Endurance Horse Podcast: A Valentine’s Horse & A Lifetime of Miles – Dennis Summers

EnduranceHorsePodcast - Listen

Saturday Feb 14, 2026
hosted by Christina Hyke

It started with a Valentine’s Day surprise.

Years ago, Dennis Summers surprised his wife Sue with a special Valentine’s Day gift, a Paint/Arabian cross — before the fence was even up on their property, Dennis tied the horse a tree while they finished preparing the property. That moment would become part of a lifelong journey with horses and eventually into endurance riding for both Sue and Dennis Summers.

In this episode of Endurance Horse Podcast, we trace that journey — from an article in Western Horseman that sparked a deep curiosity about endurance, to competing at some of the top rides in the world, and eventually back to the grassroots level of growing and protecting the sport he loves.

Dennis is an international endurance rider, author of 4th Gear and The Long and Winding Road, and a founding member of the Equine Distance Riding Association (EDRA). But more than titles or accolades, this is a story about partnership, perspective, and the horses that shape us.

Along the way, we talk about more than one special horse — including the one that truly inspired his most recent book. We talk about training, longevity, listening to the horse, and what matters after thousands of miles.

So sit down, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and enjoy this story as it unfolds around our virtual campfire.

Every mile a memory.

See more and listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/a-valentine-s-horse-a-lifetime-of-miles-%e2%80%93-dennis-summers/

*Endurance Horse Podcast is hosted by Christina Hyke, 2021 WI Horse Person of the year and brings endurance riders together from around the world gathering around our virtual campfire sharing goals, training, stories and progress. Our authentic conversations feature ride stories, the show features endurance riders of all levels, from decade teams to total beginners, ride managers to AERC leaders, legacy horsemen and horsewomen, and equestrians who believe the journey with the horse is the truest reward.

Endurance Horse Podcast just may be the virtual campfire you have been looking for whether you are green as grass new to endurance riding, a trail rider who is curious about endurance and planning on aiming for the first steps on the endurance ladder, or maybe you are setting your sights on chasing toughest event the sport has to offer, we are here for you every mile of the way. This podcast celebrates the heart of the sport- the horse, the rider and the trail— every mile a memory.

Support this podcast & help keep it on the airwaves by joining one of our events today at WARHORSE Endurance® Challenges*

Bonnie Swiatek recognized as 3-time Century Club endurance rider

WyomingNews.com - Full Article

Boomerang staff
March 21 2026

Albany County resident Bonnie Swiatek has taken long-distance endurance horse riding to its highest level when she was recently honored by the American Endurance Ride Conference.

After Swiatek attended the Mountain Region Endurance Riders Conference on Jan. 31, 2025 and Feb. 1 of this year, she was presented with a framed award as a three-time Century Club Member. The mountain region comprises of members from Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and southwest South Dakota and western Nebraska

In the 54 year history of the national AERC organization, Swiatek is the only person to ride three horses into the AERC Century Club, which is when the ages of the horse and rider total 100 years or more each time. It took her four years with her Arabian mares...

Read more here:
https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/bonnie-swiatek-recognized-as-3-time-century-club-endurance-rider/article_bd6b2058-65d0-4dbe-b783-8aa91b7c982b.html

Tevis Cup Ride Director Search for 2027 and Beyond

March 18 2026

The Western States Trail Foundation (WSTF) is conducting an international search to identify a new Ride Director for the Tevis Cup, beginning with the 2027 Ride.  

Preferred qualifications include leadership experience, equestrian experience, and proximity to our ride venue in Northern California. Experience managing a backcountry endurance event with international exposure and publicity is a definite plus. 

Your leadership support includes an experienced ride committee, experienced ride volunteers, and a well-documented process for conducting the annual ride. The Tevis Cup Ride receives strong financial support from the WSTF Board and a compensation package is available.  

