Like racing the Baja in a tricked out SCORE Trophy Truck or something similar – the only difference in Endurance Riding besides the obvious distance is that the vehicle you’re driving “on,” not “in,” is a “horse,” with a mind and spirit of his own. Endurance riding requires dedication and commitment to the grueling training schedule and nutritional importance similar to that of a marathon runner or distance cyclist. Except you have two to condition and maintain nutrition; you and the horse. From the gentle 25-Mile Limited Distance Rides to 50, 55, & 75 Mile Endurance Rides to the well-know 100-Mile Tevis Cup; Every ride is different. You might encounter wildlife such as deer, fox, bobcats, snakes, mountain lions, and even bears, so you must be prepared. And the terrain can change from easy fire roads to tough cliff side single track worn out trails. The footing can be easy on the hooves or deep sand, to rocky dried up river beds, craggy steep & slippery rocks, to deep water crossings. And then there’s the weather, from a nice comfortable spring day, to snow, to ice, to pouring with rain, and the extreme opposite; triple digit days. But, it’s a still a race, and strategy is the name of the game. My Endurance riding career began in June 2004. I finished my first 25 Limited Distance Ride on a Peruvian Paso, before purchasing a horse bred for Endurance as in the movie Hidalgo; an Arabian. After a year plus of conditioning, I rode “Baskafire’s Legend” to two firsts, a second, and a third place in the 25-Mile Limited Distance category. Since then we have completed several 50 Mile Endurance Rides with many more on the horizon. Endurance riding isn’t always about coming in first, because there are many variables in effect when dealing with your own safety, and physical well-being, but also that of the horse. So, in the words of my mentor, Julie Herrera, “to complete is to win!” Which means your horse must be fit to continue beyond the finish line. Endurance riding necessitates durable, light and well-made gear. I had gone through many of the tack shop gloves meant for riding, but, one afternoon at the Baja 1000 I was given a pair of Ironclad gloves and a windbreaker. Although they were a men’s size and a little big, it didn’t matter, because from the second I saw them, I knew what I was going to use them for; my next ride, and the ride after, and the ride after … Recently, I did a ride in the San Pedro de Atacama desert in Northern Chile. Although I couldn’t take my horse, I took my much worn Ironclad gloves, my windbreaker, and my helmet. And then I rode and will continue to ride in my Ironclad gear. 
