What does it take to ride 20,000 endurance miles?

Belief. Patience. And the courage to ride your own path.

As part of our Year of the Horse spotlight, February celebrates the American Saddlebred — and in this episode, I sit down with lifelong Saddlebred horsewoman and endurance rider Shelah Wetter, owner of Blue Haven Stable.

Shelah has logged over 20,000 endurance miles aboard American Saddlebreds and was honored in 2025 as Sport Horse Owner and/or Breeder of the Year by the American Saddlebred Horse & Breeders Association.

In this conversation we talk about: • How she chose her endurance partner • What makes a Saddlebred shine on the trail • And how welcoming new riders strengthens the future of endurance

If you love strong partnerships and the long game — this one is for you!

• American Saddlebred Horse & Breeders Association (ASHBA): https://www.saddlebred.com

• Versatile Saddlebred Association (VERSA): https://www.saddlebredversa.org/

• Equine Distance Riding Association (EDRA): https://www.equinedistanceriding.com

• American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC): https://www.aerc.org

Head to https://warhorseendurance.com and sign up for a WARHORSE Endurance® Challenge. Whether you ride one mile or one hundred, you’ll be part of a supportive community that celebrates every step forward.

Join us on Facebook in WARHORSE Challenges.

Free ways to support: • Leave a positive review • Share this episode • Text it to a friend

Word of mouth keeps this podcast growing — and I truly appreciate you for helping us to grow on this journey.

This is Endurance Horse Podcast signing off for now — Every mile a memory.

Endurance Horse Podcast is produced by Christina Hyke Photography, LLC, a WARHORSE Endurance® production.

Endurance Horse Podcast

It started with a Valentine’s Day surprise.

Years ago, Dennis Summers surprised his wife Sue with a special Valentine’s Day gift, a Paint/Arabian cross — before the fence was even up on their property, Dennis tied the horse a tree while they finished preparing the property. That moment would become part of a lifelong journey with horses and eventually into endurance riding for both Sue and Dennis Summers.

In this episode of Endurance Horse Podcast, we trace that journey — from an article in Western Horseman that sparked a deep curiosity about endurance, to competing at some of the top rides in the world, and eventually back to the grassroots level of growing and protecting the sport he loves.

Dennis is an international endurance rider, author of 4th Gear and The Long and Winding Road, and a founding member of the Equine Distance Riding Association (EDRA). But more than titles or accolades, this is a story about partnership, perspective, and the horses that shape us.

Along the way, we talk about more than one special horse — including the one that truly inspired his most recent book. We talk about training, longevity, listening to the horse, and what matters after thousands of miles.

So sit down, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and enjoy this story as it unfolds around our virtual campfire.

Every mile a memory.

Dennis is the author of:

• 4th Gear: Power Up Your Endurance Horse

• The Long and Winding Road

Both titles are available on Kindle through Amazon.

Dennis is a founding member of the Equine Distance Riding Association (EDRA), an organization focused on horse welfare, education, and supporting endurance riders.

🔗 EDRA- Equine Distance Riding Association

If you enjoyed this episode and want to be part of a supportive endurance community, we invite you to join us at:

🔗WARHORSE Challenges fb group

🔗 https://warhorseendurance.com

Log miles. Share stories. Encourage one another.

You can also join our WARHORSE ENDURANCE® Facebook community and connect with riders from around the world who believe in honoring the horse, the journey, and the miles in between. Your participation in our virtual challenges helps keep this community growing.

This podcast is a Christina Hyke Photography, LLC & WARHORSE ENDURANCE® production

THIS IS ENDURANCE HORSE PODCAST SIGNING OFF FOR NOW — Every mile a memory.

What happens when a rider from the hunter-jumper and Warmblood world heads out on her first endurance ride and quickly learns that endurance has a sense of humor of its own?

In this episode of Endurance Horse Podcast, host Christina Hyke sits down with JayaMae Kaur for a fun, honest, and heartfelt conversation that includes plenty of laughter, learning, and long miles.

JayaMae shares her journey from hunter jumpers to trails and endurance, exchanging Warmbloods for a remarkable Missouri Fox Trotter mare who became her decade team horse and carried her to three Tevis buckles. She reflects on what surprised her most at her very first endurance ride, what she learned along the way, and why that experience made her stick with the sport.

Beyond riding, JayaMae also brings an important ride-manager perspective, sharing the deeply meaningful reason she became involved in managing a memorial ride. We talk about the heart behind the Kristina Chesterman Memorial Ride, the importance of community fundraising, and how endurance riders can support education, remembrance, and one another.

This episode is part of our Year of the Horse series, highlighting different breeds and the riders who love them — and reminding us that every breed has a place and can achieve great things at any distance.

Expect laughter, honest stories, and a whole lot of heart.

JayaMae Kaur – Lightfoot Horse Farm 🌐 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AYAtDHFBF/

Support Endurance Horse Podcast & Learn More 🌐 https://warhorseendurance.com

Join the WARHORSE Challenges Community 📘 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1C6Fdc1TBJ/

Thank you for listening to Endurance Horse Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a positive review, sharing it with a friend, or supporting the podcast by joining one of our WARHORSE Endurance challenges.

Endurance Horse Podcast is a production of Christina Hyke Photography, LLC, and WARHORSE Endurance®.

THIS IS ENDURANCE HORSE PODCAST SIGNING OFF FOR NOW — Every mile a memory.