How does a Ride & Tie race start out?
Generally, Ride & Ties start with a “shotgun” start. That is, all horses and runners congregate in a large open area, such as a grassy opening or large dirt road intersection. At the sound of a shout or a signal of a flag, all racers start at once. Horses, of course, are positioned ahead of the runners, so as not to stampede over them! Ideally, the first mile or so is a wide dirt road or trail that allows the faster horses to get out ahead, while others of varying speed get lined out easily without running into a bottle neck when the trail narrows down. After that, it’s relatively low-key, with each team setting its own pace. Teams establish friendly rivalries with other teams running at a similar pace, as they repeatedly pass and are passed by the same competitors throughout the day.
