Violation of any rule may result in disqualification.
1. Each team will consist of two persons who are current members of the Ride and Tie Association and
one horse. Throughout these Rules “horse” means “horse, pony or mule.”
2. The horse must be at least five years old.
3. No pregnant or lactating mares will be allowed to compete.
4. No foreign substance or medication may be given or administered to any horse within 72 hours
before starting the event or one hour after finishing the event. This includes ointments or solutions for
topical use that contain local anesthetics All medications administered during the two weeks prior to
the race must be declared in writing to the veterinarian conducting the pre-race examination. The ride
and tie association follows the same guidelines for prohibited substances as AERC.
5. All horses must be submitted for a pre-race examination.
6. There will be a predetermined number of vet checks where the horses will be observed and
examined. There will be no mandatory time holds. Cut-off time limits for each check point may be
established. Pulse, respiration, mucous membrane color and capillary refill, surface factors, attitude
and soundness will be considered as part of the criteria for passing through to the next check. Vet
check criteria will be announced prior to the races start and will be determined by the Head
Veterinarian after consideration of weather, terrain, and other factors.
7. Before the Start there will be an Agreed upon “Start and Finish line”.
8. All horse(s) must be presented to the veterinarians for a post-race veterinary examination within a
half hour of the horse crossing the finish line. Horses must pass this examination for any member of
that team to be eligible for completion awards. No abuse of a horse will be tolerated.
9. All decisions of the Veterinarian staff regarding the health and safety of the horse are final.
10. Artificial ties are illegal. Hand ties may be allowed at the Race Director’s discretion. Any decision to
allow hand ties will be announced at the pre-race briefing.
11. Each team must switch from rider to runner and runner to rider at least six (6) times during an event.
Teams may tie as many times as they desire anywhere along the trail as long as the ties do not
obstruct the trail or are not made in designated “No Tie Areas.” A required exchange will occur at
each vet check. A team must exchange at least twice between vet checks. Where vet checks are so
close that two exchanges may be impractical, the Race Director may allow one exchange between
two specific vet checks. If a runner on a team has not been overtaken by his partner before the next
vet check, then the runner must wait at the vet check for his/her partner to arrive in order to meet the
required vet check exchange.
12. With the exception of securing a loose horse, no person other than the team members and
designated race officials may handle a team’s horse on the trail during the race. Designated team
crew may work with the horse at any vet check specified by race officials to be open to crews. Race
officials may require crew to obtain a pass. Only contestants may take a horse through the vet checks
during the race.
13. It is not permissible for both members of a team to use their horse at the same time for forward
movement. “Tailing” (meaning the rider dismounts, grips the horse’s tail and allows the horse to pull
him/her) is allowed but it is not permissible for one team member to ride while another tails.
14. No pacing by an un-entered horse or runner is allowed for any contestant.
15. Riders shall be responsible for their horse’s behavior prior to and during the event. If, at the discretion
of the race management, any horse becomes unruly or jeopardizes the safety of other participants,
the team may be disqualified from the event.
16. Teams must pass and report to any trail marshals who are positioned along the course. Competitors
inadvertently off course must return to the point at which they left the marked trail and complete the
course correctly. Teams must stay on the marked trail.
17. Any protests must be made in accordance with the Association’s Protest Policy.
18. A team has not completed the race until both human teammates and their horse have crossed the
finish line.
19. These rules apply to a sanctioned race. A race may be of any distance, but to be sanctioned there
must be a Ride & Tie race of at least 20 miles in length offered within the same event.
20. Competitors under 16 years of age must wear approved safety helmets while mounted during a race
(helmet approval by AHSA, PCA, ANSIZ90.4, or Snell)
The entry fee includes participation in the event, camping, drug test fee, use of the facilities, Ride & Tie fees and completion award.
Check in with ride management will be upon arrival at the gated entrance. Veterinarians will be available for the pre-ride exam from 4 pm until dark. All equines need to be vetted in and numbered by dark Friday night. The head ride veterinarian will set the criteria for pulse and respiration throughout the ride.
LIABILITY RELEASE
As a participant in the Cache Creek Ride Ride, I agree to abide by the rules of Ride & Tie and by the rules of this ride. I understand that endurance riding and running involves being in remote areas for extended periods of time far from communication, transportation and medical facilities that these areas have many natural and man-made hazards which Ride Management expressly declines to anticipate, identify, modify, eliminate or warn against; that equines can be excitable, difficult to control and unpredictable, and that accidents can happen to anyone at any time. I agree to take full responsibility for myself and the animal I am riding. I release, hold harmless and indemnify the "Cache Creek Ride Ride" Management, all ride personnel, U. S. Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Game, and all liability arising from accident, injury or loss that might occur due to my participation in the ride.
CANCELLATION INFORMATION
Cancellations on or before April 26 (midnight) will receive full refunds. No shows or late cancellations (April 27 or later) do not qualify for a refund. Only the participant(s) named in the entry form can cancel her/his entry. Others cannot cancel your entry for you (no trainers, no neighbors, not anyone else). Junior riders needing to cancel must have their parent or guardian (who signed the entry) request the cancellation. Refunds are issued via PayPal. If you decide to drop your course distance down, you may do that after the April 26 deadline, however, no refund of price difference will be issued.