Although I have a few experiences catch riding in endurance (riding an unfamiliar horse at an endurance ride), last weekend was the first time I had done so in California. When I volunteered to ride a horse at the Fire Mountain Pioneer ride, I was delighted to learn I would be riding with another catch rider who was prepping for the Gaucho Derby. Anna Dieffenbach is heading to Argentina soon, and riding all three days at Fire Mountain was an important part of her prep. I had volunteered just because I wanted to ride, but I too am prepping for an extreme horse race, the Mongol Derby 2027.
There is nothing like the Mongol Derby (621 miles in ten days) or the Gaucho Derby (about half the distance) in the USA. The closest you can get are multi-day endurance rides; better yet if you do them catch riding. Thinking about catch riding in endurance as derby prep was extremely useful. This was my fourth time riding to the Trona Pinnacles at Fire Mountain. Every ride has been unique, but this time was particularly informative! I was catch riding and taking note of everything potentially relevant to my Mongol Derby goals.
Read about my prior rides to the Trona Pinnacles: Jazz’s first endurance win–and mine!, My second ride to the Trona Pinnacles (on Fantazia), and River’s ride to the Trona Pinnacles.
The advantages of catch riding in endurance
Read my old blog post on the topic: Catch riding at Cougar Prowl.
What is catch riding?
Catch riding refers to riding a horse that you do not own or train. People do it at horse shows and in endurance. People do it on the racetrack too, but it’s not called catch riding… it’s just riding! That’s the way it works on a racetrack.
Sometimes when you catch ride, you already know the horse. Maybe you’ve been helping condition it for endurance. Maybe you’ve shown the horse before, or it belongs to a friend or trainer you’ve ridden for. It’s better if the rider knows the horse somewhat, even in racing.
I’ve been catch riding for a long time. My first catch ride was a Morgan gelding that I rode at our Regional Championship when I was 12 or 13. His owner was injured and she wanted him to show. I did go out to where he was stabled and rode him with her trainer a few times first! I grew up showing Morgans (my mom was a breeder), so I had many more catch rides (and drives). Later I spent years on racetracks and rode whatever horse I was offered, in the morning or in races.
Catch riding in endurance is still relatively new for me. I had two catch rides in Oklahoma before this one on Halle.
How does catch riding in endurance work?
All three times I have caught a ride, I’ve volunteered in the comments of the horse owner’s post on Facebook. I have also had a few people offer me horses privately that I did not accept because the ride was too far away.
From what I have seen on the AERC Facebook page, catch rides are both offered and requested. Many riders will post asking if anyone has a horse they could ride at an event.
If you pay to ride a horse, it’s not catch riding.
People do lease horses to ride in endurance events. I have no idea what it might cost to lease a horse for a “normal” ride. I do know it can cost thousands of dollars to lease one for the Tevis Cup. I would not do that for many reasons. However, I do not think $3,000 (e.g.; I have seen different prices quoted and have no idea what people actually pay) unreasonable. It costs far more than that to feed, train, and condition a horse to the point it can feasibly complete Tevis.
I wouldn’t lease a horse to race, because that’s not why I ride races. That said, there’s nothing wrong with doing so. It’s probably cheaper. It’s not catch riding in endurance if you pay, but it can be just as beneficial when it comes to prepping for an event like the Mongol or Gaucho Derby.
A little bit about Anna’s journey
I have no idea if Anna would have leased a horse if she had the money to do so. Fortunately, she was able to catch ride! It was a pleasure to ride with her and learn a little bit about her during our ride!
Amazingly, Anna was familiar with the mountains where I live. She had hiked near local peaks while working as a wildlife specialist, gathering data on recovery from our recent fires. Even better, she wasn’t alarmed at my exclaiming over random vegetation and wanting to identify flowers: her boyfriend is a botanist.
When I asked Anna about her entry in the Gaucho Derby, she replied:
I applied for the Gaucho derby when I was at a bit of a mental low in seasonal wildlife work, not thinking I’d get in. But, once being approved, I had to make it happen. I thought, “you can replace money but not experiences.”
When I asked Anna about funding, she said it had been a struggle. I was impressed with an idea she had implemented. She had asked nonprofits to sponsor her with this proposal: She would raise money in their name, with the first $1000 going to them, and after that a percentage would go to her and the rest to them. I cannot recall the split, but the way I see it, it’s a win-win for the nonprofit. Sadly, she had not received any responses.
