Cairngorm 100

Bodshi

Bodshi

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Apr 23, 2009
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There is an Endurance event called Cairngorm 100 which, as you might guess, is set in the Cairngorms of Scotland over a distance of 100 miles. The aim is to complete the 100 miles in 24 hours. Because it's held in summer it's light when the riders set off at 4 am and I believe last year the first three home arrived about 11 pm when it was still light. The other two finishers arrived after 2 am so were riding in the dark. It's tough but welfare is high priority and the winner is not necessarily first past the post - it goes on a combination of points gained at vet checks and overall condition and a small award for speed. I'd love to do it, but no way would me and Raf ever be capable of that kind of challenge.

Now one of the previous winners has offered the opportunity to do the ride over a 4 day period. It sounds amazing and I'd so love to do it. However it's still between 20 and 33 miles per day, which I think is still tough for four days on the trot. The most I've ever done with Raf on an endurance ride is 20 miles and he's always had a couple of days off after one of those! Plus it's going to be in May, which is early in the season to be fit enough, and very challenging terrain for a horse and rider that live in the extremely flat Vale of York. Added to that there's the travelling - probably 8-10 hours in a box to get there so an overnight stay either to break up the journey, or one long journey a day in advance, would be needed and either way it must be tiring for both horse and rider before the ride even starts.

This is my dream achievement, but in reality I don't think I can do it. Maybe if I had a friend to train with and do the ride with, somewhere to train on dark evenings and an OH who would by sympathetic to the fact that I have to train every hour I'm not at work and want to go away for four days without him, it might just be manageable! Depending on how we coped with the training of course.

As it is, I'll just have to dream ...

Anyone else have any horse-related dreams?
 
I would love to do long distance riding if I can ever lose the fat me and find the slimmer me.... I am planning for when Glennie is older... till then I am content with the lower mileage pleasure rides for me and Mels.

But the 4 days in the Cairngorms sounds a great ride. I wonder if it is possible for a fit Highland to do such miles ???
 
I'm sure a fit Highland would be fine with the miles. I don't know what the speed would be like though.

I'd aim to do a normal endurance 32k ride (20 miles I think) in 4 hours, which is quite slow in competition terms but still seems a heck of a pace to me - 4 hours of almost constant trotting with some canter to make up for the bits where you have to walk, either for a brief rest or because of the terrain. I know it would be a bit slower on the four day ride but one of the days you do 33 miles so you wouldn't want to be much slower, plus there's the hills/mountains to cope with.

I think it will be tough. Ideally I'd love to do it at ambling pace and enjoy the scenery!
 
You should go to Lindum Spirit, its 5 days endurance rides based at Market Rasen Racecourse in Lincolnshire..... Theres rides of all levels every day for 5 days...... Some of my friends go. I am planning to go this year with Melody... we will only be doing the shorter slower rides but it will be my holiday for this year.

I know its not a scenic as cairngorms but you could see how your horse copes with a 4-5 day rides
http://www.ponies.me.uk/lindum/
 
It's a perfeclty doable dream, We used to do the Golden Horseshoe and the Summer Solstice, 25 miles a day at a steady pace is very doable.
 
Its totally doable, my big rides scheuled for later in the year, I've always felt that we were ready to go by may, so the last couple of months were just spent maintaining it, when I replan the Wales trip I'll plan it for may :)
Raf is already legged up, its only really cardio fitness you'll want to top up now and you can do that in 6-8 weeks.
I've done 30 mile days in mostly walk, yeah it took a long time but it was nice to enjoy the scenery :) you don't have to be moving at endurance speeds all the time so you can reduce the effects on Raf meaning he'll cope without rest immediately after :)
For the travelling, I was always told more than 8 hours requires a rest, so you might do it in one day but with a long lunch. My Wales plan was to go the day before but allow 2 days rest after the ride before travelling home, we'd have ridden 300 miles tho.
We've got the south downs planned for September this year (hopefully) which is about 96 miles and though we could do it in 3 days I think we are going to aim for 4 :)
Do it :p
 
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Haha I would so love to do it! You ride in a group though, presumably with hardened endurance people, so the speed is set really and I'd hate to be the one who's horse wasn't fit enough and held everyone up. Fingers crossed I am trying to keep Raf fairly fit by hunting once a month or so (all I can afford!) So he might be fitter in May than he usually is. When do the days get long enough to ride in the evenings? Still got the damned lack of hills to worry about though.

@Native Lover I'd love to go to Lindum. I wanted to go with a friend last year but she doesn't have her pony vaccinated for flu so she can't take him. It sounds great fun, so many things going on and staying at a racecourse too.

Would love to have done the Golden Horseshoe too, and the Dragon's Tail. Long distance riding is my dream, but not necessarily the timed endurance rides, I just want to enjoy the scenery from horseback (and only from my own horse lol).
 
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That sounds like something I'd love to do! Used to do between 18-30 miles on the common risings with Kia at vexatious speeds and over all terrain once week every summer, was great fun.

I'd say go for it :)
 
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I'd ask what sort of speed they travel at, you probably find its slower than race/competitive speeds and the organiser may run slower groups 1 week and faster ones another :)
 
I think it's achievable too. But you;d need to develop a training plan and commit to it from about now. 5 months is enough.

My dream (and this one really is a dream) is Man V Horse 2 years in a row - once running and once riding!!
 
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Quick update. I contacted the organiser but got no response as yet. I expect she is innundated with enquiries and the places were probably filled straight away - it did say first come first served. Anyway on the discussion it was mentioned that it might be run again next year, so I'll keep watching ...
 
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I assume its an area covered by right to roam? I'm guessing you could organize it yourselves if you wanted to go outside of an organized event :)
 
Jessey said:
I assume its an area covered by right to roam? I'm guessing you could organize it yourselves if you wanted to go outside of an organized event :)
Click to expand...

You know @Jessey that thought had crossed my mind, especially as they have bunkhouses lined up for the accommodation along the route. Part of it is through the Balmoral estate. Are you alliwed to ride through there without express permission? What if I bump into the Queen out for a stroll on her Fell pony? :D

There is the problem of getting all your gear from place to place but I suppose you could arrange a taxi to collect it and drop off at the next stop. Certainly worth thinking about.
 
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