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[RC] Northeast Morab 25 CTR - We're getting there! (Part One) - sharon1359

OK, I know it's not an Endurance ride, but we're working towards those.  We've 
got a plan... this summer it's CTRs and LDs, and next summer it's Endurance 50s.

Background: 

Zephyr is a 7yo Arab / Rocky Mountain Horse, who is most noticeable in Ridecamp 
for his bare feet (EGADS!) and multicolored tail.  He's 14.399 hands tall if 
it's been a while since he's been trimmed (LOL) and somewhere between 800 and 
900 pounds (weight tapes being what they are).  I've had him just one year, and 
he has made me SO proud.  Last summer we (my friend Traci and I) did lots of 4-
5 hour pleasure rides, during which we realized we were not normal pleasure 
riders, and we'd better find some other abnormal people to ride with.  

This summer we've done two CTRs.  My eventual goal, assuming Zephyr continues 
to show interest and ability in it, is to do 100-mile Endurance.  I say it that 
way because he doesn't seem to be particularly interested in being the first 
horse across the line.  He's very paceable, and can do a nice steady trot for 
quite a while, shifting into a canter when necessary, or bumping me onto the 
other diagonal to give himself some relief.  I just don't picture him being one 
of those horses who races full-out for the finish line at the end of a 100-
miler.  But I do think he could do it if we took our time.  It's just a matter 
of whether he will ENJOY it.  If he doesn't, we won't do it.

The meat of the story:

The Morab was the second CTR for both my friend Traci and I, and our horses.  
Traci's horse, Nettie, is a 13yo App/TB with a huge trot and a loud mouth.  
(Traci would like to formally apologize to everyone in Ridecamp for Nettie's 
hollering... we discovered late on Saturday that on Friday night she was coming 
into heat!) After the Hidden Brook ride, our first CTR, we knew we wanted to 
accomplish several specific things at the Morab:

1) Better trot-outs.

2) To be saddled up and ready to go with enough time to ride around a bit and 
warm up.

3) Set a quicker pace in the beginning, so Nettie could get some of her energy 
out and not jig the first few miles.

4) Get in and out of the hold as quickly as possible, and not get stuck there 
for over an hour because we didn't know how to stand up for ourselves while 
waiting in the vetting line.

5) Pace the whole ride a lot better, and arrive back to camp right in the 
middle of the allowable time.

To Be Continued...

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