Whether you participate as a recreational activity or athletic endeavor, always keep in mind the ultimate goal of finishing on a sound and healthy horse and remember AERC's motto: "To finish is to win." This page will help you find the information you need to get started in the growing sport of endurance riding.
You probably have lots of questions, and this website has plenty of education material to get you on your way to your first AERC ride. Your best resource is the AERC office, which is open weekdays from 8:00-4:00 (Pacific Time) via
If you'd like to see what an endurance ride is like, you can click on this 20-minute video of the 2010 Old Glory Ride (.wmv format) in Texas. You'll meet the ride manager, control judges and riders and gain and learn why so many people become endurance riders.
To join the organization and receive AERC registration numbers for both yourself and your equine, you can phone the office or sign up through the website (see "Join/Renew AERC" at left).
Once you join, the office staff will send you a membership card, educational materials, rule book, and an Endurance Rider's Handbook. The
Rider Handbook and
Rule Book are both available online.
Then it's time to do a little homework! The Rider Handbook has chapters on conditioning, feeding, and trailering your horse, plus "rider survival" and pacing information for you.
Check out the "Education" tab on this website for lots more information. We also recommend this
conditioning article from SERA and Endurance.net's
"Help for New Riders" page.
Many regional and local distance clubs can be found at the
Local Clubs page.
AERC Ride Calendars: To find a ride, you can check the Calendar pages in Endurance News or check online one of two ways:
Online Ride Calendar -- you can easily search the ride calendar by
region.
Custom Ride Calendar -- create a custom search to find rides in certain states or within dates you choose.
Many ride flyers and entry forms are available through the online ride calendar.
A great way to familiarize yourself with the sport is to volunteer at an endurance ride. You will learn a lot about how an AERC ride works, what the control judges are looking for, and you'll have many people available to answer any questions you may have. Simply find a ride near you, and phone the ride manager to volunteer. Your help will be much appreciated.
Mentors: AERC's Education Committee is currently revising their mentor program. Until then, contact one of your AERC directors or a member of the Education Committee.
To find AERC members in your area to ride with or answer questions: Once you are an AERC member, you can look up members by city, state, and zip code from the members directory at your members page. To login to your members page, click on the "Activate your AERC online members page" at
http://www.doublejoy.com/aerc/mbr. Choose a login ID (most members use their email address) and chose a password. Once you have logged in, click Services, then Member Directory.
If you have suggestions for adding material to this page please let the folks at the AERC office know, either by
email to the AERC office or phone: 866-271-2372.
Thanks to Henry Gruber for providing the photos for this page!