Re: RC: Re: Far Outtt Forest, With the Kid: Part Four

[Truman Prevatt <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

Horses seem to do better cantering in the deep sand than slogging through it at
a trot. The trail to the first vet check is open wide sand roads. For the most
part and it can be difficult to put you horse behind a sane horse to get him
settled in. In fact on this 50 I saw very few sane horses out there. I had
planned on a nice easy 8 to 10 mph into the first check which was 14 miles.
More like all the 50's came in together in about an hour.  That is all except
the four front runners that Howard was with. I can only guess how fast they
were going. Someone had a GPS and it was exactly 14 according to that and even
after a 30 minute hold where the speed was zero for 30 minutes the average
speed reported by this unit was 8 mph - jeeze.

Now add to a 14 or 15 mph pace low hanging tree branches, a tall horse and a
tall rider, no wonder I had a bit of blood on my face. Ever notice that when
you come in with blood running down your face it is like all the other riders
and crews have to tell you about it. It is like you didn't know some tree
branch had reached out and shredded your hide. My only response is "yep I know,
but it's just a flesh wound and I'm no wimp so I think I'll go on <g>."

Think it's fun ridding through those trees during the day, you should try it at
night like the 100's do. The times I did the 100 on the mare ( who is taller
than the Ayrrrrrrab I am now riding and only about two inches shorter than
Howard's horse) I swore the trails were maintained by and for short women
riding 14-2 horses. Jeeze talk about trimming the trail for an advantage.

The one other treat you can get from time to time on that trail, at least on
the 50 and 100 - the 35's miss this part - is to ride right past the guide
tower that brings the F-16s (and I guess now the Blackhawks use it also) into
the bombing range! Yep there is a large bombing range in the forest and it is
used by the pilots at McDill. The first time I saw the huge tower with a number
painted on a billboard sized sign on the top, I wondered what it was.  About
then two F-16's came roaring over at 10 feet or so over the treetops to go
practice!     While the horse didn't do a thing except look up, I almost died
on the spot.

Truman

superpat wrote:

> Thanks for the blow by blow, Howard. I am always amazed when someone can
> remember the chronology of a ride. I would have to take notes at every vet
> check. I have to say that you Floridians put me in awe of your rides. As
> about 90% of the rides I do out here in the Pacific Northwest are
> mountainous, I could not imagine cantering as much as you describe. In fact,
> even for training rides, I try to start out as slowly as my horse will allow
> for about the first 15 minutes or so. At the actual endurance ride, she
> would yank my arms out of the sockets if I did not let her run with the
> front runners for the first five or so miles so I am sure to get up extra
> early and warm her up thoroughly. I am happy that Dance was not lame. I have
> had my horse bobble a few steps and it is possible that, like her, Dance
> knocked himself on a rock or as Engelita did once and actually came into the
> vet check lame, he may have knicked himself on the pastern and it ouched for
> a minute or two. In Engelita's case, luckily, the vet noticed the broken
> skin and we just gave her a minute or two and she was fine for the rest of
> the 50 miles. Three years later, she still has a knot where she nicked
> herself.
> Looking forward to the next installment.
> Pat

--
Truman Prevatt
Brooksville, FL

Mystic "The Horse from Hell" Storm
Buck's Mystic Karma
Rocket a.k.a. Mr. Misty
Jordy a.k.a. Bridger (when he is good)
Danson Flame - Hot Dog I'm healed and ready to go.

http://www.mrsl.com