Warhorse Endurance Ride
Today marks my 1-year anniversary since taking photos of the Warhorse Endurance riders in Palmyra-Eagle, Wisconsin. It was my first big gig as a rookie equine photographer. I was ecstatic! I was messaged by the organizer of the event who was also a photographer. I took photos for 3 days – Friday, which was check-in day, and Saturday and Sunday. My mom helped me navigate the tricky trails and times the riders would be passing by.
Since the Endurance Ride was inside the trails in Palmyra Eagle’s campground, I had to make sure I was at a part of the trail the riders would pass right on time. Otherwise, I would end up missing quite a few riders. Inside the trails, it was peaceful. My mom and I would sit there in silence, listening to the birds chirp their unique tunes and watch the native wildlife navigate the forest. When the horses came down the trail we had to make ourselves known to them as we didn’t want to spook anyone. It was hard since the trees did a good job of camouflaging us. Although the day was hot and sticky, the shaded trails were cool and kept us from overheating. Sometimes, we would venture further into the trail rather than just at the opening to try and get better shots further into the forest.
After snapping a few photos at our first trail we headed back to the hub where riders were coming back from the first portion of their ride. Here I got a chance to snap a few amazing photos. The riders had to cool down their horses as much as possible for the vet check. They used anything they could get their hands on, detergent containers, water jugs, or even their helmets!
While they were cooling down, other riders were gearing up getting ready to start the first leg of their ride.
On the second day, we headed over to our first trailhead around 7 am. This trail was my second favorite, it seemed like it was straight out of a fairytale. Here I snapped photos of a few mother-daughter teams heading out for their first endurance ride! It was so much fun to see the smiles on their faces.
Throughout the second day, we snacked on apples and PB & J sandwiches. The last trail we stopped at was my favorite! It was a woody forest consisting of long, narrow trees that covered the area. During that time of day, the sun made beautiful patterns on the sand, truly making it a magical place.
