Friday, February 28, 2020

The Idaho IronHorse Challenge ​2020

Idaho IronHorse Challenge

Are you tough? Got what it takes to be crowned the 2020 Idaho IronHorse Champion? (Or the Idaho IronButt Champion?)

Last year's inaugural Idaho IronHorse Challenge saw endurance riding's rather famous Dave Rabe and his rather famous three horses, White Cloud, Cheys Cocamoe Joe, and Rushcreek Okay, crowned the Idaho IronButt Champion. No single horse and rider team was crowned the Idaho IronHorse Champion, though Nance Worman and Second Chance Fance came so close.

This year's Idaho IronHorse Challenge is a chance for you to test your mettle in Southern Idaho's four, AERC-sanctioned Pioneer rides: City of Rocks (June 11-12-13 in Almo), Top O' the World (July 24-25-26 near Spencer), Old Selam (September 4-5-6 near Idaho City), and Autumn Sun (October 9-10-11 near Gooding).

There are many categories you can compete in, with one horse or more, Limited Distance or endurance or a combination. The awards and subsequent fame are enormously gratifying.

Now get out on the trails and start conditioning!

For more information, see:
https://www.thesweatyequestrian.com/idahoironhorsechallenge.html

Monday, February 24, 2020

Challenging Ride at the 20 Mule Team



February 24 2020

The sometimes-deceptive terrain, and the always unpredictable weather, made for a challenging edition of this year's Twenty Mule Team endurance rides in Ridgecrest, California which ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning with a lower than normal finish percentage.

One rider described it as "A steady all day precipitation from misting to hail to pouring rain," that horses and riders contended with, though it did serve to keep the horses cool.

22 started the 65, with 13 finishing. Leahe Daby and Lucy won the 65 in a ride time of 9.01 and got Best Condition.

25 started the 100, with 10 finishing. Reyna Mero and Vaz Djets On won in a ride time of 14.01. Kaitlin Cummins and VA Anastahzi finished third in a ride time of 17.07 and got Best Condition.

For unofficial results and stories from riders, see:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2020TwentyMuleTeam/

Happy Trails Podcast: Finding Healing on Horseback


RideClimb.com - Listen

Recorded on February 27, 2020

My guest, Kathy Burns overcame personal trauma by immersing herself in nature while traveling the country, camping and riding. She is the author of SHLEP: Finding Healing on Horseback in the Lower 48 States. In the book, she describes her experiences traveling solo with her dog and horses, while healing herself on the trail and through her art.

She set out on her own in September 2013, with a goal to ride and paint in all 48 states. She was an inexperienced trailer driver and had never been horse camping in her life. She ran into many problems early on as she became accustomed to traveling full time with horses in unfamiliar territory.

Along the way, she met many kind-hearted people who opened their arms providing the support she needed so desperately. Eventually, the pieces of her broken life began to fall back into place.

Kathy’s story is moving and so inspiring. We all experience lows in life and it’s good to be reminded by tales like her’s, that no matter how bad it gets, there’s always hope for the future.

Happy Trails was produced by Jessica Isbrecht. Music by Jason Shaw.

Listen to the episode:
https://rideclimb.com/podcast/finding-healing-on-horseback/

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Arizona: 100-mile endurance ride comes to Boyd Ranch

WickenburgSun.com - Full Article

February 19 2020
By Shawn Byrne

Sun Editor

A weekend of horseback endurance riding will take place from Feb. 29-March 1 at Boyd Ranch with distances of 30 miles, 50 and 100, and a 12-mile introduction ride across four divisions based on weight and one junior division.

Endurance riding near Wickenburg first appeared in the early 1970s, according to Dr. Lawrence Serrano and his wife, Maureen, mangers of the upcoming Land of the Sun Endurance Ride. The sport combines the athleticism that it takes to win, or even complete a ride, with the love of a nature ride on a desert trail by horseback.

“Boyd Ranch is a really nice ride,” said Crockett Dumas, a 74-year-old rider from Utah. “The most spectacular is the old growth saguaro. It’s the best ride in Arizona. The Serranos have worked hard putting on that ride...”\

Read more here:
http://www.wickenburgsun.com/around_town/image_c2bb41a8-534e-11ea-8feb-d7de4d287c1a.html

2020 February's Endurance Day on Horses in the Morning

Horsesinthemorning.com - Listen

Feb 11, 2020

Endurance Day: Karen’s Endurance Tip on getting medications for less, getting your Class A license, the Equilab app, Saddle fitting the Endurance horse and horse trekking in Mongolia. Listen in...

http://www.horsesinthemorning.com/endurance-day-equilab-app-saddle-fitting-and-horse-trekking-in-mongolia-for-02-11-2020/

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Behind the Lens: Get to know Endurance Ride Photographer Becky Pearman



by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
February 18, 2020


The Endurance Ride Photographers Guild, ERPG, was formed in 2019, and consists of a group of two dozen professional, skilled photographers from around the USA dedicated to documenting AERC endurance ride events in the USA.

