Pan Am Questions

[guest@endurance.net]

Angie McGhee Rides2far@juno.com
Whew! I'm back, but at work today. Trying to read the posts on PAC but
this computer's so slow I can't open them all.

In answer to a few quick questions...Where were the Kanavys?  Well, Val
qualified 2 horses for the USA East squad. The first, Big Sky Chance cut
an artery in his pastern on a rock in Kentucky a few weeks back. So, she
hauled up her other horse, Bearcat O'Reilly to compete in Vermont.She took
him out for a ride on Monday when he arrived and he had a cough. A vet was
called out to scope him and it was found he had a respiratory infection.
>Bummer!!!<  So, USA-East ended up with the most experienced crew person
imaginable.  She didn't whine a bit, just jumped in and coached us all
whether we were first or last.

Things were looking a little rough for USA-East early in the week, first
we lost Val, the Cia Reise's horse which had an excellent chance at being
chosen for the 4 man squad stuck his leg through his metal corral on Tues.
or Wed.  They tried desperately to get him sound by Friday, but it wasn't
to be.  Cia, like Val stayed around and crewed.

I had a wonderful time and was very happy with the way Kaboot handled the
trail. I still had plenty of horse left at the end, but had lost my nerve
on the concussion thing and just got off and walked him most of the last 4
miles. Ended up 41st I think, but within 15 minutes of 30th.  (You got to
look at it from all angles folks!)  I know I let at least 10 people pass
me those 4 miles, but hey, they'd warned us that anyone who didn't
complete had to WALK on foot in the closing ceremony and the difference in
30th and 40th just wasn't worth that risk to me!!!  I will lay a bet that
I had one of the only horses who got applause at EVERY vet check.
Kaboot's super wide and fast trot-out that made me have to sprint out and
back got plenty of laughs. The vet at my 96 mile trot out was heard to
say, "This must be that base-wide horse everybody's been talking about"
>g<

I have soo much GOOD to say about everybody and everything involved.
Heather's horse looked wonderful. I have a video of him accepting his
medal with Heather leading him.  Though she was just walking, he was
actually trotting along beside her.  Considering that most horses were
STIFF after doing that trail (14,000 feet of elevation GAIN throughout)
and then having to spend the night in a tiny stall, that horse looked
loose as a goose.

I'll try to put my thoughts in order when I get home.

My greatest impression of all...the people of Vermont...in their
lawnchairs, standing along the road, clapping, cheering, filling tubs of
water in their yards, little kids pulling piles of grass and putting them
out for the horses, children holding up signs, "One mile to vet check, go
USA-East"...it was incredible.  Picture an endurance ride that gets the
attention of the Tour De France.

More later.
Angie & Kaboot