The WSTF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  

https://teviscup.org/

Please direct all inquiries to our WSTF president at wittenauer.jerry@gmail.com 

US Equestrian Names Jeffrey Stuart as Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Endurance Team

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | 3/2/2026

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Stuart as the U.S. Endurance Team Chef d’Equipe for the 2026 competition year. Mr. Stuart will lead the program through the remainder of the 2026 season, culminating with preparation for the 2026 FEI Endurance World Championship in Al Ula on November 28, 2026.

"I am so excited and grateful to be part of this team.” Mr. Stuart said, “The organization, horse owners, riders, vets, support/crews, and everyone involved have the best opportunity we’ve had to do great things in Alula Saudia Arabia this coming November. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and working with U.S. Endurance”

Mr. Stuart brings more than two decades of experience in endurance sport and a distinguished career in military leadership to the role. He began his involvement in endurance in 1999 and has since served the discipline in multiple capacities, including 11 years as a national endurance ride manager and as crew at several recent FEI Championships. Over the years, he had trained Endurance horses, including FEI Level, and worked closely with athletes competing at the highest levels of the sport.

In addition to his equestrian background, Mr. Stuart served in the United States military from 1976 to 2011, holding multiple leadership roles including Commander, Director, and Chief of Staff. His extensive experience guiding teams in high-pressure environments has shaped his philosophy on preparation, accountability, and collective success. He has frequently been invited to speak on teamwork, resilience, and the importance of being a critical member of a unified team — principles he intends to carry forward with the U.S. Endurance Team.

In his role as Chef d’Equipe, Stuart will oversee team coordination, preparation, and strategy for the 2026 FEI Endurance World Championship with the help of team veterinarian, Dr. Olivia Rudolphi and Team Leader, Nicole Zerbee. His combined experience in endurance sport and high-level organizational leadership positions will support the U.S. Endurance Team for a focused and strategic path toward international success.

More at:
https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/us-equestrian-names-jeffrey-stuart-as-chef

Endurance Horse Podcast: Shelah Wetter- 20,000 Miles on American Saddlebreds

EnduranceHorsePodcasdt - Listen

February 21 2026
hosted by Christina Hyke

What does it take to ride 20,000 endurance miles?

Belief. Patience. And the courage to ride your own path.

As part of our Year of the Horse spotlight, February celebrates the American Saddlebred — and in this episode, I sit down with lifelong Saddlebred horsewoman and endurance rider Shelah Wetter, owner of Blue Haven Stable.

Shelah has logged over 20,000 endurance miles aboard American Saddlebreds and was honored in 2025 as Sport Horse Owner and/or Breeder of the Year by the American Saddlebred Horse & Breeders Association.

In this conversation we talk about:
• How she chose her endurance partner
• What makes a Saddlebred shine on the trail
• And how welcoming new riders strengthens the future of endurance

If you love strong partnerships and the long game — this one is for you!

Listen and see more at:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/shelah-wetter-20000-miles-on-american-saddlebreds/

Meet Vera Valdivia‑Abdallah, assistant principal

CDCR.Ca.gov - Full Article

Valdivia-Abdallah builds endurance in education and beyond

February 19, 2026

At California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC), Vera Valdivia-Abdallah brings the same perseverance to her role in education that carries her and her horse hundreds of miles across the country as a competitive endurance rider.

Valdivia-Abdallah oversees the ABE and GED education programs, as well as the college program at LAC as supervisor of Academic Instruction (Assistant Principal) at New Horizon Adult School.

She provides mentorship and support to teachers on two of the institution’s four yards. Her work centers on rehabilitation through education, with a focus on helping incarcerated individuals leave custody prepared for employment and long-term success.

“When someone is released, the goal is that they aren’t just free, but employable and prepared,” she said.

Valdivia-Abdallah joined CDCR nearly four years ago as a teacher and now brings a student-centered approach to her leadership role. She works closely with educators and students to maintain consistent, meaningful academic programming in a challenging correctional environment.

“Success in education takes time,” she said. “It requires patience, adaptability and commitment.”

That philosophy extends well beyond the classroom.

Endurance riding tests limits

Outside of work, Valdivia-Abdallah competes in endurance riding, a long-distance equestrian sport that challenges horse and rider teams to complete rides ranging from 25 to 100 miles in a single day. Courses often span unfamiliar terrain and changing weather conditions, with veterinary checkpoints built in to ensure horse welfare remains the top priority...

