American Endurance Ride Conference Offers Fall Special to New Members

Horse and rider on endurance trail.
Horse and rider on endurance trail.

When you think of endurance riding, you may conjure up images of 100-mile rides across rocky terrain or multi-day rides across the high desert. In reality, endurance riding careers can begin with a relatively easy 10-mile introductory ride or a 25-mile limited distance ride—not so forbidding for those new to distance riding.

Endurance horse-back riding

Endurance horse-back riding

The Fall Special gives people a chance to get their new member educational packet and get the ‘lay of the land’ before the next endurance horse-riding season begins.

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) is making those first steps to endurance riding a little easier with their 2017 Fall Special promotion.

Beginning now, new members can join for the remainder of the 2017 ride season and all of the 2018 ride season, which runs through November 30, 2018, for the discounted price of $88.75. Additional adult family members are $57.50; those 17 or younger are $27.

“Autumn is a great time to get started in endurance riding, with cooler weather and spectacular fall foliage,” said AERC Executive Director Kathleen Henkel, from AERC’s national office in Auburn, California. “If you’ve been riding regularly, your trail horse may already be ready for a 25-mile ride.”

Many endurance rides also offer 10 to 15 mile “intro” rides, just for equine and rider teams to get acquainted with ride procedures and etiquette. Each equine, even at fun rides, will be checked by a veterinarian before and after the ride, with a check that includes heart rate, limb soundness, hydration and gut sounds, to ensure the horse is deemed “fit to continue.”

“Our Fall Special has been very popular each year,” said Henkel. “During the summer, there is a lot of publicity about some of AERC’s big rides, like the Tevis Cup in California, the National Championships (this year in Colorado), the Biltmore ride in North Carolina and multi-day rides across the U.S. The Fall Special gives people a chance to get their new member educational packet and get the ‘lay of the land’ before the next ride season begins.”

AERC members receive a monthly magazine, Endurance News, in the mail every month, as well as an endurance riding handbook, rule book and educational materials that come along with their membership card. Fall Special members will receive both 2017 and 2018 AERC ID cards.

Online Fall Special signups may be made at https://aerc.org/aerc_fallspecial.

If interested in receiving more information about AERC and endurance riding, request a copy of AERC’s Discover Endurance Riding booklet here: https://aerc.org/aerc_inforequest. The booklet shares the adventure and camaraderie experienced by members of the nonprofit organization.

About AERC

In addition to promoting the sport of endurance riding, AERC has encouraged the use, protection, and development of equestrian trails, especially those with historic significance, since 1972. Many special events of four to six consecutive days take place over historic trails. The founding ride of endurance riding, the Western States Trail Ride or Tevis Cup, covers 100 miles of the famous Western States and Immigrant Trails over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These rides promote awareness of the importance of trail preservation for future generations and foster an appreciation of our American heritage.

The American Endurance Ride Conference, established in 1972, is headquartered in Auburn, California, “The Endurance Capital of the World.” For more information please visit us at www.aerc.org.

About the Author

Flossie Sellers

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As an animal lover since childhood, Flossie was delighted when Mark, the CEO and developer of EquiMed asked her to join his team of contributors.

She enrolled in My Horse University at Michigan State and completed a number of courses in everything related to horse health, nutrition, diseases and conditions, medications, hoof and dental care, barn safety, and first aid.

Staying up-to-date on the latest developments in horse care and equine health is now a habit, and she enjoys sharing a wealth of information with horse owners everywhere.

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