Australian Endurance Riders Finding Success with Renegades!

Things are going well with Shirl’s and her Renegades. The photo I sent by Julie Wilson was taken on our first ride in boots. The track was rocky in places, soft in others, with some wet clay surface as well. The boots performed well over all the different terrain and I think we slipped and slid hardly at all, compared to skid marks in the clay especially, where shod horses had been through before us, leaving skids up to 1 metre.

I’ve done two 40 km training rides, the pic from Stanley being the first in our season for us, followed by Stanley again in July. I completed two 40 km training rides at Eldorado in one weekend, with one ride being on the Saturday afternoon and the second on on the Sunday morning. Then I stepped up to 80km at my home ground ride out of Bright. I was pretty much last over the line, a couple were withdrawn on course and several vetted out, but my finishing heart rate was 48 bpm, and I was awarded the Best Local Rider award in the 80 km event. Riding time was 8 hrs 50 min. It was a very humid day and it took its toll on a lot of horses, as Bright is considered one of the more difficult rides in Victoria, with a lot of hills and altitude work.

I’ve not had any trouble with my Renegades and have recommended them to several of my friends who are all achieving positive outcomes in their training.

I’ve attached a couple of photos. Razz, in red boots, and her rider, Lou, completing the 40km training ride, along with Zippity and his rider Michelle. One of the last sets of boots I ordered were for Zippity as Michelle has seen the benefits gained by Lou and myself in our training.

A quiet time now for us, with temperatures in the mid to high 30′s and low 40′s celsius, but in a month or so, training will begin again. I have to complete one more 80 km ride at novice pace and then I will be an “open” endurance rider. Our ride at Bright re-qualified Shirl’s as an open endurance horse, after a lay off producing a gorgeous filly. Looking forward to completing one more novice pace 80 kms, and already have rides for the coming season lined up.

Regards
Virginia