If you would like to contribute, here is Anna’s GoFundMe page.
Above: Anna Dieffenbach riding Tika as we started back from the Pinnacles.
Why the Gaucho Derby?
Several years ago, Anna had applied to ride the Mongol Derby. (How to enter the Mongol Derby.) By the time she submitted her application, there were only four spots. Her interviewer told her that right away, and Anna became immediately nervous. She didn’t get a spot. So when she decided to try again, she went for the Gaucho Derby, believing it would be easier to get into.
She was accepted with no issues. Looking back, Anna says the main difference was not more riding experience. It was more interviewing experience. Anna had plenty of riding experience all along. She had grown up riding. (She impressed me with her facility at mounting from the offside, which her mother had taught her to do over the course of many trail rides.) She had done eventing. Anna had no experience with endurance when she applied to ride the Mongol or Gaucho Derby.
Catch riding in endurance as training for long distance riding
Anna got into endurance in early 2025 specifically to train for the Gaucho Derby. She was really excited to learn a new horse discipline. She lives in Reno, where it was not difficult to find the opportunity to condition horses. By the end of the 2025 season, Anna had completed one 50-mile endurance ride and three 30-mile LDs.
Despite her success (topped by riding all three days at Fire Mountain), Anna hasn’t fallen in love with endurance:
After almost a year of riding endurance, I think I have a different perspective than most catch riders or derby riders in that endurance has not really caught my passion in riding. I’m all for the deep connection between horse and rider, adventuring with an equine in the wilderness, and working towards horsemanship goals, but endurance hasn’t quite offered me the shape that my equine goals take. That doesn’t mean one can’t find what I mentioned above in endurance, just that the outcome of riding endurance wasn’t what I expected it to be.
No matter what the horse community, you can always learn a tremendous amount
Anna and I spent a lot of time talking about different horse communities. I myself have lived closely in several, and the all have pros and cons. For me, endurance has turned out to be a permanent home. For Anna, it’s been a learning experience that has furthered her goal to complete the Gaucho Derby. She expressed much appreciation for the opportunities the endurance community gave her and how much it has contributed to her preparations while we rode, and later texted me:
I’m still so so grateful for the miles I’ve ridden catch riding, the people I’ve met, and I really have learned so much. I’ve also ridden so many horses that have tested my skills and accelerated my improvements in riding. I’ve ridden horses I’ve loved, and horses I’ve battled with personality-wise, all for the better in my journey because I’ve had to learn to adapt to the horse in front of me. I still get frustrated of course, as you saw with me and Tika on the way home, but I ended up having such a wonderful time with her on Sunday and really appreciated her overall.
When I read that, I remembered all the horses I’ve ridden and clashed with, personality-wise. Especially mares! Sometimes they have turned into some of my best rides, or at least some of my best racing wins!
Above: Anna riding ahead as we approached the Trona Pinnacles.
It was fun to ride with another catch rider. We shared our perspectives on the experience, and we compared notes on catch riding (more below), horse people, growing up with horses, and how one integrates horses in a post-childhood life with work, bills, and other responsibilities.
Naturally, Anna and I talked about the difficulty of funding an event like the Gaucho and Mongol Derbies. I mentioned my initial plan to make a documentary that was nixed by the organizers. I was delighted to discover that Anna was making one. Anna and her producer, Ed Hanna of All Angles Production, had found a way around the media rights difficulty by focusing on the preparation for and aftermath of the Gaucho Derby.
Above: Halle and Tika tied to the trailer during the hold at the Pinnacles. They were eating heartily! In the background to the right, you can see the ride photographer, Sam Ortega (Twisted Fate Photography), next to Ed Hanna, who was filming for a documentary about prepping for the Gaucho Derby.
Riding to the Trona Pinnacles and back
The last three times I rode to the Pinnacles on my own horses. In many ways, that is easier, but there is a lot to be said for catch riding someone else’s horse! For one thing, the prep is almost non-existent (if you don’t count my years of riding).
When Gretchen Montgomery shared a post on Facebook asking for catch riders, I volunteered. River was only ready for one day, and I liked the idea of riding another. This way if for some reason River could not complete the 50, I’d feel better about making the trip. Gretchen asked me which day I preferred. I replied that I was willing to do whatever she needed. She told me I’d be riding “Halle,” or CanIGetAHallelujah.