Read more here:
https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2026/02/19/meet-vera-valdivia-abdallah-assistant-principal/

Ralph "Buddy" Gleason Jr. 1943-2026

Legacy.com

Ralph Gleason Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Sullivan-King Mortuary & Crematory - Anderson on Feb. 11, 2026.

Ralph Newton "Buddy" Gleason Jr., 82, of Townville, passed away peacefully on Feb. 9, 2026, following several years of declining health.

Buddy was born to Ralph N. Gleason Sr. and Marjorie Little Gleason on Oct. 14, 1943, in Salem, Oregon. He was a graduate of Carson Newman College and earned a masters degree from East Tennessee State University.

He served in the U.S. Army for three years where he was assigned to military intelligence and spent most of his time in Heidelberg, Germany. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 8, 1972.

Buddy worked as a counselor for the Alston Wilkes Society in Anderson for many years. He had a love for animals and his passion was horseback riding with his many friends. He participated in many endurance riding events and was recognized with several awards by the American Endurance Ride Conference. Buddy was very patriotic and loved his country. He always looked forward to the annual Gleason family reunions in Townville and oversaw the reunion for many years.

Buddy and his family had the opportunity to visit and live in many places across the world while his father worked for the U.S. State Department.

He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his siblings, Delno Rex Gleason (Cindy) of Mooresville, N.C.; Charles Stanley Gleason (Sonny) of Marietta, G.A.; Edward Dean Gleason (Kathryn) of Anderson, S.C.; Cindy Gleason Rush (Jeff) of Duncan S.C. He has several nieces and nephews.

Further arrangements will be forthcoming.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alston Wilkes Society (www.alstonwilkessociety.org), the American Endurance Ride Conference (www.aerc.org) or a charity of one's choice.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Kentucky Endurance Race Participants Raising Money for Aftercare

Bloodhorse.com - Full Article

Lucy Burnett and Bobbi Westbrook will ride in the 500-kilometer Gaucho Derby.

By Byron King
January 30 2026

Two Kentucky horsewomen will soon test their equestrian skills in one of the most remote and demanding races in the world while using the experience to raise funds for off-track Thoroughbreds.

Lucy Burnett and Bobbi Westbrook are two of more than 40 riders scheduled to compete in the upcoming Gaucho Derby, a 500-kilometer endurance race aboard equines across Patagonia in Argentina that tests riders' physical stamina and fortitude as much as riding skill. The contest, which begins Feb. 18, is organized by The Equestrianists and modeled after the better-known Mongol Derby. The 10-day ride sends competitors across rugged terrain, including mountains, open plains, river crossings, and grassy bogs, sometimes in volatile weather.

Riders navigate their mounts between checkpoints while carrying limited gear and supplies. Each rider alternates mounts throughout the race to be aboard fresh equines. The horses come from regional ranches, and they undergo regular veterinary inspections during the race to ensure soundness, hydration, and recovery. Time penalties are assessed for horses that do not meet recovery parameters, which, along with veterinary checks, are meant to ensure that participating horses are not overstressed...

Read more here:
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/289838/endurance-race-participants-raising-money-for-aftercare

Endurance Horse Podcast: A Decade Team and Three Tevis Completions: JayaMae Kaur & Foxfire’s Little Britches

EnduranceHorsePodcast - Listen

January 28 2026
by Christina Hyke

What happens when a rider from the hunter-jumper and Warmblood world heads out on her first endurance ride and quickly learns that endurance has a sense of humor of its own?

In this episode of Endurance Horse Podcast, host Christina Hyke sits down with JayaMae Kaur for a fun, honest, and heartfelt conversation that includes plenty of laughter, learning, and long miles.

JayaMae shares her journey from hunter jumpers to trails and endurance, exchanging Warmbloods for a remarkable Missouri Fox Trotter mare who became her decade team horse and carried her to three Tevis buckles. She reflects on what surprised her most at her very first endurance ride, what she learned along the way, and why that experience made her stick with the sport.

