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Re: RC: Swanton NATRC ride story




Hi Kimberley; Sounds like a good ride, wish I coulda gone. It's real nice up 
there at the Big Basin redwoods!  When I do a NATRC ride, I generally go a 
little faster in the a.m.--we don't go too fast to where you would beat the 
judges at obstacles or show up before p&r crews. But you have a 30 minute 
window -faster or slower than the set time (mid-time). I like to use my 30 
minutes to get a little ahead in the morning and then go easier in the 
afternoon if at all possible. I like to walk in the last two miles if at all 
possible, they always time the last two miles at a walk.  Yes those Open 
rides are quick, you can't complain that NATRC rides are too slow. I always 
enjoyed doing the NATRC ride up in Santa Ynez (Sage Hill,in the fall and  
Cachuma River Romp in the Spring)  Yeah, ol Sylvia may be helping to time 
Sage Hill after she is fresh back from Tevis, and its a brisk pace!!! 
Nothing like a morning canter along the banks of the Cachuma Lake. We used 
to grumble, "Well obviously they timed this ride on Possum and Harca after 
the Tevis."  Kimberley, if you want a little slower pace on a particular 
ride, maybe just for schooling or something, try out the Competitive 
Pleasure division, it is fun too.
happy trails, Beth Glover




>From: "KIMBERLY PRICE" <kmprice51@hotmail.com>
>To: okwus@earthlink.net, SF4Jamie@pacbell.net, greymare@jps.net,        
>hapytrails@hotmail.com, katja.halfmeyer@uni-essen.de,        
>romander@foothill.net, mtrinh@gene.com, mlsmith@marin.k12.ca.us,        
>Peggy@bengaland.com, ridecamp@endurance.net, kidtomas@yahoo.com
>Subject: RC:  Swanton NATRC ride story
>Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 18:53:20 -0700
>
>I just got back from the Swanton NATRC ride down by Big Basin Redwood Park
>in Northern Cal.  It was a tough ride and we rode in the Open division.  We
>left on Friday after I gave Mystery a bath and we arrived around 1pm for
>great camping.  The camp includes a beautiful stream and redwoods with
>plenty of Stellar's jays around to visit.
>
>My old friend Sue Flagg was there with her daughter and invited us to a
>potluck Friday night so I was introduced to alot of the other riders.  I
>rode under 'Open' which is suppose to be for experienced horses and riders
>only.  I 'kind of' knew the NATRC rules so wasn't worried.  Each section of
>the trail is marked from point to point and they give you a map with a 
>chart
>telling you how much time you are allowed to each, what average speed you
>should be traveling and what the distance and elevation are.
>
>At the start each rider goes out in 30 second intervals so it is very
>controlled.  Sue waited for me so we went out together.  Mystery was 
>perfect
>all day but it was tough.  Big climbs until we were up in the mountains 
>with
>the coast and ocean beneath us.  We had to keep a pretty fast pace going
>with a lot of trot and then we started down, down, down.  Sue went on ahead
>as her horse can plow downhill pretty fast but Mystery and I need to take
>our time.
>
>This is where I got into trouble.  I had a newly resized restuffed saddle
>which was working out great.  We were going down this long stretch of very
>steep shale...loose flat white rock....normally I would get down and walk
>but in NATRC you are not allowed to.  Well, the saddle kept sliding little
>by little over his shoulders and a voice inside me said, stop, get off.  Of
>course, I didn't listen even though I know better and next thing you know I
>am sitting on the saddle on his neck.  If he had put his head down I would
>have tumbled forward and crashed down the hill.  I stopped him and tried to
>get him to step sidewards to get off and he just could not.
>
>So, I slid my left leg over his neck and hopped down and of course fell, as
>it was steep slippery shale and I went down hard.  Knocked the air right 
>out
>of me.  Man did I hurt.  When I could get up I had bruises all along my arm
>and my ribs and right breast where very sore.  I was wondering if I broke 
>my
>ribs.  I could move my arms ok, just very sore to breath and so walked him
>the rest of the way down.  He was very good, just stood there when I fell
>and waited for me...had a concerned look on his face too.
>
>So this made me loose at least 10 minutes.  Things got slower as every time
>I had to open or close a gate it was torture hopping down and finding
>something to get up on.  We still had to trot fast to keep within the time.
>At least he was perfect at the vet checks..this horse is in great shape!
>The trail obstacles were 'ok' too....one made us back up between cones,
>another back up a hill at an angle.  Alot of the judging is done from the
>judges being 'hidden' in the trees watching you go up or down a trail and I
>won't know how we did until they send me the score in the mail.
>
>Finally, we reach the 2 mile mark and I only have 20 minutes to go.  What 
>is
>worst is it is single track trail going downhill.  I ask him to please 
>trot,
>we are almost there, and he responds.  He blasts down this trail until we
>catch up with another rider whose horse also gets encouraged and blasts 
>down
>ahead of us.  Note, we hardly ever trot downhill single track trails on the
>side of mountains in training rides, but this is competition and you do in
>competition things you don't do everyday in training rides.  All I could do
>is keep balanced, sit back and guide him to the inside of the trail and
>around corners and not look down!!!  We see the river crossing ahead and he
>breaks into a canter so that is how we came in, ears forward, tails up, at 
>a
>fast canter and ready for more!!  (at least he was!) <g>
>
>Well, I vetted him out right after, his P&R came down immediately, back and
>feet were fine, but I knew I would be very sore and so I was.  After a
>sleepless night I knew I should not ride the 28 miles the following day,
>especially since they were suppose to be worst with a climb up to 2500 feet
>(and what goes up must come down!).  So I pulled and instead headed home
>early.  It is nice to know he could have done it no problem and believe me,
>I am now in the market for a crupper!
>(purple biothane, of course!).
>
>Comparing NATRC to Endurance...I like the controlled start and the late
>start on Sat. as long as it doesn't get too hot. I also like the social
>aspect of the ride where people seem to take their meals together and 
>really
>chat.  What I don't like is your pace is set for you.  In endurance you can
>always go faster in the a.m. as trail and horse permits and slow a little 
>in
>the afternoon as the heat comes up.  At least you have a choice what to do.
>NATRC seemed to be a fast pace all day long and I didn't like making my own
>decisions on the pace.
>
>Thanks to Emma, Karen and all the great volunteers, judges and vets who put
>on a great ride.
>
>Take care,
>Kimberly (&Mystery the Morab..."I didn't dump her, I swear..she jumped!")
>Fairfax, CA
>
>Kimberly M. Price
>
>
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