We all checked in and I commented that I didn’t think this horse was really only Five! Nothing, and I mean nothing on the trail surprised him, and he had never been on that trail before. I would expect a five year old to be surprised by the bird or squirrel in the bushes along the trail, or the hiker that comes around the turn just in front of us. Nope. Everest acted like he’d been there – done that. And who knows, maybe he has. One rider commented that he is an old soul.

Everest’s owner checked in with me about how he was doing in terms of his condition, and we decided to take the easier canyon trail back, while a few from our group would do another hill climb and descent and meet us back.

Our ride ended up being about ten miles.  And an experienced endurance rider suggested that we get off and walk the final stretch back to the parking lot – to help our legs feel less stiff. Sounded like a good idea to me, as I was feeling a bit tight in my ankles and knees. The walk was perfect, and I felt no stiffness at all by the time we were tying the horses up to the trailer.

The hay bags and buckets of water were ready, and Everest got a wet mash. Everyone got their horses squared away, and again Everest acted like an experienced endurance horse – calm at the trailer, enjoying his mash.

The riders gathered for lunch in the shade of a trailer, sharing stories and incredible shrimp ceviche and avocado salad – desert was an amazing Starbucks inspired peppermint latte, garnished with a candy cane. The horses enjoyed the leftovers of the candy canes.

I felt great after this ride, and in the days that followed. Not near as much soreness as I expected – I had taken two Advil at the beginning of the ride. But didn’t need any more. I’m convinced the walking at the end helped a lot. The joy of that ride really sealed it up for me that this year I’ll find a horse for me. There are a few that I’ve got my eye on. I’m hoping to get out the Death Valley ride to crew this weekend, and take my son. I would LOVE for him to get the bug too.

Things I want to work on: strengthening my muscles for posting at the trot for LONG periods/ Relaxing my upper body – as I focused so much to be very light on Everest’s mouth I think I tensed up my upper arms. See in the photo, my arms look stiff to me – and felt a bit tight/sore on day two post ride. And getting all my ducks in a row should the perfect horse appear.

Thank you to Sandee, Brooke, Nina, Sandy, and Jacqy for a fabulous ride ! Already looking forward to the next one. 

Happy Days, Happy Trails, Thanks for reading my journal while I Learn Endurance. 

Diving In - Ride #1 Sesenta Anos 2013, Santa Ynez, CA

Horses during the hour rest at the vet check. Note the BLM brand on the
neck of the mustang.

Sometimes at this point in life we imagine that there is not much new we can do. But then something comes along, maybe giving you a good kick in the pants and you remember the feeling of joy, freedom and of just being alive.

I am a mom, wife, writer, freelance do-anythinger. I am blessed in so many ways and one of them is to have discovered at an early age that I had horses in my blood. I'll share various horse stories from my past on this blog but the focus of it is going to be me learning something new. Learning Endurance. A sport that involves horse and rider and the trail. Some race, some don't. The focus is on a fit team covering and accumulating miles and completed rides. There are vet checks, turkey sandwiches, and fancy footwear. And the horses. All different kinds of horses.

The fabulous footwear used by horse and rider in Endurance riding.

With so much info at our fingers tips today it can be mind boggling diving into anything new, and with anything having to do with horses there are usually a million folks telling you what is right, what works and what you should do.

I found the American Endurance Riding Conference (AERC)  facebook group and just started asking questions. I checked the ride calendar on the AERC website and found that in a few weeks there was going to be a ride nearly in my backyard. So I posted that I was looking to volunteer.

And, someone emailed me. She and I started emailing back and forth a bit, and quickly we built a friendship. She shared her preparation plans, packing her trailer, adding electrolytes etc.

Getting a loving rub during the rest at the vet check. 

I prepared too. Packing my VW Van, and bringing along my boots and helmet just in case.
While the opportunity to ride at Sesenta Anos did not arise for me, I learned so much and met some wonderful people. Mostly I gained a lot of confidence that this is something I could do.

The Ride from a Newbie Point of View: 

The main ride was 50 miles each day. Starting at 6am. With one vet check about half way through the ride. It took place on a beautiful private cattle ranch - but I think there were more wild boars, which were about the size of a VW bug.

I was able to arrive on the friday night before the ride on Saturday. To meet my rider, see a few seminars, attend the preride meeting and just soak it in. First I was struck by the trailers, the many trailers. All different kinds, big rigs, small set ups. And horses of every color, and surprisingly,  breed. You may think and hear that Arabs dominate, and while they may be the best suited due to their physiology, there are also mustangs, paso finos, thoroughbreds, appaloosas, and even some spunky icelandic ponies.