The aim of the ERPG is to preserve and promote the prestige of the AERC, the sport of endurance riding, and the quality and integrity of their photographers, in a mutually beneficial relationship of support, education, promotion, and protection. They also aim to provide unique, quality photographs of riders and horses for lasting memories of a sport we all love.
You can follow the ERPG here:
https://www.facebook.com/aercenduranceridephotographersguild/

Throughout the year, I’ll be spotlighting an ERPG photographer in Behind the Lens interviews, so that we get a snapshot of the human who’s behind the lens, capturing your best (and hopefully not worst!) moments on the trails and in camp.

Becky Pearman, https://beckypearman.smugmug.com/ is one of our long-time professional endurance ride photographers. In addition to endurance ride photography, she’s been published in numerous national magazines and websites, including John Lyon’s Perfect Horse magazine, US Equestrian Federation publications and online media, and breed magazines including Standardbred and Appaloosa. Some of her highest accomplishments are having been the US Endurance Team photographer in France for the 2014 World Equestrian Games, and covering the 2015 Young Riders World Championship in Chile for FEI and USEF. She currently has 49 magazine covers to her credit.

Where do you live?
Ivanhoe, Virginia

How did you first get into photography?
I inherited my dad's Zeiss-Icon 35mm camera when he passed - I was 13 that summer. My mom gave it to me out of nine kids. I never looked back. I started taking pictures of all the horses I could, and by the time I was about 19 I got my first money for competitive trail riding prints of my friend's horses. I still have that camera!

I have never had formal photography education besides my ninth grade teacher schooling me in darkroom techniques and camera settings. I worked on my high school yearbook staff.

What equipment do you normally shoot with?
Canon 7d Mark ii, which is a phenomenal crop sensor sports camera. Favorite lens is a 70-200 2.8 Canon. I’m getting ready to invest in my first full frame camera body!

When did you start shooting endurance rides?
I shot my first endurance ride in 1988 (I had been shooting CTR until then).

Why do you like shooting endurance rides?
My mom told me once that "horse" was probably the first word out of my mouth. Since then, my obsession with horses has never waned.

I love shooting endurance for the the natural action of horses and riders truly enjoying going down the trail with joy. I love the outdoors and seeing new places, experiencing all kinds of weather conditions and saying hi to riders on trail.

What are some challenges you find in shooting endurance rides?
Crummy lighting in the East regions because of so many wooded areas. Lack of accessibility to the best photo spots.

What are one or two of your favorite ride shooting stories/adventures/misadventures?
One time while shooting the Million Pines ride in Georgia about 2008, I had to park along Interstate 16 and climb a six foot fence to get to my photo spot at "Bobcat Rock". I was told to back my truck way up the bank to sort of be out of sight. Well that year I got my truck stuck. I just got enough cell service to call ride management and they sent Danny Herlong to pull me out. Which he did while I stayed in my spot shooting. 

I'd have to say my favorite memories though are of sitting in the rivers waiting on horses at the Big South Fork ride in Tennessee and Ride Between the Rivers in West Virginia. I was usually able to capture some unusual action in these spots and the beauty is incredible.

Also in 2018 at Leatherwood in North Carolina when it snowed. I'd been shooting over 30 years and that was the first time I ever shot endurance in the snow.

And any other pertinent info you’d like to share with us?
If you are reading this and ever plan to get into endurance photography, it can be the most rewarding, challenging, frustrating, crazy and (sometimes dangerous) way to "eke" out a meager income. But, it is super tough to be competitive in this digital world - be prepared for a challenge.

If you are reading this and are a customer of ride photographers, we thank you for your on-going business. Please be respectful of our copyright limits and always check with the photographer if you are not certain how that photo can be used, displayed or shared on social media! Now let's ride!

Below are three of of Becky’s favorite shots over the years.