Beyond riding, JayaMae also brings an important ride-manager perspective, sharing the deeply meaningful reason she became involved in managing a memorial ride. We talk about the heart behind the Kristina Chesterman Memorial Ride, the importance of community fundraising, and how endurance riders can support education, remembrance, and one another.

This episode is part of our Year of the Horse series, highlighting different breeds and the riders who love them — and reminding us that every breed has a place and can achieve great things at any distance.

Expect laughter, honest stories, and a whole lot of heart.

Listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/a-decade-team-and-three-tevis-completions-jayamae-kaur-foxfire-s-little-britches/

Arlene Morris 1931-2026

Arlene Morris passed away on January 12, 2026, at the age of 94. 

Arlene was one of the founders of the Southwest Idaho Trail & Distance Riders. She and her husband, Bob Morris, were a force to be reckoned with in the early days of AERC. Arlene completed 16,605 endurance miles including 14 hundreds (14 starts/14 finishes). Her horses earned 29 best condition awards, and AERC records reflect only 2 pulls out of 180 starts.  That is a darned impressive record!  Over half (8085) of those miles were on a grade mare named Champagne (including 20 rides in 1985!). Nearly 5000 miles were on her bay mare, Messaoud's Peeco. 

Her horses earned 29 best condition awards. Champagne was inducted into AERC's Hall of Fame in 1985. Arlene and Peeco were members of the USA squad at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Sweden. 

Arlene and her husband, Bob lived and rode in the Boise foothills. Arlene was always happy to mentor new riders. Going on a conditioning ride with Bob and Arlene on the Boise Front was always a thrill, and the endurance rides they put on were truly challenging. 

Arlene and Bob bred and raised several fine endurance horses over the years, usually naming them after a mineral, such as Magnetite, Niccolite, Tourmaline, and Phylite. Bob and Arlene were passionate advocates for equestrian trails as members of the Boise Front Coalition, which led to the Ridge to Rivers trail system. 

Arlene spent her final years of her adventurous life at the Brookdale Assisted Living Facility in Newberg, Oregon. She enjoyed playing poker with her fellow residents at Brookdale Assisted Living Facility. She attended every Saturday afternoon movie matinee and every Sunday afternoon Classical Music hour.  She also enjoyed CoffeeHouse Jazz on Friday afternoons. 

Minden rider trains for 310-mile Gaucho Derby across Patagonia

Press-Herald.com - Full Article

written by Amber McDown
Jan 11, 2026

A Minden woman and active-duty U.S. Air Force member is preparing for one of the most demanding equestrian endurance events in the world, a 10-day, 310-mile race across the Patagonian wilderness of Argentina known as the Gaucho Derby.

Cat Rafanello, who moved to Minden in 2022 after being stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, has been offered a bid to compete in the 2027 Gaucho Derby, an extreme test of horsemanship, navigation and survival that requires riders to switch horses throughout the race while traveling through rugged and remote terrain.

“My husband and I moved to Minden in March 2022 from Montana … when I got orders to Barksdale,” Rafanello said. “We brought our three horses, three dogs, three cats, and a plethora of chickens and geese with us to our beautiful little plot in Minden.”

Since then, she said, her family has put down roots in the community.

“My husband opened a mechanic shop, my sister and her husband have started a farm and are involved with the Minden Farmer’s Market, we are here to stay,” Rafanello said.

That sense of permanence, she said, has given her a strong base as she prepares for an international challenge that began with a simple moment of inspiration.

“I was listening to a Podcast about an Endurance Rider that I really look up to, and she had run in the Gaucho,” Rafanello said. “Someone whispered in my ear just then ‘Why don’t you just apply and see what happens?’”...

