Reprinted from Endurance News, December 2007 Ride Managers’ Column, monthly publication of the American Endurance Ride Conference, www.aerc.org, 866-271-2372
The AERC Ride Managers’ online forum members were discussing ride briefings recently, contributing what it is that we think constitutes a perfect ride briefing.
Terry Canavello (ride manager of the Pacific Crest and Limestone Challenge) summed it up perfectly:
A ride meeting shall be held in the cool of the evening with a beautiful sunset to follow. The 10-minute talk by the perfectly groomed ride manager will be witty but not too witty, intelligent, charming and contain all cogent information. The cogent information will be delivered in a way that all riders will immediately grasp, remember and understand when out on the trail. No questions will need to be asked, re-asked or asked after that. Appropriate, color-coordinated maps for each distance for crew members, volunteers and vets will be arranged in neat piles on a tidy table where each group can find them without asking. The ride meeting will end with a group hug, a round of “Kumbaya” and a murmur of appreciation.
Yeah, right.
Honest to goodness, when running our ride (Allegany Shut Up And Ride in the Northeast Region) I think of all of my dear sweet fellow riders as 4-year-old children and then gear my briefing to that comprehension level. Sure, it’s absolutely insulting, but I’m well aware of my own mental age by the time I’ve hauled several hours to the ride and gotten my behind to the ride briefing (and perhaps had a beer or two). I consider it a win-win.
The whole Nursery School Ride Briefing works well for me, complete with having the participants repeat certain key elements in a sing-song voice. No, I’m not kidding. The four people who have not left my ride briefing prematurely in complete distaste really do get all the high points.
What can go wrong
Maybe it’s easier to point out what sometimes goes wrong with ride briefings:
Too short. “Okay everyone, it’s the same as it’s always been, and don’t forget about that tricky section where the new folks get lost. Good luck!” There are some key things folks must learn during the ride briefing:
— Ride start and finish times as well as minimum hold times
— Introduction of key personnel (veterinarians, timers)
— Location of key areas (starting line, finish line, pulse area, vetting area, crew spots)
— How the trail is marked (holding up or hanging the trail markings in the briefing area is a great visual aid) and the mileage on each loop
— Ride pulse parameters and BC judging criteria (e.g., 10-minute CRI, etc.)
— Any serious hazards on trail
— Any rules unique to this ride or trail.
Too long. If the ride briefing lasts as long as “Schindler’s List,” it’s too long. If it is dawn as things are wrapping up, it is also too long. If you can keep the briefing to 20 to 30 minutes and you cover the bullet items above, you’re probably doing just fine.
No sense of fun. This is not gloom and doom! Here we are, likely in a scenic place, to enjoy miles of adventure with our glorious horses and amongst some of the most altruistic, entertaining people on the planet. Share your enthusiasm for it despite your sleep deprivation. If your sleep deprivation has created enthusiasm, better still.
Too detailed. “. . . and then you’ll go by a bunch of rocks and turn right into the woods and it curves around back and forth there and you’ll cross a creek so you can sponge and then you go up a small hill and cross a paved road and then there’s another bunch of rocks where you’ll turn left and — oh yeah — there’s a hermit who lives under the bridge there who sometimes shoots at the horses with a slingshot and then there’s another bunch of rocks and you turn right this time . . .”
I figure as a rider I can only remember one important thing per loop, so in my ride briefing I try to limit my own trail description to include one important thing per loop. (That hermit thing is something I’d want to know.) Maybe it’s a paved road crossing that can be slippery, maybe it’s a boggy area that is to be avoided, maybe it’s a terrain detail that is important (“you’ll have a three-mile climb after the wide creek crossing — take your time there!”).
Too quiet. Now is not the time for a ride manager to be shy and reserved. Speak right up. If riders are being disruptive, just stop. Typically some rider will whip the others into shape with a “Hey, shut up!” and order will be quickly restored.
No newbie briefing. If you’ve got novice riders, it’s highly recommended that you have an experienced rider, or one of your vets, conduct a “newbie” rider briefing, typically following your regular briefing. It shouldn’t just be a knowledgeable person delivering this meeting, it should be someone with the enthusiasm and ability to be a good ambassador to new competitors about our sport and the welfare of our horses. The last thing we want is someone new to all of this being too shy to ask a question amidst all of the experienced riders and have a rough day as a result, never to return.
What should go right
Outstanding ride briefings might include some or all of the following:
— A handout that includes the key points, and that can be handed out to late-arriving riders or nervous riders that think they may forget something.
— Hilarious stories told at the expense of some anonymous rider (who someone will rapidly and loudly point out) that illustrate the need to follow certain key ride rules or markings, which usually end with ” . . . and that’s why we all call him Wrong-Way Charlie!”
— A map for trails which can be followed through the use of landmarks or permanent markings in the event of sabotage — this is more practical for some rides than for others.
— A strong reminder about the “to finish is to win” motto and a statement that the riders are ultimately responsible for ensuring the safety of their horses, with a reminder to seek out the help of the vets and staff if there is any problem.
— A ride staff member to actually jog from the in-timer to the crewing area to the pulse area to the vet area and to the out-timer for their out time, so that folks have no excuse to say, “Hey, where’s the out-timer?”
— Umbrella drinks and little hors d’oeuvres served by attractive men in tuxedos (not my ride, mind you, but maybe someone has a more generous budget than I do).
— Lots of laughter, which reminds us all that we are all out there because we want to have a great time!