AboutLynne Curtis Expertise I do not participate in shows any more so some of my show specific knowledge could be out of date.
Experience I have been involved in horses for approximately 45 years. I showed hunters, jumpers and stock horses. In the 80's I was licensed as a trainer on the race track. I have run broodmare operations, delivered foals and taught everything from what to feed and which end the shoes go on to advanced jumping. I tend to be impatient with owners who think their horses prefer to be locked up in confined spaces. Even my show and race horses rarely spent more than only the night before an event in a stall...the rest of the time they had room to run. In 1975 I rode a Quarter Horse Stallion and a Thoroughbred Mare solo from Minneapolis to San Francisco.
Organizations The Long Riders Guild (an international organization of equestrian explorers who have ridden over 1,000 miles for non-commercial purposes)
Publications "The Long Ride" Published in Women Sports Magazine March of 1975 an article regarding the author's cross country horseback ride from Minnesota to California.
"A Horse is a Horse,of Course" An article regarding investigating horse incidents and the Equine Liability Act for investigators and attorneys. published in The Legal Investigator, February 2004
"Investigating Animal Cases:" A chapter written at the request of the editors for a professional textbook entitled Advanced Forensic Civil Investigations published by Lawyers and Judges Publishing June, 1997
"Murder by Another Name:" An article published in The John Cook Fraud Report, December 1994 regarding the intentional killing of horses for greed and insurance fraud.
"The Responsibilities of Horse Owners in Rural Communities:" A paper presented before the Regional Seminar of the National Association of Legal Investigators in November 1987 at Phoenix, Arizona.
"The Old Gray Mare is Worth $10,000,000 Now." A professional paper on the investigation of cases involving bloodstock and racetracks presented before the National Conference of the National Association of Legal Investigators in Washington, D.C., June 1986.
Education/Credentials 3 years of confined college....no degree. Advanced degree from the university of experience :>)
Awards and Honors Receipient of the 1st place Anthony M. Golec Editor-Publisher Award 2004
Question Hi I am wanting to ride my horse for long distances and i have a Saddle pack but i need a list of exactly what to put in it?
Answer Dear Abigail
When I rode my horse long distances it was 2,400 miles. What you carry depends on how long you will be away from supplies. A few critical items would be an "Easy Boot" that fits your horse well in case of a lost shoe and a multipurpose tool that can be a leather punch, a hoof pick, a knife and other things is very handy. I would also recommend a bit of strong leather or nylon thong for repairs. Bug spray for you and your horse. A rain poncho that can double as a sleep shelter and a lightweight sleeping bag if you'll be out overnight. Nowadays, a cell phone in case you get in a pickle. (A cell phone was not an option for me, I had to solve my problems without help.) If you'll be out overnight, you'll need to figure out what you will do with your horse at night. My horses were well hobble broken and would stay with me and graze all night. Another option would be a picket line or a stake out line. The picket line is an easy solution for ANY horse since they usually don't need to be taught to stand tied. The disadvantage is while you are sleeping, your horse can't be eating. I prefer hobbles, but your horse has to be accustomed and cooperative.
As far as other things, it depends whether you are talking traveling 40 miles in two days or being out for 5 1/2 months like I was. For a two day trip, you can obviously carry some food and water. For a race, a power bar or two is usually sufficient. For 5 1/2 months I couldn't carry enough food to do any good, so I carried some fishing line and hooks, some salt and pepper for flavoring and knowledge of which plants I could make a meal of. I carried salve for minor wounds on me and the horses
If I were you, I would check out http://www.endurance.net and chat with other riders doing the same thing you have in mind. Since you didn't tell me whether a long distance to you is 40 miles or 2,400 it's hard to make recommendations. You also didn't specify if you are endurance racing or just traveling some distances. In either case, you want to keep things as light as possible. For a race, you can and must keep it much lighter than a really long trip. In a race, there is a vet at the next rest stop. For me, there was usually no vet within 5 days distance.
I recommend you sit down and figure EXACTLY what you want to do and therefore what you could possibly need. One of the most important things you need to carry is a good head on your shoulders. Learn how to do repairs and make do with what you can find around. Do some studying. Really long distance riding requires more than just the right equipment, you need to know what to do with what you have.
