Endurance has started back in Victoria after the great EI outbreak and it is all happening over here, I can tell you! I have a couple of horses just starting their endurance career and have also introduced a great family of 4 kids plus Mum and Dad to the sport. Between us and another friend we have entered 14 separate rides over the last two weeks. One of those rides I was on the organising committee and still had to help manage 11 horses. It was busy!!
At Yarrabubba ride Jake and Nikita Verspaandonk successfully completed a 40 k ride which was the first for both riders and their horses. Nikki rode the whole way bareback - see pic of the two of them in front of my Easycare banner.
At the Rosedale Stellar Endurance Carnival two weeks later the whole family got into the act. Between them the Verspaandonk family competed in 11 events and totalled 520 km over the two day carnival with no vetouts. Zeke aged 14, compted in 2 x 40 rides on Friday and backed up for an 80 ride on Saturday. He won the fittest Horse award and was equal first junior rider with his sister Nikki, who won the award for the lowest heartrate on a bare/booted horse in the 80 k ride. Nikki rode bareback again in her 40 k ride, but agreed to use a saddle for the 80 k ride. She says she prefers bareback!
All but two of the horses were barefoot or booted, and the remaining two horses had shoes on front feet only. Interestingly, the only horses to have any leg filling post-ride were the two shod horses. They have now had their shoes removed by the owner who is finally convinced!! Below is a picture of the family with all the horses they competed on. 
Team Easyboot members Susan Gill and Jackie Hooper were also busy at the ride. Jackie was part of the crew helping run the event and handing out Easyboot Competition forms. Susan had a very successful weekend completing 2 x 40 km rides fully booted on her horse Danny. Next ride I will get my bum on a horse and finally get some miles on the board for the Easyboot competition.
Jenny Moncur in Rosedale, Australia
wow thats a great pic of my horse and that pic was taken at the front of my house the verspanndonks are really good friends with me and our family. Nikki rode in the 80km ride on my sort of horse promise the 14 hand bay mare jake verspanndonk rode at yarrabubba. i rode at the rosedale on little wally in a 40 km ride with the tabby,bill and trish verspanndonk.
Posted by: nadine harte | May 07, 2008 at 12:48 AM