Welcome to the Souris Bend Benefit Ride September 2, 2023!

Important Update

Heads up everyone! Looks like a hot weekend at Souris Bend.  We are going to move up start times due to the heat. 

50’s will leave as soon as they are vetted in. (Hoping about 7 ish) 25’s will now start at 8 AM

10/15 will start at 9. 

Be prepared for the heat. Bring ice, bring a cooling vest, bring a fan. Whatever you need for you and your horse

Trail Marker: Myna Margetts

Ride Manager: Darice Whyte

Day Manager: Dianne Borger

Vet: Dr Glenn Sinclair

This is an AERC sanctioned 1-day ride offering 50-mile Endurance Ride and 25-mile Limited Distance ride. Horses are subject to vet checks prior, during and after each ride.  There might even be prizes!

In addition, Intro rides of 10 or 15 miles will be offered. This is a great way to try out the sport and any reasonably fit horse should be able to complete the ride. Horses will have a vet check at the beginning and completion of the ride. These rides are for experience only and have no time limits and no placings but will receive a completion ribbon and their vet card once they pass their final vet check.

Directions :

 From Wpg on #2 hwy go past Nesbitt about .25 of a mile to PR 346. Go south on 346 towards Margaret. Go 4 miles south and road jog to the west. Follow the road thru jog and continue south another 3 miles to turn off for middle camp. Signs will be posted.

From Brandon on #10 hwy go past #2 hwy east another 4 miles to road 36N. Turn east and go 4 miles east to PR 346. Turn south and go 3 miles south to turnoff for middle camp.

Signs will be posted. We are going to have trucks and trailers go down the hill in the first 30 minutes of any hour and up hill in the last 30 minutes. This worked well at the August long weekend. It avoids meeting another rig on the hill. Myna will have my signs put up to inform everyone.

Ride camp will be primitive camping with no electrical available. Water will be provided for the horses, but you must bring all your own supplies, in addition to your own containment for your horses. Please clean up your horse manure at your camp area (it can be tossed in the bush or taken home with you). An outhouse is near base camp for those in need but no guarantee it has tp in it.

Base camp will officially open Friday at 4:00 p.m. Camping and day trailer parking is first come first served and unmarked so please be courteous to your fellow riders and don’t block the road. Please let the ride manager know if you plan on arriving Friday.

Ride Schedule will be:

Vet in by distance priority (ie: 50’s first, then 25’s then intros) begins at 7:00 a.m.

50’s start at 8:00 a.m. (15 mile loop, tot-by, 10 mile loop, hold, 15, hold, 10 done! )

25’s start at 8:00 a.m. (15 mile, hold, 10 mile )

Intros start at 9:00 a.m. (either 15 or 10)

Please note that the vet will be there on Friday afternoon to vet in some of the horses but only until about 5:30. Do not freak out if you aren’t there until after 6. We will still vet in your horses on Saturday.

The ride maps are available at camp and has been add d below. We are hoping to have a GPX file available as well.

Saturday we will have a potluck supper at the Ride Tent at 6:00 p.m. (or when the last 50’s are in). Please bring 4-6 portions of your favourite shareable camp food and join us for a social evening.

General notes:

• Hold times will be 45 minutes for all holds.
• Pulse criteria will be 64 bpm for the 50 mile and 60 bpm for the 25 mile distance.
• All dogs must be kept on a leash, tied to your trailer, crated, or confined inside your trailer/truck while in Ride Camp. Please clean up after your pet.
• Dogs are not permitted near the Vet Gate
• No smoking on the trail, at Vet Gate or at the Manager/Volunteer Canopy
• Snacks will be provided for volunteers.

. This ride will be the second year of Human VS Horse. The runners will be racing the 25 mile group this year. May the best competitor win!

Souris Bend Endurance Ride Sept. 2, 2023

50 miles

Vet check 7am  Start time 8am

Loop 1- red loop skip amphitheatre- trot by in camp blue loop and purple loop 25 miles done. 45 minute hold. 

Loop 2- repeat red trail skipping amphitheatre – 45 minute hold.

