In this episode of the Optimized Equine Podcast, Tamara Lee Barrett interviews Founder and President of the Arizona Endurance Riders Club, Lancette Koerner. Lancette shares her journey into the world of endurance riding, including her experiences with the challenging Tevis Cup in 2015 & 2024. They discuss the unique challenges of endurance rides, and the lessons learned from various horses. Lancette emphasizes the community aspect of endurance riding and her aspirations for the future, including sharing the sport with others and improving the endurance riding experience through technology.

Takeaways

Lancette Koerner has had a love for horses since childhood, but did not get her first horse - an untrained 9 month old BLM Mustang - until she was an adult.

Her first endurance ride was in 1996 on her Mustang, and she has since become a passionate and dedicated endurance rider.

Lancette emphasizes the importance of understanding each horse's individual needs and personalities.

Training for endurance rides involves a lot of preparation and understanding of the horse's capabilities.

Endurance riding is a family-friendly sport that welcomes riders of all ages.

The Tevis Cup is a challenging 100-mile ride that requires riders to complete it in 24 hours.

The challenges of the Tevis Cup include elevation changes, heat, and strict cutoff times.

Lancette has learned valuable lessons from her horses about communication and patience.

The endurance riding community is supportive and offers many resources for newcomers.

Lancette's long-term goals include exploring new trails across the country and sharing the sport with others.

**Learn more about Endurance riding at aerc.org or the Arizona Endurance Riders Club at azerc.org **

** Learn more about Tamara at ⁠⁠⁠tamaraleebarrett.com⁠⁠ ⁠**

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Endurance Riding and Personal Journey

04:33 The Role of Different Horses in Endurance

08:24 Understanding Endurance Riding

11:28 Challenges of the Tevis Cup

14:32 Training Strategies and Personal Experiences

17:25 The Importance of Horse Welfare

20:07 Navigating the Tevis Cup Challenges

34:19 Understanding Cutoff Times in Endurance Racing

36:57 The Journey of an Endurance Horse

38:43 Training Routines for Different Horses

42:55 Interpreting Horse Needs45:22 Skills and Areas for Improvement

47:17 Long-Term Goals in Endurance Riding

48:08 The Future of Endurance Riding

51:42 Managing Endurance Rides

53:33 Lessons from Horses Beyond Riding

56:57 Corner Turners in the Journey

01:00:13 Wishes for the Future of Endurance Riding