Posted 2010-02-19 12:22 PM (#116800 - in reply to #116670) Subject: RE: Elmer Bandit - 38 yr old endurance horse
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330 Location: northeast Texas
I know Elmer and Mary Anna personally. I would say I had ridden many miles with them but Elmer usually trotted or cantered off and left me. LOL He could trot 14 mph. Last time I had the honor of riding, visiting, dining with them was at a ride in Missouri last year. We arrived on Wednesday to ride camp and watched Mary Anna shoe Elmer. Mary herself is no youngster but she has shod Elmer for years. We had a canopy set up and Mary Anna spent time visiting with us under it, answering our question about Elmer. Elmer would often sit on his haunches like a dog. First time my husband saw him do this at a ride, and then fall over on his side to take his regular nap, he thought Elmer had been ridden too hard and was dying. LOL He did not know then that they were an experienced and accomplished team. They do have the info a bit wrong though as Elmer was not an Endurance horse. He competed in competitive trail in the North American Trail Ride Conference, based out of Region 6. I checked with AERC and could find no record of him ever even doing an endurance race, which is very different from CTR. In the brief time I have been in the sport I have many fond memories of Mary Anna and Elmer. Its kinda funny in that she says all her back up horses for Elmer died of old age long before he did. Mary Anna always talked to him as if he was another person. I often half expected to hear him answer. Several fitting tributes to his life and accomplishments in the distance riding world are being planned. He will be missed by all.
Elmer Bandit - 38 yr old endurance horse