Read more here:
https://press-herald.com/minden-rider-trains-for-310-mile-gaucho-derby-across-patagonia/

2025 December's Horses in the Morning Endurance Podcast

HorseRadioNetwork.com - Listen

Guess the Endurance Acronym, Mongol Derby Bid, for December 9, 2025

Horses in the Morning
December 9, 2025

Karen Chaton is joined by Patti Stedman to tell us just about everything we need to know to get through our first Endurance ride. Heather ‘Flash’ Accardo talks about her preparations for the Mongol Derby and common Endurance acronyms are deciphered, plus we make up a few new ones. A classic re-visit. Listen in...

https://horseradionetwork.com/2025/12/guess-the-endurance-acronym-mongol-derby-bid-for-december-9-2025/

US Equestrian Announces 2025 Endurance Year-End Awards for Horses and Athletes

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | 1/7/2026 Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian proudly congratulates the recipients of the 2025 USEF Endurance Year-End Awards. These awards celebrate and recognize the exceptional achievements of our endurance athletes and horses throughout the 2025 competition season. For detailed descriptions of the 2026 awards program, click here.

Top Ten National-Ranked Senior Athletes

Awarded to the top senior athletes on the national athlete ranking list

• Heather Davis - Maggie Price Endurance Excellence Award recipient for being the top nationally ranked Senior Rider

• Cheryl Van Deusen

• Nathalie Weemaels

• Nicole Wertz

• Alex Shampoe

• Mollie Quiroz

• Anastassia Savini

• Tom Rajala

• Claudie Gaspa-Ward

• Evelyn Baig

Top National-Ranked Junior/Young Rider Athletes

Awarded to the top Junior/Young Riders on the national athlete ranking list

• Uma Kraskin - Brunjes Junior/Young Rider Endurance Trophy recipient for being the top nationally ranked Junior/Young Rider

• AnnaMaria Clarke

• Vanessa Erickson

• Avery Betz-Conway

• Jax Beloberk

• Lila Reeder

• Ansley Conway

• Meghan Wert

• Aubrey Muthard

Endurance Athlete of the Year Award – Heather Davis
Awarded to the rider with the highest number of points between the annual athlete ranking lists

Heather Davis (The Plains, Va.) earned the 2025 Endurance Athlete of the Year Award following an ambitious season that was highlighted by international competition across multiple continents and top ten championship results. Competing consistently at the FEI level, Davis exemplified exceptional horsemanship and strategic riding.

Davis opened her 2025 FEI season with a decisive victory at the Broxton Bridge Ride in the Low Country, winning the CEI2* 120km aboard HM Kaiser Milo. She continued her campaign in South America and Europe, completing a series of FEI rides at the CEI2* and CEI1* levels in Uruguay and Portugal, including solid finishes at CEI Loma Azul, CEI Punta del Este, and a CEI1* victory at Estremoz (POR) aboard SM Mi Anay. The pair also competed at the CEI2* (ESP) where they finished in second place with only 1 second between them and the first-place finisher. Stepping up to the sport’s most demanding distances, Davis successfully completed the CEI3* 160km at Barroca d’Alva (POR), finishing fifth against a strong international field.

The pinnacle of Davis’s season came at the 2025 FEI Endurance Pan American Championships in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, where she and HM Kaiser Tesla, a 2016 Anglo-Arabian gelding owned by Haras Paso Manzanero, delivered a standout performance. The pair finished ninth overall individually in the Senior Championship, marking Davis’s first top ten finish at the championship level and a significant milestone in her international career.

Endurance Horse of the Year Award – Tru Beau Sardi

Awarded to the owner of the horse ranked first on the annual national horse ranking list

Tru Beau Sardi, a 2013 Arabian gelding (Trussardi x Precious Beaunita+), is owned and bred by Cheryl Van Deusen (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) Campaigned throughout the USEF competition year in a demanding FEI schedule, Tru Beau Sardi delivered top performances from 100km to 160km, beginning with a victory in the CEIYJ2* 120km at the Broxton Bridge Ride in the Low Country (S.C.) with Ansley Conway, before stepping up to complete the CEI3* 160km at Fun in the Sun (Fla.) with owner Cheryl Van Deusen.

