Leanna’s latest trailer upgrade.
They say that endurance and competitive trail riding are cost effective sports to do with a horse! This is true until you start these addictions and want more.
You can start either of the sports with any breed of horse and the current tack you have. As both sports normally are a weekend away for a competition, many people start out with a tent and camping gear, tying their horse to the trailer for the nights. As you go to more events and sometimes the weather is raining or cold, the thoughts start…
Upgrade the trailer to at least a dressing room, which gives you somewhere warm and dry to sleep. You do that and then you have to upgrade your horse to panels or electric fence, as you discover you aren’t getting sleep while they are tied to the trailer.
Then you do a really cold ride and realize that heat in the trailer would be wonderful so you can unfreeze your hands to look after your horse. Upgrade number two. By this time, you have started to do longer distance rides with your horse and realize that having crew is very helpful! However, there is no room for extra people to fit in your trailer comfortably.
Upgrade number three. Of course, cost plays a huge part in this so while you are upgrading, you also realize that like buying a house, it takes a couple of purchases to get to your ideal trailer. This doesn’t include the fact that each time you upgrade and the trailer gets bigger, the truck you need to pull it may also need upgrading!
So now I am on trailer number three, which is not my dream trailer, but at least is more comfortable for when I have crew and gives me a bit more storage area. Now off to the annual general meeting for Endurance Riders of Alberta and Trail Riding Alberta Conference to see all of my friends out of their riding gear and without their horses to plan for this year’s competitions!