This is at the spring Sand Hills Ride in South Carolina. I would get this sunrise shot while riders warmed up for the 50 miler. It was used on convention magnets a couple years ago, and a vertical shot like this one made the cover of Endurance News that year.

 
This family is the Issacs from Tennessee. Karen has been in AERC for about 25 yrs, and I photographed their daughter Madeline getting a bath in a horse bucket when she was a few months old at an endurance ride.

 
The group shot was taken at Leatherwood two years ago when it snowed. I had been photographing endurance about thirty years then and it was my first time shooting riders in the snow!



Monday, February 17, 2020

Endurance Horse Podcast: Rider Health - Part Three

EnduranceHorsePodcast - Listen

Created February 7, 2020

Welcome to episode 34 of Endurance Horse Podcast!

This topic has been a popular one, and I am having to expand it to a third part! We are chatting with Chrystal Stephens, the Director of Operations for Lifestriders Theraputic Riding Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Chrystal shares her extensive knowledge gained from working twelve years with two of the premier theraputic riding centers in Wisconsin. We will also hear from endurance rider Kim Fosler and her overcoming a back injury, Brooke Moeller will share how she is dealing with riding after having a difficult fall, we will hear more from Bridget Helms and what she does to stay fit to ride.

To wrap the episode up Jim & I chat a bit about the upcoming two year anniversary of Endurance Horse Podcast, so sit back, hold on and enjoy the ride!

Christina Hyke

Cheers to 2020!

Listen to the podcast:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/rider-health-part-three-interview-with-chrystal-stephens/

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Boyd Zontelli Passes Away


by Maria Cooper

Heaven gained another angel last night. My dad, Boyd Zontelli, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends.
Those of you who knew him, knew what an incredible man he was. I don't say this just because he was my dad. I say this because the Dos Equis man had absolutely nothing on him. His life was fascinating. He was born into an Italian family in Minnesota in a small mining town (where he developed his love of horses) and then moved to Hollywood at a young age to pursue acting where met and befriended a few of the legends of the time. He had lots of acting roles and Burt Lancaster recommended him to John Ford. John Ford wanted him to co-star in a John Wayne movie and tried to sign him but he ultimately decided to pursue another path. He did, however, maintain his friendship with Steve McQueen and they were motorcycle riding buddies until Steve's passing.

His love of animals, particularly horses, is what drove him. When he spoke about horses his eyes would light up. He was kind and gentle and offered a new way of riding that was not typical in the horse world. He proved to everyone that his way, to show love and kindness and respect to the horse, was the winning way. He won the Tevis Cup three times and still holds the record. He was both a kind and gentle man but also a badass. He is a true Legend. I loved him so much and the world will not be the same without him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRE36uqEPZk


Arabian Horse Association Announces 2019 AERC High Point Winners

ArabianHorses.org

BETHANY GREYC+// (BEAUDACIOUS BEY X LU-NOIR DAKILA+), a 2008 mare is the Arabian AERC 100 Mile High Point Winner!

Bethany earned a total of 1,447 points for completing six 100 mile rides with owner and rider Gerald Cummings. “She may not be the fastest or the strongest horse in the race, but she has attitude and grit and for that I am extremely thankful for” Gerald says. The pair has completed a total of 2,805 lifetime miles since 2013 with 780 of those miles earned in the 2019 season.

The AERC Middle Distance High Point is an AHA nomination-based annual award given to the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian with the highest AERC points accumulated in the year through 50-99 mile Endurance rides.

BETHANY GREYC+// was also the winner of the Arabian AERC 50-99 Mile High Point award earning a total of 410.5 points.


Our 2019 Half Arabian/ Anglo Arabian AERC Mile High Point Winner is GREENBRIAR AL JABAL owned by Suzanne Hayes.

GREENBRIAR AL JABAL, ‘Atlas’ (WW SUN DANCER + X GO TIGER GO) is a 2003 gelding. Atlas has earned a total of 795 points for completing three 100 mile rides with owner and rider Suzanne Hayes. Suzanne states that “Atlas has over 3,000 miles in competition, is a decade horse (10+ years of competition), and has completed fourteen 100 Mile Rides. Hopefully with even more to come!”


We would also like to award an Honorable Mention for a Distance Horse which goes to NPS TANGO!

NPS TANGO (MURKANA MIKE X DOYA JUANA DANCE) owned and ridden by Geneva Soule is a 2003 mare that has completed 7 rides this year totaling 410 miles; since 2008 the pair has completed a total of 1,045 miles. Geneva states “Tango is pretty much the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Thanks to her breeder, Sandy Terp, for making our partnership possible! She’s one heck of a horse and our bond is like no other.”