Our horses
I met Halle the night before our ride. Another catch rider, Jessica Lauman-Lairson, rode her in the LD that day. I had asked Gretchen about Halle, mainly so I would know how to ride her. Halle had never done a multi-day ride, but she had completed four LDs and three 50s. Gretchen told me that she wanted Anna and me to take it easy, but not too slowly. We should aim to finish mid-pack.
I also met Anna Friday night. She had ridden “Tika” (DWA Haffirs Tika) with Jessica. Tika is an experienced mare, with 1,055 endurance miles and 370 LD miles, including two 100-mile finishes at Twenty Mule Team in 2024 and 2025. Knowing that Tika had so many miles says a lot. She’s what I call a “fully cooked” horse. She knows her job, has her expectations, and knows what she wants out of a rider. Nobody’s going to change her. She reminds me of my older mare Fantazia. Nobody’s going to change her either!
Of course Anna found Tika frustrating at times. It was probably mutual! But Tika had a lot to teach Anna, and learning can be frustrating.
As for Halle…
Halle is a very good girl and a much better ride than either of my mares! Had I been riding Fantazia, I would have been the frustrated one! She’s going to be a fire-breathing dragon when I bring her back to endurance. (Fantazia took a baby-break: Meet her daughter Scheherazade.)
Halle on the other hand is too new to endurance to have developed opinionated older-mare ways. In truth, she’s just a well-behaved horse who will always be that way. She made two relatively big spooks on the way out to the Pinnacles but other than that was pretty much a perfect angel.
Above: Looking through the ears of Halle is a pretty sight. She’s a buckskin paint with cute little ears and a big forward trot that makes her a pleasure to ride.
Both Tika and Halle were well-behaved around other horses. They know their business. We managed to start in the middle of the pack with no issues. Anna said Tika had been a bit more of a handful the day before, but was good Saturday.
The two mares also took excellent care of themselves. They ate whenever we let them, and drank at every water trough.
Above: Tika and Halle eating at our trot-by vet check on the way out to the Pinnacles. Both mares really took care of themselves, eating and drinking at every opportunity.
An aside on ride etiquette
Anna and I had one unpleasant experience on the way out to the Pinnacles. We had arrived at a water trough that had five or six riders around it. Their horses were done drinking. A few of the riders moved their horses out of the way, but the trough was still very busy, and Halle and Tika just stood there, waiting for space.
At this point, two other riders rode up. Before they had stopped, they told Anna and me we should move if our horses weren’t going to drink. We replied that they would drink, we just needed a minute. The approaching rider snapped back, “They’re obviously not going to drink, they’ve been standing there for a long time.”
Anna and I moved aside. The two new riders let their horses drink. The other riders left. When the two new arrivals had drunk their fill, they left.
Anna and I rode back up to the trough and Tika and Halle drank deeply.
Some suggestions for sharing water access
- When your horse is done drinking, move to the side so other horses have enough space to feel comfortable and drink.
- If you arrive and there are other riders waiting for their horses to drink, ask if it’s ok to approach. Do not order them to leave the trough.
I wrote a blog post on trail etiquette some time ago. Most of my experiences at endurance rides have been good. This was an exception. These riders were not new and should have known better.
Above: I held Halle and Tika at the trot-by vet check while Anna used the port-a-potty. There was no one around, but I still led them off to eat grass as soon as they had finished drinking. Photo credit: Sam Ortega of Twisted Fate Photography.
The ride out to the Trona Pinnacles
With the exception of that uncomfortable water stop, the ride out was beautiful. We made it to the Pinnacles in 4 hours 42 minutes. According to my Garmin watch, it was 25.2 miles (I started recording about three minutes after the start so add maybe 1/4 mile) with 1,601′ total elevation gain. Average speed: 5.2 mph and average moving speed 5.6 mph. It was a beautiful morning!
We had one trot-by vet check. Because it had a port-a-potty, we got off and let the mares eat for a bit. We weren’t in any hurry.
A pitfall of catch riding in endurance
Around mile 20 my left shin started hurting. The keeper of the stirrup leather was digging into my muscle. The saddle itself was very comfortable, but the stirrup leathers were a bit too long such that the keep hit right in the wrong place. I shortened the leathers a bit before we left the hold.
The hold
Halle’s heart rate was at 60 when we pulsed, and we went straight to vet. Everything looked good (pulse was 54 by then). Tika was in similar good shape, and we tied them to Gretchen’s trailer for lunch. (One of the advantages of catch riding the ride manager’s horses!)
