Get up early! Make sure your horse is fed, and then get yourself fed. Get yourself dressed, and your horse tacked up and ready about 30 minutes ahead of the start time (which they will have told you at the ride meeting the night before). Warm your horse up for at least 15 minutes before the start (we just leisurely walk around camp). Report to the out timer that you are present and accounted for (she will want your letter from your horse's hip that you put on with grease pencil the night before). Ride management will tell you when the trail is OPEN. You will depart and follow the ribbons that mark the trail as directed at the ride meeting the night before. Sometimes there will be a controlled start where a rider will lead everyone out to the trail head, and then people leave at from that part at their desired pace.
The voice of experience here will tell you that the front is not a good place for a newbie. There may be exceptions to this (such as the one ride I did that it worked out well). But generally too much activity going on there, too many horses with go go go! It just makes the experience harder than it needs to be. You can hang back and wait to leave if you want, you don't have to leave with group unless you want to.
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