Monday, February 10, 2020

Local Grass Roots Clubs Make the Endurance World Go Round



by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
February 10 2020

Saturday night in Boise, a group of some 75 endurance riders from Southwest Idaho Trail & Distance Riders gathered for a banquet and celebration of the previous year's endurance riding accomplishments. Most, dressed in unusual finery, were almost unrecognizable without helmets, helmet hair, dust and grime, or their horses. And nobody had to rush away after dinner to care for their horses after a day on the trail.

While AERC is the overall country-wide main endurance organization, the local, grass roots clubs around the country bring people together for their own closer relationships, awards, and fun. For 41 years, SWITnDR has been in existence for riders in the southern Idaho and eastern Oregon area (and a few from Washington and Wyoming!) who enjoy the sport of distance riding.

Saturday's catered dinner was a gastronomic delight, and the volume in the gathering space was deafening, as endurance riders have a lot to say to each other when they aren't concentrating on steering their mounts down the trails.


The awards for 2019's top mileage horses and riders were fleece coolers with the embroidered SWIT logo. Kim Johnson of Belesemo Arabians annually gives away an award for the high point Belesemo line Arabian; this year's winner was Belesemo Asfaloth, ridden by Veronica and Matthew Stanley.


Lots of swag was handed out to the six horse-and-rider teams who completed all nine days in the Limited Distance division of the first ever Idaho Ironhorse - three days at City of Rocks Pioneer, three days at Top O' the World Pioneer, and three days at Autumn Sun Pioneer. A big thank you goes out to ride managers Steph Teeter, Jessica Cobbley and Jessica Huber, and to sponsors Renegade Hoof Boots, Platinum Performance, Valley Vet, Pure Sole Hoof Products, and Redmond Equine. And as always, thank you to Riding Warehouse, who donated coupons for prizes at the banquet, and who for years has supported many of our rids in the Northwest.

Next year, the new three-day Old Selam Pioneer (formerly a one or two-day ride) will join the Idaho Ironhorse Challenge, opening the door to a Super Duper Ultimate Idaho IronHorse.


At the end of the evening, everybody said goodbye in their finery, knowing that next time we meet, it will be under helmets and aboard horses for the start of the 2020 endurance season in the April Tough Sucker ride.

Ride on!


Photo gallery:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ANjUQXp72gTjHzfe6

Endurance Horse Podcast: Rider Health - Part Two

Endurancehorsepodcast - Listen

Focused on Rider Health

Created February 4, 2020

Welcome to episode 33 of Endurance Horse Podcast!

This topic has been a popular one, and I am having to expand it to a second part and now a part three putting together soon. We are chatting about everything from overcoming injures, dealing with illnesses, how horses are therapist and yes, some about rider fitness & emotional health. Jim joins me for the intro of the podcast & we try to share a walk down memory lane sharing how horses have affected our lives—- though Itty Bitty Naughty Kitty kept biting my feet, take a listen, you will see…we do love Bitty, even when he’s naughty.

There is a bit more about fitness aspect of rider health, and more about horses as therapy.

Sit back, hold on and enjoy the ride!

Welcome to Episode 33 of Endurance Horse Podcast!

~Christina Hyke~

Listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/rider-health-part-two/

Friday, February 07, 2020

Endurance Horse Podcast: Rider Health - Part One


Endurance Horse Podcast - Listen

Created February 3, 2020

Welcome to episode 32 of Endurance Horse Podcast!

Rider health is the topic today & it has been a popular one, not surprising, all of us are riders & all have health to deal with. When it comes to rider health we are referring to an encompassing topic. Today we are chatting about everything from overcoming injures, dealing with illnesses, how horses are therapist and yes, some about riders fitness & emotional health. Guess what? SO many files were sent in I couldn't possibly fit them all into one episode, and believe it or not I am about to leave here in an hour to go do a second interview on this topic!

Honestly I was hesitant to cover this topic, as I know some of it can be hard to hear. It maybe easier to trot through a ride camp world where we all just smile and wave at each other- and not be the tiniest bit aware of what could be going on in the body of the other rider--- though think about how much we pay attention to the health of the rider's horse. I hope this episode does a lot to remind us all that all riders have more to contend with than the weather, the horse and the trail.

Christina Hyke

Cheers to the first episode of 2020!

Listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/rider-health-part-one/?fbclid=IwAR2Pjk-a81apf7-vpZDt3uGuTd2GEBZ2HBn-rJIbMMSYhmyB2ovDE6AkV_g

Tuesday, February 04, 2020

John Lyttle Passes Away

Endersandshirley.com

January 14, 1952 - February 2, 2020

John Edward Lyttle, 68, of Berryville, Virginia, died Sunday, February 2, 2020 at his home.

Mr. Lyttle was born January 14, 1952 in Washington, DC, son of the late Joseph Hester Lyttle and Mabel Virginia Reedy Lyttle.

He was a teacher for 30 years from 1976-2006 for Clarke County High School.

A member of Berryville Baptist Church for 43 years, he served as Deacon, church moderator and Chairman of the financial committee, and was a lay minister.

He married Kim McClinton Lyttle on August 17, 1975 in Washington, D.C.

Surviving with his wife are two daughters, Joy Marie KuyKendall and her husband, David, of Richmond, VA and Kristin Elizabeth Foltz and her husband, Wayne, of Berryville, VA; a sister, Mary Jane Lyttle Sennett of Vienna, VA; four grandchildren, Haley and Josh Foltz and Christine and John KuyKendall; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

His twin sons, Joseph Robert Lyttle and John Harold Lyttle and brother, Robert Joseph Lyttle, all preceded him in death.

A celebration of life will be held 12:00 Noon, Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Berryville Baptist Church, Berryville, VA with Rev. Dan Stanley officiating. A time of food and fellowship will follow. Burial will be private.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to Berryville Baptist Church, 114 Academy St., Berryville, VA 22611, Shenandoah Valley Equine Rescue Network, SVERN, PO Box 527, Winchester, VA 22604 or to Clarke County Education Foundation, PO Box 1252, Berryville, VA 22611.

Pat Jones Oliva Passes Away

The endurance community lost a huge icon and legend on January 21. Pat Jones Oliva has passed away. She will be missed by so many near and far. Pat rode her last endurance ride at Foxcatcher in April 2017 earning her and Pepper the coveted Century Club recognition. Though she did not compete after that, she has NEVER stopped riding, and stayed connected to the endurance family by volunteering at several rides in the past few years.

Pat earned over 22,200 miles in endurance, earned the Decade Team award in 2003 with Pepper, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. When I think of Pat many words come to mind:

She had the most POSITIVE outlook on life (no matter what hardship was sent her way)
She had an infectious SMILE and LAUGH!
A wonderful ZEST for life and endless DETERMINATION
She was FIERCELY INDEPENDENT (to a fault... LOL)
Extremely OPINIONATED....LOL!
FAITHFUL and LOYAL to all who knew her
MENTOR to so many of us
Pat will be missed by so many of us!!!!
There will be a celebration of life in a month or so. Info will be posted when available

by Diane Connolly

Monday, February 03, 2020

Talkin' Trot: Endurance Riding News and Views


Talkin' Trot Podcast - Listen


Episode 1 - Talkin' Trot
January 31, 2020

Get to know your podcast hosts. Angie and Bridget give a short bio of who they are and how they got started in endurance riding.

Listen...
https://www.buzzsprout.com/793154/2627935-episode-1-talkin-trot?fbclid=IwAR23pM29McziF42ZXEFVyrCmZBj3lGkEipJBCOlv_5uaPsweL8VnmTdZQQE

Saturday, February 01, 2020

Jessica Isbrecht’s “Happy Trails” - The New Trail Riding Podcast



From Organic Farm owner to Digital Nomad to Rock Climber to Endurance Rider to Podcast Host: Meet Jessica Isbrecht

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
February 1 2020

Ride + Climb: Seeing the world, one trail or cliff at a time

The name of Jessica Isbrecht’s blog, Ride+Climb, tells you most of what you need to know about her: she’s a passionate horse rider, bold rock climber, and intrepid traveler. Because as you can imagine, it takes a bit of enterprising gumption to live as a digital nomad, to venture onto unexplored trails, and to hang off a cliff - which is how she and her partner Byron have lived for the last year and a half.

The nomadism started in the summer of 2018, following a very successful, but ultimately stressful entrepreneurial career as an organic farm owner in New Jersey. Green Duchess Farm was a way for Jess to be closer to nature and farms and animals, and to honor the memory of her mother, who had passed away too young and too suddenly from a rare form of lymphoma. “I wanted to help people lead healthier lives and hopefully not get sick,” Jessica said. 

