Many moons ago I had the opportunity to represent the United States in the first world championships for TREC, a delightful sport aptly referred to as “the adventure sport for trail riding enthusiasts.” My teammates and I trained on borrowed French horses for several weeks before competing them in the event, which was held near a small town in the Rh™ne Alps. 

The sport includes three phasesÑorienteering, control of paces, and a cross-country obstacle courseÑbut it’s probably known best for the orienteering. This involves navigating a route with a map, a compass, and a series of surprise checkpoints. At each of these a judge checks your direction and time and sends you off at an appointed pace, and sometimes a veterinarian checks your horse