Malik's first 50 (or 40)

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

The day of Malik's first 50 was forecast as hot and humid earlier in the
week and so it was.  I prepared all week long for that possibility and it
paid off!  We set off with the middle of the pack and stayed there.  Malik
would have preferred FRONT of the pack but they don't make seat belts for
Big Horns!  Even with Max, his buddy,  with us, Malik knew right off what
this ride was about!  In spite of trying to pull my arms out of their
sockets, we managed a controlled lope for the first 15 miles until we
arrived back in camp for the first check.  He pulsed down within a couple 
of minutes.  We spent a LOT of time sponging and using a sprayer on him. 
It was SOOO humid!   He looked GREAT but hadn't been interested in drinking
much when Nelson pitted us and when we crossed a little stream.  He
wouldn't eat his beet pulp mush...he ate hay and grass though and sipped
water so I tried to chill out.  Vet said he was good to go.  The next 10
mile loop went pretty fast...he was having a ball.  Even taking the lead
from Max and just LOVING what he was doing.  No more pulling, even
switching leads on his own once in awhile.  At the second check, he pulsed
down quickly again and we spent lots more time with water and scraping and
spraying (those little 1 gallon pump up sprayers...we bought it more to
hose him in his "delicate" parts because we knew there was a lot of
sand...came in very handy spraying his neck and legs, too) but his gut
sounds were a C. (The vet said a lot of people were having scores like this
due to the heat and humidity).   I was pretty concerned but we spent this
50 minute hold letting him eat more grass and dosed him with pro bi and
lytes. He nibbled on his mush and ate some carrots and an apple.  He was
drinking much better now.  He and Max had rolled at both checks and we had
to spend considerable time cleaning the dirt off of them.  Didn't want
anything irritating their skin under their saddle and tack. Gut sounds
definitely improved after this hold so started out for the 15 mile loop
again.  By now, the trail is chewed to hell!  The first time around wasn't
bad but now the sand was even deeper and trickier.  Malik was a little
stiff in his rear so we started out walking until he loosened up a bit.  He
was much calmer by now.  But still willing and able to keep going.  We went
much slower this loop and it was a little more fun than the first time
though I was worried about the sand and Malik's rear being sore.  We leap
frogged positions for awhile with 3 other riders...Nelson discovered at
some point that we were actually running 9th and 10th and with switching
back and forth, wobbled between that and 12th and 13th.  I was amazed but
really didn't hold out hope for top ten...I wasn't going to push Malik at
this point or any other.  They drank well on this loop and we walked into
the 3rd vet check.  Recovered great again.  All As and a B (gut sounds). 
To make a long story short, Max popped his packing on this loop on his RF
pad and ended up somewhat footsore.  Easily remedied when your crew is a
farrier.  But Malik was definitely quite sore in his LH.  We walked him and
massaged him a bit (it seemed to be high inside of his thigh) and sometimes
it looked fine and then it was noticeable again.  So after talking it over
with Rae Birr, we mutually decided to pull them both.  Malik and Max both
had a great ride...their scores IMPROVED all day in spite of the heat and
humidity.  My tanking up strategy during the week and especially Thursday
and Friday (thanks to Susan's article in EN) made the difference, I think. 
I added some extra salt those days, too and monitored their water intake
and they drank alot before we ever got to the ride!  Their skin tenting was
always an A, juglular and cap refill....all that stuff that is so important
to hydration.  Malik is holding his weight better this time than with the
last ride (when we did 2 25s, a comp and an LD back to back) and doesn't
look gaunt or tucked up at all.   I am pleased with his progression and I
think we are looking at doing another 25 LD before our next 50...there is
an easy one coming up in July that is fairly flat with not so much sand. 
The bio scan lady is coming to treat those areas on the inside of his
thighs that seemed to get sore.  I guess we'll work some more hills after
he has a few more days off and try to build that muscling up.  He is still
growing, too so have to keep that in mind as well.  So...even though I
thought I would be greatly disappointed, I think we had a great ride and
pulling our horses was the thing to do.  There are occasional 35 and 40
mile CTRs offered at Michigan rides so maybe doing some of them wouldn't be
a dumb idea either.  

Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
10601 S. Richards Rd.
McBain, Michigan 49657
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
mmieske@netonecom.net