Newbie News (long) and a big thanks to the "oldbies"

[guest@endurance.net]

Deanna German finishis2win@columbus.rr.com
It's been a while since I posted anything related to Newbie News, but
that's only because I've been dutifully doing LSD with my coming 6YO mare.

Said half-Arab mare, known as "Salina" along with other less printable
names for a family forum, has come along nicely. Last fall I was doing
20 -30 miles of LSD, then came the winter break, and then this spring, I
easily had her back to 20 - 30 miles per week, give or take. "OK," said I
sometime back in April, "maybe we can do that 25 mile CTR at the end of
June. It'll be tough terrain, but they're beautiful trails and I think
we'd both enjoy it. Hope the mare can handle it."

More LSD.... up to the occasional 40 mile week now.... lots and lots of
mud on trail to slog through (just one year ago Ms.
my-hooves-must-not-get-wet would never have done mud and water) .... a
little hill work now and again (trot up, walk down, trot up, walk down)
and short speed workouts on a level, wide, but curvy trail nearby. (Was
that a flying lead change? And another?) Very limited amounts of aerobic
work. Mare seems to be feeling very full of herself and trying to take
advantage of human. "Gee," said I, "I hope this 25 mile CTR lets her know
she can get tired."

Take mare to 25 CTR. (I did two novice level CTRs last year. This was her
first "open" level CTR.) Mare does just fine trailering and camping with
older equine buddy (and relative – his sire is my mare's grandsire). Acts
like old pro. THEN barn buddy shows up. OK, the mare has great taste in
men as this guy is a beautiful, smart and sweet buckskin gelding. But she
totally lost her brains. Had to put a nose shank on her and nose twitch
her to get her to stand still for the check-in exam. The "trot-out"
including much cantering. Vet judge jokingly asked if I had packed velcro
for my butt.

Day of CTR, mare is still very wired. She's very good away from her barn
buddy, but completely brainless within sight or sound of him. (It did give
me some satisfaction that the buddy was being a turd too.) See, "buddy"
and Salina were not riding together. So, we entertained one and all with
an unintentional spectacular dressage demo,  made all the more spectacular
by the near misses of buckets and electric tape corrals. People and horses
kept a wary, but amused, distance.  (At least I hope it was amused. I
don't ever become frightened on my mare, but let's just say I was very,
very focused...)

Good friend and savior Mickie on her very seasoned horse somehow managed
to herd Salina and I towards the start at about the right time. It felt
like I was sitting on a powder keg ready to blow. I had no steering, no
transmission and if I applied the brakes too hard, I went backwards in a
big hurry. Somehow we made it to the trail.

Where..... we went sideways for about the first 3 miles.

Then a miracle happened. Salina not only found where she had misplaced her
brains, but she even found more than she usually has at home. She cruised
down that trail better than she does at home. She gave me the biggest ,
most relaxed trot I've ridden on her, while other horses cantered. She
responded to my cues and politely let horses pass and go the other
direction.

Back at the vet area, she ate and drank like a champ, and gave me great
pulses, better than the pulses she had given me on my novice rides even
though the terrain was tougher (BIG hills, with lots of clay mud) and the
ride was longer.

Trot-outs? Still bouncing off the walls.

In conclusion, it was a great ride. I did not accomplish my mission of
showing my mare she could get tired, BUT...

we won our weight division (middleweight)....
we won best of breed ....
we won Grand Champion!!

I think it's important to note that our CTRs don't have horsemanship
judges nor do they have obstacles (other than natural trail obstacles) to
negotiate. The ride time was 4 1/2 to 5 hours 10 minutes with a half hour
hold included in that time. A nice, brisk pace. Placings are based on
condition of the horse after vs. before.

So, thank you all you oldbies who have shown the way. We're learning good
pacing, to stop and eat and drink (and to let the horse eat rather than to
leave right at the out time), to electrolyte appropriately and when to
"chill" at the right time. I also have terrific mentors nearby, and I,
young grasshopper, have listened to their wisdom.

I might be doing a few things right, but I really do need to give credit
to this mare. She seems to be "hard-wired" for this distance riding thang.
(I bought her from an "old-time" breeder who breeds specifically for
sporthorse arabians.) I'm taking it slowly, but she really seems to
understand what it's all about even more than I do. A different horse
shows up for these rides than the one I have at home.

So thanks, oldbies, keep it coming!!

Deanna and Salina (Ohio)
(can't wipe this grin off my face and it's been more than a week since the
ride)

PS - We'll do a two-day CTR, an LD (can we just call it "half-endurance"
and make everyone happy?), and a 30 mile CTR yet this season, each a month
or more apart, then next year, only two-days, then the year after, I
figure we'll be ready for a real endurance ride. Sound like a good plan to
all of you? (Really, I'm asking a question.)