He continued his strong season with a win in the CEIYJ1* 100km at the Scenic Spruce Creek Spring Fling (Fla.) and a second-place finish at the Broxton Bridge Let’s Have Fun Ride (S.C.) with Sofía Alvarez Camas, followed by a third-place finish in the CEI1* 100km at the Fall Ride at Biltmore (N.C.) with Clarke Martin, and closed the year with a third-place finish in the CEI3* 160km at Broxton Bridge Fall Rides (S.C.) under Van Deusen.

Endurance Best Condition Season Award – Highh Tops Awarded to the owner of the horse ranked first on the annual national best condition standings Highh Tops, a 2018 Arabian mare (Vangogh FPA x Edelika), is owned by Samantha Ellis (Newcastle, Calif.) and bred by Jessica Lemmons. Competing across four FEI endurance events during the USEF competition year, Highh Tops met and exceeded all eligibility requirements, finishing her first FEI season with a 100% completion rate and consistently demonstrating superior recovery, soundness, and condition at veterinary inspections. At all four events, Highh Tops was awarded Best Conditioned Horse within her division at the competition.

More from USEF:
https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/us-equestrian-announces-2025-endurance-year-end

2025 Distance Horse of the Year: Suzanne Ford Huff’s Ezprezzo

Arabian Horse Association announces Distance Horse of 2025

January 9 2026

At 16 years old, Ezprezzo proves that heart, grit, and partnership never go out of style.

This Old World Pure Polish–bred gelding (SS Hypnotic x Eukadra), owned and ridden by Suzanne Ford Huff of the West Region, had an unforgettable season—earning:

 • West Region Featherweight Mileage Champion

 • AERC Decade Team Award

 • 3rd Place Tevis Cup

 • Reserve Champion, AHA Distance National 100

 • AERC Gold Level 100-Mile Award

 • Over 3,000 lifetime AERC miles

Even more inspiring? Ezprezzo returned to peak form after overcoming two major pasture injuries, showcasing the resilience, longevity, and heart that define the Arabian endurance horse.

With 18 first places, 8 BCs, excellent recoveries, and unwavering enthusiasm on the trail, Ezprezzo is the definition of a true endurance partner.

Congratulations to our 2025 Distance Horse of the Year, Ezprezzo, and rider Suzanne Ford Huff!

Photo Credit: Sonja Barrera from the 2025 Tevis

Tom Sites: Finding Peace in the Great American Horse Race | Travel Grit Podcast

Travel Grit podcast - Listen

Tom Sites showed up to the starting line of the Great American Horse Race with $750, a $15 saddle, and a horse he barely knew—100 days later, he was one of only 54 finishers out of 92 starters.

Click here to listen to Tom’s Great American Horse Race story.

Behind Gray Walls Podcast features Idaho’s Old Selam Endurance ride

By Merri Melde-Endurance.net

December 27 2025

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/uI2P8eIy5ko?si=KKtYm3JTU2BU0JHu

Idaho’s Old Selam Endurance ride near Centerville, Idaho, has been in existence 1979. The name Old Selam comes from the Idaho Penitentiary’s most famous horse, Selam, who was used by two prison inmates to escape the prison in 1901. Bob Meeks was recaptured, but Sam Bruner never was. Selam was discovered wandering near the Snake River 6 months later. (See full story below.)

The Old Selam trails may retrace some of the escape routes, who knows, and previous ridecamps were at or near the Idaho Penitentiary.

Samuel Anderson, Research and Education Coordinator for the Old Idaho Penitentiary, visited the 2025 Old Selam Endurance ride, captivating listeners at Saturday’s ride meeting with the story of Old Selam and the hopeful prison escapees. He also interviewed numerous riders during the weekend about the sport of endurance and their experiences, for the podcast, Behind Gray Walls.

Featured in the podcast are veterinarian Robert Washington, endurance riders Carolyn Roberts, Suzanne Hayes, Suzanne Ford-Huff, Christoph Schork, Karen Steenhof, Tani Bates, and LuAnn DeYoung. 

