Re: Pan Am Questions

["Dorothy J. Miller" <dmiller@countyofplumas.com>]

What's the deal with the concussion thing on the last four miles?

Dorothy

----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 12:55 PM
Subject: RC: Pan Am Questions


> 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
>
>
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