One rider prepares to ride out on his first
ever endurance ride.  

My rider - who I was crewing for - has been doing endurance for decades and said she hasn't had the luxury of a crew for 20 years. I was paid in chocolate and some yummy sangria. I feel so lucky to have been allowed to learn from her. She was so generous in sharing her secrets, and continues to help me out as I find my way. As a crew member I helped where ever needed, filling up water buckets, walking out the horse, and while she didn't ask me I was happy to muck up as well.

The crew caravan heads out shortly after the riders. I introduce myself, lend a hand filling up drinking water containers for the riders at the vet check, and help load up the big water buckets for the horses that will be filled up from the water tank truck. The crew caravan heads out, about 5 or 6 vehicles, large trucks mostly, and one pulling a trailer, which is now carrying all of the crew bags, but is available in case a horse is unable to complete the ride and needs to be trailered back. The caravan includes crew (like myself - although most riders do not have a crew), ride managers, veterinarians, and other volunteers.

Riders prep their crew bags with anything they or their horse may need at the vet check. Contents include hay, alfalfa, bags of their mash mixture - carrots, beet pulp, pellets, electrolytes.

When the caravan arrives we know we'll have a few hours before the first riders appear. Crew members locate their riders bags and select a spot where the rider and horse will rest for the holding period during the check. Then it's all about the sandwiches. Helping the ride managers prepare turkey, ham and tuna sandwiches for over 100 riders requires excellent planning, organization and coordination, and plennty of humor. Never mind the comments about covering your butts, the butt end of the loaf.

For the 50 mile ride the hold is one hour. The horse must "pulse down" to begin the hour rest. That means it must reach a heart rate of 60 beats a minute before that rest begins. As riders enter the vet check the "P&R" people - folks with stethoscopes and clipboards - will confirm the horses pulse. Also during the stop is a vet check - the horse is trotted out to check for lameness or other movement issues, the heart and respiratory rate are checked. The horse is given an overall check, including a good "look in the eye" so that vet and rider are confident the horse is "fit to continue."

I could not have picked a better ride as an intro to endurance. At this ride your rider cards are less important - then end up in a box somewhere I think, and I heard folks talking about at other rides everyone is always confirming you are who you say you are with your rider card, but not at this ride. It's casual, low stress and a whole lot of fun.

Horses sharing their wet mash at the rest stop. 

I notice that riders focus first on the needs of their horses, hopping off, loosening girths, getting their horse to water. And getting their horse to food. Once they know their horse is drinking & eating well, then the riders will hydrate themselves, grab a sandwich - provided by ride management. and sit down to rest those knees. Riding 20 plus miles at a pace takes it's toll, even for the fittest riders.

I really just enjoyed watching all the different horses come in, noticing how the leaders (those seeking to place in the top ten) were looking and how the those focused on the completion looked. And the hardy mustang bringing up the rear. Everyone helping each other, making sure folks had what they need. And all having a great time.

I have been to different horse events. From rodeos to polo games (I was lucky enough to play polo for four years in college) and I don't think I have seen more of a willingness to lend a hand at any of them. Everyone wants everyone to have a great time and a great ride. I was struck by the young man, maybe he was 11 or 12, riding his pretty chestnut arabian, doing the 50 mile ride. Or the young girl on her icelandic pony, completing her first 50 mile, telling how her pony wanting to lie down in the creek.

If those kids can do this, I know I can. So now I'm working on getting myself fit - building up on the trails around where I live on friends horses, keeping an eye out for the perfect horse for me - yes, I'm a lifelong rider that has never owned her own horse, but now is the time. And I'm meeting folks in the endurance riding world who are showing such a warm generosity in letting me ride their horses. Stay tuned, I'm hopeful that I'll get out at a ride in January.

I've got some other stories coming  up about me updating my gear for endurance. Switching from super protective polo boots to comfy riding "shoes" and figuring out the best, simplest way to track my distance. Also teaching a great 8 year old quarter horse named Mary about water crossings, and learning some trail confidence with her.

Cheers and Happy Trails, Kim
All photos are Copyrighted 2013 Kimberly Rivers. I'm happy for folks to share them, just let me know please at kimberly.rivers@gmail.com and make sure you link to this blog. Thanks.

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