The episode is now available on YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud, and the podcast app. Here is the link to the YouTube version:

 

https://youtu.be/uI2P8eIy5ko?si=KKtYm3JTU2BU0JHu

And here’s the full story of Old Selam, from 

http://www.endurance.net/switdr/storyindex.html

The Old Selam Endurance ride  is named after a horse used in two different escapes from the Old Idaho State Penitentiary on Warm Springs Avenue in Boise. Selam was reported to be one of the best horses in Idaho and had been used for both riding and driving.

On December 24th, 1901, Henry "Bob" Meeks, who was serving a 35-year sentence for a robbery in Montpelier and supposedly a pal of Butch Cassidy, was working around the hog pens in the prison complex when he unhitched Selam, then an old horse, from the front of a wagon,  jumped astride, and gave the horse his head without removing the harness.  About a mile from the pen, he cut the harness and left it on the road. According to prison records, he “went up the hill road by the reservoir and, turning to the left, ‘lit’ out for the mountains.”  The trail went up what was known as the Hillman Trail to the Boise Ridge, 2 miles west of the Delphi mine. From there he turned east and south back to the Boise River.  Tracks showed that Meeks had gotten off Selam and walked alongside him as they climbed the steep hillsides.   

Trackers caught up with Meeks on December 25 at his camp along the Boise River 10 miles above Mores Creek.  Selam recognized the guards who captured Meeks and nodded and neighed to them.  They attached him to the buckboard that carried Meeks back to town.  Prisoners were said to be glad to see Selam when he returned to the prison.  The warden was glad too and said it would have been a pity to have such a noble horse “knocking around” with people who didn’t appreciate his worth.  He acknowledged that Meeks had taken care of the “thoroughbred” but nevertheless threatened to charge him with horse-stealing.

A few days later, on December 30, 1901, Sam Bruner, who was serving a term for stealing sheep, escaped through the main gate on Warm Springs Avenue. The lights in the prison began to dim at 2 am that morning. Investigation showed that trusted prisoner Sam Bruner was not at his duty station in the power plant. A check of the prison revealed that Old Selam, as well as a saddle and bridle, were missing. Bruner was spotted at 2:30 am traveling southwest of Boise as fast as the horse could carry him.  In January, the warden got word that Bruner had turned Selam loose with his saddle on and that Selam was wandering in the Bernard’s Ferry area along the Snake River. Bruner stole a horse from a man named Harberg. He then hung out with friends at Cow Creek and left on one of McKenzie’s horses, never to be re-captured.  Prison officials thought Selam would find his way home soon, but he didn’t.  In February 1902 the warden offered a reward for Selam’s return.  In early June 1902, Selam was found grazing and “taken up” six miles above Swan Falls.

Back in the Saddle with a New Heart: Jessica’s ACM Story

SADS.org - Full Story

By Jessica V. and the SADS Foundation
Published December 2, 2025

Jessica swings into the saddle and heads out with her daughter for a 50-mile endurance horseback ride. From the outside, it might look like any other long-distance ride – but Jessica is doing it with a new heart after surviving cardiac arrest and years of misdiagnoses.

“Something’s wrong with my heart”

Jessica’s earliest memories of her heart go back to childhood. At nine years old, lying in bed at night, she could hear and feel her heart “skipping beats” in her ear. Her mom, an ER nurse, took her to the doctor. They did tests and told her family she had premature ventricular contractions (or PVCs) – extra beats that were brushed off as a “normal abnormality.”

“I’ll never forget that phrasing – what the heck is a normal abnormality?” says Jessica.

Assured by her doctor that everything was fine, Jessica became a track star, played soccer and tennis, earned her black belt, and competed in Taekwondo tournaments. In her teens and early adulthood, she started fainting. Once, she passed out while teaching a kickboxing class. As she went into college, she had episodes of tunnel vision and blacking out. Eventually she was told she was having panic attacks.

“For years I was told it was panic attacks. Deep down I knew something was really wrong with my heart.”

She accepted the diagnosis and kept going – even as her symptoms continued, and started to get worse.