Anna and I ate our breakfast burritos (prepared by Pat Helly:) and rested. I charged my watch and chatted with Ed Hanna. We were ready to go by our out-time at 12:14PM.
The way back is a long hard slog
I love the ride to the Trona Pinnacles, because after 23 miles, you have a fantastic view that was very surprising my first time. The way back is one long rather boring slog along roads and/or power lines most of the time. It took us four hours and five minutes to complete the 22.5 miles (1,575′ ascent) back to Ride Camp.
Above: The afternoon was as beautiful as the morning, if a bit warm. In the first picture, you can see a side-lined track not far from Trona. In the second, the green of the desert is evident. Those are huge malva plants!
Tika and Halle finished sound and happy, in 17th and 18th place. I was not-so-sound, with piercing pain in my left shin!
The most exciting part of the trail back to Ride Camp is when you pass the BLM Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals.
Lessons learned from catch riding in endurance
Both ones I learned myself riding Halle to the Trona Pinnacles, and those others may learn.
Lesson #1: Bring your own stirrups and leathers!
I had not approached the ride with any idea of prepping for the Mongol Derby, but even before I had what feels like a piercing hole in my lower leg, speaking with Anna had shown me what an advantage catch riding in endurance can be for riders planning to compete in ultra-long distance events on unknown horses.
In both the Mongol and Gaucho derbies, riders are responsible for bringing their own stirrups and leathers. Anna rode Tika with the stirrups and leathers she is taking to Argentina. Even so, gear can be a problem, as Anna notes:
One challenge with catch riding is definitely that you’re almost never in your own gear. When it comes to stirrup leathers and stirrups, I’ve been lucky to test and use my own stuff, but the saddles themselves can beat a catch rider up if not the right fit, so we really have to learn how to engage our body in ways to compensate for discomfort without damaging ourselves, or learn to self-advocate and sometimes make a hard decision to stop riding in a certain saddle (an important life skill, too).
I am taking this to heart. Perhaps it would be a good idea to beg, buy, or borrow one of the saddles used in the Mongol Derby. (They are made in South Africa by Franco C Saddlery.)
Lesson #2: Be prepared to deal with any horse
One of the best things about riding with Anna is that she shared her experience riding Tika. When Tika got frustrated with Anna (just because they didn’t agree on the best speed… typical!), she would toss her head. This in turn was extremely frustrating for Anna, who was doing her best to ride with an extremely light hand. (It’s always best to ride horses who toss their heads with gentle hands and–when possible–the gentlest of bits.)
Despite these frustrations, Anna and Tika completed all three days at Fire Mountain together. Very few rider and horse pairs do this! (I’ve only once completed all three days of a Pioneer ride, with Fantazia at Sesenta Años 2021.)
Horses for riders of the Mongol and Gaucho Derbies are unknown quantities. I imagine the Argentine ones are quite trained, but the little Mongol horses are described by the Derby organizers as “Diminutive, sturdy, fearless, wild and unbelievably tough.” They are barely trained and often as given to bucking as running. I’m not too worried. I spent years on the racetrack in Spain riding any horse that was put in front of me. But for those used to riding only their own horses, catch riding in endurance can provide invaluable experience.
Above: On long rides, it can help to have company! Though I usually ride alone, it was fun to ride with Anna and in truth it made the long road back less onerous.
Lesson #3: Miles horseback can seem very long
And we only rode 50 miles! Technically, about 48. In that regard, the ride out to the Trona Pinnacles and back is ideal. It’s not very technical and not very steep… in other words, it’s a bit boring. Technical, steep trails with changing landscape are easier to ride because you have something to think about.
When prepping for a race that will take ten days, feeling the hours stretch endlessly into the future is undoubtedly a valuable learning experience. Of course, endurance riding in general is excellent preparation for this! And it is especially true when you are riding with pain.
Lesson #4: Learn to breathe (and ride) through the pain
Because that’s the only way you’ll make it. I had to breathe through the piercing pain on my shin for about 25 miles, and then again the next day when I rode my mare River in the 50. (My leg didn’t hurt till the end then because I had my own saddle, but still it did end up aching.)
Every endurance rider has learned to ride through pain of some sort. The vetting is for the horses, not the riders. We have agency, the horses don’t… And we must use this agency to force ourselves to carry on no matter how much our bodies scream stop.
Above: Myself riding Halle. She was so much fun! Photo credit: Sam Ortega of Twisted Fate Photography. He also took the primary photo for this blog, with Anna and me riding together.