The farm was so successful - she sold her products to restaurants all over New Jersey, to clients in Manhattan and Philadelphia, and on Amazon Fresh - that it wore her down physically and mentally. For those reasons and other issues and pressures, she and her partner Byron decided to close up, pull up stakes, and hit the road. “We decided that as long as I could take my horse with me, we were going to become nomads and go wherever there was good weather and good rock climbing.”

They bought a travel trailer, loaded up her horse Mackenzie in a horse trailer, and left New Jersey in June, heading north to Rumney, New Hampshire, a world class rock climbing destination. What had to be a good omen was that Jess happened to find a place to stay called Buck-N-Horse campground, about 10 minutes from the rock climbing cliffs. “We met some really wonderful, interesting characters at that campground, and they kind of became our family for the summer.”

While in the Northeast, Jessica took Mackenzie to Maine for their first endurance ride, the Pine Tree.

Jess had been in 4H for 12 years as a kid, and in New Jersey at the time, she and her mom were part of a competitive trail riding team. “That was my introduction to distance riding, and I absolutely loved it. And I loved it so much, that after I graduated from the 4H program, both my mom and I coached our county’s 4H distance riding program.

“I always knew endurance existed, and I wanted to do it eventually, but my young adulthood and trying to build a career got in the way. So I didn’t pick up the idea of endurance riding again until the winter before we were planning on leaving New Jersey and picking up this mobile lifestyle. I was kind of looking for something to motivate me to get out and ride more, because I was so obsessed with my farm and the business, that I pretty much spent five years nearly ignoring my horse and only riding occasionally. 

“I really wanted that thing to get me motivated to ride more, and I stumbled onto the Green Bean program. I just latched onto that, and I started going out in the snow and 19 degrees and conditioning and getting out riding. And I was just super excited.” The Pine Tree ride was hard and hot and humid and Jess was exhausted after they completed, but by the end of the evening she was looking at the AERC ride calendar, planning her next competition. “Am I crazy?” She wrote on her blog. “Perhaps. Am I addicted? Most likely.”

Frosty Oak Mackenzie, a 15-year-old Cleveland Bay Thoroughbred cross that had belonged to Jess’s mom, traveled solo with Jess and Byron for six months, from New Jersey up to Main, then south through the Appalachian states to Louisiana, “where we hung a right and went West all the way to Arizona.” Everywhere along their travels, Jess trail rode Mackenzie, and she and Byron both climbed.

In Arizona they looked for and bought a horse for Byron, so that he could ride with Jess, instead of bike or hike. They ended up with 8-year-old River, a Tennessee Walker mare. “She was nothing fancy to look at,” Jess said, “and I honestly wasn’t thrilled at the idea of getting another mare. She was the right price so we ended up taking a chance. And I’m so happy that we did, because she is just absolutely wonderful. She has carted Byron around as a beginner all over rocky steep trails, and he’s learned a lot riding her, and she just has the sweetest personality.”

River has joined the endurance world too; since that first Pine Tree ride in Maine, Jess has now done endurance rides in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and California, aboard Mackenzie and River.

Jess and Byron have also trail ridden all over the country, in such beautiful and diverse areas, that it was almost a given that Jess would come up with another innovative idea to create something wonderful from their experiences.

“I’m a dedicated fan of Horses in the Morning podcast. It has shows dedicated to all different disciplines - there’s an endurance podcast with Karen Chaton, there’s a dressage show, and eventing, and one for off track thoroughbreds. It’s anything and everything horse related you can think of. 

“But the one thing that they don’t have is a show for trail riding. So I figured if I’m out here traveling all over the country and riding in different places all the time and experiencing all these things and meeting all these amazing people, what better fit is there.”

Even though Jessica has spent most of her horse life focused on competition, she’s always loved trail riding. “There’s just something about it, being alone with your horse, surrounded by the beauty of Nature - it’s just so special.”

In the Happy Trails podcast Jessica and her special guests will share amazing places around the country (and the world!) to ride and camp with your horse, how to travel and camp with horses, navigation skills and first aid and preparedness for riding in the wilderness, training your trail horse, horse packing, trail riding etiquette, trail access, and tales from other riders.

“Everybody has some kind of story, experiences to talk about, so I thought it would be cool to have a virtual campfire and get everybody to talk about it.”

And so the first Happy Trails podcast is live. Pull up a camp chair around the campfire and listen in here: http://rideclimb.com/podcast/

Jessica Isbrecht photos