Old Dominion Equestrian Endurance Organization, Inc.
GPS Units - How They Can Help You Pace Your Ride
GPS (Global Position Sensors) for endurance riding can be anything from lightweight, wrist-mounted units, to separate transmitters with a detached receiver. Even the simplest unit will help riders monitor their speed and distance when riding, and can be a great tool for tracking where you are on trail. Some GPS units even have downloadable features to create maps that include the full range of Ordinance Survey Landranger maps.
Cameras - Recording Your Ride in Photos
Choose a lightweight digital camera that is good at action or speed shots. Look for something at 4mgs or greater to give you the crisp clarity you will need for cropping and enlarging, as well as being conformed to be operated by one hand (which you'll need because your other hand will be on the reins). Thin enough to be slipped in a pocket is a plus. Get a big memory stick, so you can take lots of multiple photos, and get rechargeable batteries that you can recharge during the vet check.
MP3 Players - Music While You Trot
Nowadays, MP3 players are tiny, portable in a pocket, with memory to store more songs than you can listen to in a month of rides! Music helps pass the hours, and if you have your favorite music along for the ride, you'll find the trail ending even before it started. You'll want to use comfortable ear buds on the trail so that you can still listen to outside sounds of approaching horses or other necessary vocals.
Cell Phones - Lifeline to Civilization
In the tele-connected world, carrying a cell phone for emergency use is a smart move. Carry it on your person, not your horse. In case you part company with your horse, at least you'll have your phone, and not see it go galloping down the trail. Always make sure it is fully charged before the ride, and leave it on throughout the trail. You can give your phone number to the ride secretary, and make sure you have the ride's ambulance service's number programmed into your phone.