Welcome to the "McDowell Prep-palooza" Learning Event! This event will center on 3 timely topics, specifically relevant to the upcoming Lead-Follow @ McDowell ride on 11/12. For this event, we'll be offering discussions on:
- Body Clipping: basic how-to's of clipping, tips to make the job smoother, and the most useful clip patterns for endurance horses. Will include a live demo.
- Crewing: the basics of crewing, as told from the perspective of both the rider (what they would like a crew person to do), and the crew (what is typically expected of a crew person...and things the rider can do to make it easier on the crew person)
- Night Riding: a discussion on the basics of night riding, and useful tips, gear, etc
- Endurance 201 Clinic: A Night Ride: a chance to put the discussion into practice, and ride out in small, mentored groups along a marked trail. We will start while there's still a little light and gradually acclimate to the darkness, and should finish the last few miles of the ride in the dark. If you're planning to ride, that needs to be signed up for separately. Limited to 9 riders.
Register For the Riding Portion Here: McDowell Prep-palooza: NIGHT RIDE SIGNUP - 10/29/2022
Attendance fees:
- $15 fee for all sign-ups of the 201 riding portion, regardless of club membership or not. (If you signed up for the earlier night riding clinic that had to be canceled, there should be a credit on your account in ClubExpress that can be applied to this event if you choose to sign up again. Make sure you're logged in to your ClubExpress account when you are signing up.)
- Clipping/crewing/night riding discussion portion is no charge to club members; $10 charge for non-members who are
not riding. If you're signed up for the riding portion, the $15 covers the discussion portion as well.
Housekeeping Items:
- There is no water/power at the trailhead, so if you are bringing a horse for the riding portion, be sure to bring plenty of water.
- Bring a chair, and a light if you're staying into the evening.
- There is NO CAMPING at this location. The park closes at 10pm, so everyone needs to be out by then. We are planning to wrap the ride portion up by 8pm to give everyone time to pack up before the park closes.
- We'll provide people water, but bring food for yourselves. There will be a break between the discussion portions of the afternoon and the riding portion to saddle up and grab something to eat before riding out.
- The trail will be marked with glowsticks, as well as using the Ride With GPS app. The ride route on Ride With GPS will be sent out to all riding attendees ahead of time.
Anticipated Itinerary:
1:00pm -- Learning Event Start/Welcome
1:15-2:30 -- Body Clipping for Endurance Horses (with live demo)
2:30-3:30 -- Endurance Crewing
3:30-4:00 -- Short break (bathroom facilities are located in Prospector Park near the south end of the park)
4:00-4:45 -- Night Riding Discussion
4:45-5:15 -- Break to saddle up. Be ready to start riding out by 5:15.
5:15 -- First riding group out on trail. Loop is approximately 6 miles.
5:38 -- Sunset
7:00-7:30 -- Riding groups returning
Approx 7:30 -- Wrap-up after all groups have returned.
Park closes at 10PM, we must be cleared out by then.