Thinking out loud

The last few weeks, I've been looking over the ride schedule for this fall and winter, attempting to figure out which rides I would like to take Ruby to.  The first ride is in September and is only two hours away.  It has an intro ride, so I could ride, then volunteer if I wanted.  The problem: it looks like the easiest way to get to the ride location is to take I-4.  For anyone not familiar with the area, I-4 towards Orlando is a nightmare to drive in a car. If I decide to go, I'll need to figure out another route.

Then there is SEDRA's next distance clinic which is being held in early October.  I went to their clinic last year (it was fantastic) but this year they have changed up the topics.  They also have a short practice ride which I didn't get to participate in last year.  But, it's so close to the September ride that I'll have to choose one or the other for spouse sanity reasons.  I SHOULD go to the clinic instead of the ride, but dammit I want to go to a ride already!  

I'm also tossing around the idea of participating in a CTR or two before our first LD.  There are multiple reasons for this, but it boils down to having experienced horsemen/women watching me and judging how well I care for my horse.  I don't have an extensive background in horses. How many times have I dealt with a serious illness or injury with a horse?  0.  How many times have I ridden horses long distances? 0.  How many times have I even camped with a horse? 0.  I wouldn't go expecting to place, I would go for the experience and the constructive criticism.  One possible issue: the average pace that an endurance rider needs to maintain to complete a ride is 5 mph, while a CTR rider needs a 6 mph pace to complete.  On paper, this doesn't seem like a big deal but from the reading I've done, it can be difficult for a new rider/horse team to set a 5 mph pace, especially on their first real ride.  We'll see how Ruby does when we start real conditioning rides.

All of the above is just brain vomit - thoughts that have been swirling around in my head for the last little while.  For any of this to happen in the first place, the stars will need to align: my truck is an '05, my horse is a '00, my family has to come to first, and Heather's trailer has a low spot in the floor that needs to be fixed.  Until then, I'll be thinking, dreaming, and planning.