Loop 3- Repeat Blue and purple loop. Finish

Trail description

Loop 1 – Red loop.  Leave camp on common red/blue loop cross river and go up Hallelujah Hill.  At top red turn left or north follow along top of hill for less than a mile then go down hill.  At bottom take Grouse trail and follow along to river crossing.  Cross ”Causeway River” crossing (rocks moved)  and turn right on out trail.  Follow red trail to the left passing the #2 sign.  Follow red  passing #6 sign.  Don’t take the amphitheatre trail follow the alternate easier trail.  Follow red trail on back of the amphitheatre trail.  Comes to open meadow.  Follow red trail to the left at sign.  Soon comes to the roller coaster. After roller coaster you can go down to the river for water and return to trail.  The Gregories Mill hiking trail soon joins the ride trail.  Follow combined trail along the Mill Run to the interpretive sign for Mill.  Go back south along trail and cross dry creek again.  Trail soon climbs gradually up out of the valley.  Come to a sharp left hand turn, where hiking trail leaves to the right, follow red horse trail.   Trail follows along the edge of the valley with a spectacular view.  You will come to North camp.  Follow along top of hill until trail descends into The Ravine.  Follow ravine bottom to the end.  Turn left at top of ravine.  Trail turn sharp right onto a more distinct trail for about a mile.  Turn left and stay on red trail. Trail soon comes to where the red trail turns left and goes down Beaver Hill. Follow along river and return to “Causeway” river crossing.  Cross river and follow the return trail along river to middle camp. Trot by at middle camp. Then leave the same way as the start.  Cross river and follow common red/blue trail up the hill.  At top turn right and follow blue trail.  Blue trail stays on top of hills for a long ways.  Follow blue trail to Lang’s crossing and cross river.  After crossing the river take a sharp left up the hill.  At top turn left off two track onto blue trail which follows river around the Bend. When trail returns to two track turn left onto two track. Continue to follow blue trail back to Elk trail down into valley.  Turn left and come back to alfalfa field and water tubs.  Sponge only in one blue tub.  Turn left onto purple trail and follow it up Spring hill.  Turn left at top and follow along top of hill to junction where purple trail goes to the right out to road and then turns left back up the hill.  Follow purple trail back to Wayne’s trail and go down into valley going past water tubs and return to vet check.

25 miles complete   Pulse criteria – 64     Hold 45 minutes

Loop  2

Follow red trail again.  

40 miles complete   Pulse criteria 64       Hold 45 minutes

Loop 3

Follow blue/red common trail to the top of Hallelujah Ridge.  Turn right  onto blue trail.  Follow blue trail  to Lang’s crossing and return to Elk trail down into valley.  Go back to water tubs and take purple trail up Spring Hill.  Follow purple trail around and back down Wayne’s trail and return past water tubs to Finish.

 Souris Bend Endurance ride Sept 3, 2023

25 miles

Vet check at 8 am start at 9am

Loop 1 – Red loop 60 pulse 45 minute hold

Loop 2 –  Blue and purple loop 60 pulse to finish

Trail description

Loop 1 – Red loop Leave camp on common red/blue trail, cross river and go up Hallelujah Hill.  At top turn left or north and follow trail along the top of hill for less than a mile then go down hill.  At bottom take Grouse trail and follow along to the river crossing.  Cross “Causeway” river crossing  (Rocks moved) . Turn right on out red trail.  Follow red trail past #2 sign and turn left staying on red trail.  Follow red trail past # 6 sign to the amphitheatre sign. Take the alternate easier route around the amphitheatre. Take the behind the amphitheatre trail to open meadow. Take the red trail to the left and come to the roller coaster. At the end of roller coaster you can water your horse in the river but return to trail and head along the river.  Soon come to where the Gregories Mills hiking trail comes in and you will follow common trail with the hiking trail all the way along the Mill Run and to the Interpretive sign for the Mill.  Trail heads back south and cross a dry creek bed.  Trail soon starts climbing up out of the valley.  You will come to a sharp left hand turn where the hiking trail goes to the right.  Stay left of the red horse trail. You will follow along the edge of a ridge with a spectacular view.  You will soon arrive at North Camp.  Follow trail through camp to a steep descent into the Ravine.  Follow ravine bottom a trail.  Trail takes a left at the top of the ravine then shortly comes to a sharp right where there is a sign for #5.  Stay on red trail for about a mile to the west, then trail turns left.  Stay on red horse all the way back to camp.  You will come to Beaver trail and take it down the hill to the river.  You will return to the “causeway” river crossing.  Cross river and take the return red trail along the river to camp and vet check.

15 miles complete      Pulse criteria  60           45 minute hold

Loop 2  

Leave the same way as loop 1 on the common red/blue trail to the top of hill.  Take a right onto the blue trail.  Follow blue trail all the way to Lang’s crossing.  After crossing the river take a sharp left to the top of the hill.  At the top of the hill turn off two track to the left on blue trail which follows river around the Bend.  When it returns to 2 track take a left onto two track and follow this all the way back to Elk trail down into the valley.  At the water tubs, where there is ONLY  ONE  BLUE TUB FOR SPONGING, take a left onto purple  trail.  Follow purple trail up Spring Hill and turn left onto two track.  Follow two track back to junction with blue trail.  Take a right hand turn and follow purple out to road and return to Wayne’s trail.  Go down Wayne’s trail and return to alfalfa field going past water tubs to camp Finish.  First horse to reach 60 is winner. You MUST CALL TIME.

There are no ties.

15 miler’s do just Loop 1 of the 25’s mile ride.