After college, Jessica worked at a law firm in California. Her symptoms were getting harder to ignore. She was blacking out at her desk. She felt constantly exhausted, sometimes even nodding off in the car on the way home from work. Then one day, she simply couldn’t wake up fully. She dragged herself to the ER with a friend, complaining of chest pain, shortness of breath, and a racing heart.

She sat in the ER for about an hour and a half before anyone ran an EKG.

“When they finally did, everything changed,” she says. The ER staff realized she was in ventricular tachycardia (V-tach) – an extremely dangerous, fast heartbeat – with lots of PVCs and ectopy (extra or skipped heartbeats that disrupt the normal rhythm). Suddenly, the doctors were panicking...

Read more here:
https://sads.org/blog-cat/back-in-the-saddle-with-a-new-heart-jessicas-acm-story/

James (Jim) Bryant Passes Away

Castanet.net

James (Jim) Bryant, aged 83 of Kelowna BC, passed away November 15th after a lengthy illness. Jim graduated from Washington State University in 1964, served two years in the US Army, and moved to BC in 1970 and started a equine practice in Maple Ridge. In 1992 he moved to Kelowna and joined a mixed practice as a equine veterinarian.

Jim became interested in endurance riding as a veterinarian in the early 1980s. Over the years, he attended rides as a vet in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, and eventually into Europe and the United Arab Emirates. In 1998 he travelled to Abu Dhabi for a year to assist the organizing committee in planning and hosting the first World Endurance Championship.

In 1999 he was offered a position in the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Federation. After three years he relocated to Dubai, and became veterinarian to the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed’s stable of Arabian endurance horses. Jim travelled to several countries in search of the top horses for the Sheikh’s stables.

He retired and returned back home to Kelowna in 2015, filling in on occasion for Alex Wales in Lake Country. Jim is survived by his wife of 51 years Sandy, sons Jim and Richard, stepsons Colin and Michael, seven grandchildren, six great grandchildren and his brother Rusty Bryant. A celebration of Jims life will be announced at a later date.

Montana equestrian prepares for 1,000-kilometer Mongol Derby race across Mongolia

Photo by: MTN NEWS

KBZK.com - Full Article and video

Katrina Leyh will compete in August's grueling 1,000-kilometer race through Mongolian steppe, retracing Genghis Khan's postal route

By: Jane McDonald
Nov 24, 2025

A local equestrian is readying herself to take on an ultimate horsemanship challenge across the globe in Mongolia.

“What an ultimate test of horsemanship, and grit and respect for the horses and the land,” Katrina Leyh said, “When the opportunity came up, I said ‘I have to throw my hat into the ring.”

The Mongol Derby is a 1000-kilometer race through the Mongolian steppe, retracing Genghis Khan’s old postal route.

In preparation for such a task, Leyh says that she is spending as much time in the saddle as she can, getting fit in every way, but she notes that successful riders are the ones who can adapt, stay calm, and remain respectful to their horses.

“I think a lot of it is going to be a mental game,” Leyh said...

Read more and see video here:
https://www.kbzk.com/news/local-news/local-equestrian-prepares-for-1-000-kilometer-mongol-derby-race-across-mongolia

2025 November's Horses in the Morning Endurance Podcast

HorseRadioNetwork.com - Listen

Endurance Convention, Garmin Venu X1 Review and Best Conditioned for November 11, 2025 – Horses in the Morning Horse Radio Network

November 11, 2025

Karen Chaton catches us up on their latest “Adventures,” including her completion of two back-to-back 50-mile rides at the Red Rock Rumble and LTH Octoberfest, where her horse Jovi earned his first 1,000 AERC miles. In the Endurance Tip Karen reviews the Garmin Venu X1.

AERC Director Connie Caudill shares updates on the AERC National Convention and the 2026 National Championship at Old Dominion; and Kayti Curtis, who is currently leading the AERC National Best Condition Championship for 2025 with her horse Casper the Ghostly Horse, discussing her successful season and her relationship with her “rockstar” partner.

Listen and see more at:
https://horseradionetwork.com/2025/11/endurance-convention-garmin-venu-x1-review-and-best-conditioned-for-november-11-2025-horses-in-the-morning/