Lake Sonoma AERC Endurance Ride

04/29/2026

Already dreaming of October!

03/17/2026

LOVE

Different sports have created different definitions of what it means to win. Usually, in most horse sports, winning simply means the usual definition, to be first.

But in endurance riding, years ago, at its inception as a sport, some far seeing early proponents recognized the danger to the horses that a winning at all costs mentality would create. The slogan that you see here was created to modify that all too human frenzy to be glorified as THE WINNER.

In endurance riding they make a big deal out of long term horse and rider partnerships. At the apex USA distance ride, the Tevis Cup, 100 miles in 24 hours over steep mountains, the Haggin Cup for the horse finishing in the best condition, is prized about as highly as being first across the finish line. And at the finish of an endurance competition, if the veterinarians don’t consider the horse “fit to continue,” the horse is eliminated.

The AERC---American Endurance Ride Conference---is way out ahead of most horse organizations when it comes to horse welfare, and building it into the sport as a core belief and standard practice.

Other horse organizations could learn much from the AERC if they were open to it.

12/09/2025

Our ride will be happening October 10th, 2026! Hope to see all our friends who love these trails and meet new riders who are interested in a ride through beautiful forests and hills!!

Send a message to learn more

10/14/2025

10/14/2025

What a fabulous ride weekend! We had so much fun hosting these amazing riders and their amazing horses. Nice cool weather and just a little rain Friday night. Thank you to our vets! Thank you to our awesome volunteers! Thank you to our generous sponsors! We have lots of ideas on how to make it even better next year and really hope you all come again! Please tag yourself and your friends! I’ll put some description into pictures later.

10/09/2025

Ahhhh! A tree fell across the North Slope Trail on Tuesday!! Lucky for us Rangers Emily and James hopped right to it yesterday!!