Needing expertise from 100 milers

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

> 100 miler and am asking for advice from experienced 100 milers.   What
can I expect from my horse?  Do many horses act like they want to quit 

Erica,
I put off trying a 100 for a long time because I was so afraid my horse
would hate me for it.  I honestly wanted to take two horses and do 50
miles each just to see if *I* could do a 100 without making a horse do
it.  Then, when I did my first 100 Kaboot acted like it was the most
normal thing in the world to keep going.  Even when he was unsaddled and
on his picketline eating after completing 90 miles he just acted like it
was perfectly normal for me to saddle up and trot out of camp. 

I'd swear they know the distance they're doing, because when he finishes
a 50 he acts as if he is done for the day.  I guess maybe they just catch
the mood of the rider because he never seems to expect to quit anywhere
during a 100. By the way, I'm the same.  I'm bushed after a 50, but never
at the 50 mile mark of a 100.  

Kaboot tended to act a little tired between 65 and 80 miles, then he
picks right back up and from there on he's just HUNGRY.  Be prepared for
things like not being able to see the grass on the after dark loops.  If
I'm walking anyway I sometimes take a flake of hay with me as I leave
camp and just walk him till he finishes eating the whole thing.  One year
Joylynn Carlson drove a truck around the last 10 miles of the Longleaf
road loop with pans of all sorts of goodies on the tailgate.  Every so
often she'd stop and all our horses would crowd around and gorge
themselves till she pulled off again.  It really helped since you
couldn't find any foliage on your own.

>>>>>What do horses act like at the vetchecks--do many say "I'm not
trotting any more?"

If you've taught him how to trot out right, he'll keep doing it.  If
you've always just managed to try to drag him into a trot on a 50, you
may have problems.

>>>What type of horses are better suited to that type of mileage in your
personal experience--lazy types or those with lots of go?  

Kaboot has lots of go and enjoys it.  My last horse before him was very
lazy but he did a 100 with the junior I sold him to.  I was totally
shocked to see he was his jaunty, but slow self even after 100.  Looked
just like on a 50.

>>I certainly put my horse first and would pull if things didn't seem
right,

That's good, but think it through.  I used to be very quick to say "pull
me" if my horse didn't have the right look in his eye.  Then I learned
that sometimes he just needs for his stomach to catch up with him.  If he
doesn't look right, take some extra time at the check, let him eat, slow
down on the trail and let him graze some, sometimes they just bounce
right back and look great with just a little slacking off in pace.

By the way, I REALLY like the flourescent bar lights that Teddy Lancaster
sells to go on your breastcollar.  They cast a big round light on the
ground ahead of you if you need to watch the footing.  Since they're down
low they don't throw a shadow from the horse's head like a flashlight or
headlamp.  You still need a flashlight in case you have to search trees
for markers.  Take an extra flashlight in your pack in case of an
emergency.  Remember that cars may not be able to see you.  I almost got
runover by a crew truck at Hallelujah when I was on a curve after dark
and couldn't get my flashlight out of my shirt in time to shine it at
them.  I had to shove Kaboot over into a ditch.  I plan to order some
more reflector stickers.  There's a bike catalog Nashbar.com that has
them.

Angie
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