Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Just back from the City Slickers Ride in Memphis, TN. It was a big one
for Kaboot & me. He finally made 3000 and though I won't quite say he's
retiring for sure...I will admit it's the last goal I dared to set for
him so I feel like we're done. 

I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever hit 3000. Things seemed determined
to stop us. Last spring at Million Pines he was going great till right
before the first vet check then was suddenly very lame at the trot out.
That was a first. He seemed O.K. soon after. I took him on to LBL but
pulled at the first check with lameness in the same foot. Jaye Perry
showed me at his next shoeing where he had injured his heel, probably on
a root, but I wasn't sure. I had 200 miles to go and they were looking
like 2000. 

We went to Biltmore in Sept. and he sailed through. I'd decided he do
better if I could get him to slow down so we started after the pack had
gotten good and gone. He was confused, but settled in and finished with
flying colors. So, we went to Witchdance and did the same. Again, he was
very confused at the start, not sure whether we were still warming up or
what. Again, he completed just great. 100 to go. We went to Skymont in
Nov. and again planned to start late...but he finally figured out what
was up. When we checked in where all the riders were milling around, then
headed back to the trailer he threw an absolute FIT. Rearing and spinning
(which he'd NEVER done) and running backwards. Totally out of character.
Let's just say he does not believe "to finish is to win" He wants to show
the boys up front what he's got. >g< He finished that day and we ended
the year one ride short. 

All through Dec. Jan. & Feb. I kept expecting him to break a leg or cut a
tendon...anything that would stop him 50 miles short. :-P  Didn't know
when I'd get a chance to go to one when suddenly last Wednesday I
realized I had an old free entry to the City Slickers and if I was
willing to try it on 6 week old shoes (they looked great) he might finish
up and be done with shoeing and competition for awhile.

This was my first trip to the City Slickers. Boy, talk about something
*different*. Picture the busiest retail district of  your town. Four lane
highway, Super Walmart, Lowes, a Hospital, Fancy restaurants, freeway
interchange, then RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of all that, drop in a ridecamp.
For real! Their Agricultural Center is a huge complex with stadium type
enclosed arena, and another very fancy somewhat open architecturally
fancy covered arena, huge barns, stock pens for rodeos, the Farmer's
Market, etc. all on one big piece of land. Their parking lot for trailers
has electricity at every slot. The barns were very nice, solid and well
lighted. Just pulling up, unloading my horse and putting him in a stall
seemed awfully simple.

What was scarey was trying to figure out where the heck they were going
to ride. I didn't see any hint of markers or a direction a trail might
head out so I saddled up and rode around behind the barns to adjust
stirrup length, etc. Found out there was an away vet check and had a bit
of a panic attack since I'd come with no crew. Bonnie had a ball
tournament and Josie couldn't miss an Algebra test. Turned out getting to
the vet check wasn't that hard. Go one mile, turn left at Walmart, go
just past the huge apartment complex and turn in. It's right there. Whew.
Different.

The forcast was for 77 degrees and windy with a chance of thundershowers.
My horse had a coat that would keep him warm at 15 degrees. I couldn't
see clipping for one ride then coming home to the cold so was worried. If
I'd had clippers there I'd have paniced and clipped...

Slept in the front seat of my truck (it's great to be short) so I not
only didn't have to set up camp for the horse, I didn't do much of
anything for myself either. Low frills weekend. It was so warm I slept on
top of my sleeping bag and it got stuffy. Saddled up at 5 AM and noticed
Kaboot's hair on his chest felt clammy. He was already hot. >shudder< 

The City Slickers Ride has convinced me of one thing. People in Memphis
always expect only good things to happen and have no imagination
whatsoever or they'd never even think of having this ride. :-) The start
was in about a 50 acre field adjoining a busy 4 lane highway. We started
facing away from the hwy. went to the far end and circled a lake, then
went all the way back to the hwy. and turned right. I was absolutely
terrified. I still hadn't seen a single marker so didn't dare let the
pack go, but knew that if they all took off fast I was dead meat. Didn't
know of anyone who knew the trail who was starting late. When the leaders
started off and I wasnt' amongst them Kaboot took off sideways, slammed
his butt into another horse, then while I was pulling his nose to one
side to avoid him tearing into bucking he started running sideways
towards a junior's horse. Not fun. This is worse than he's ever been
before when we did go for the front. Convinced him I wasn't letting them
go, jumped into line and he chilled, I was still on top, the worst was
over.

I'm not quite sure what "Shelby Farms" was or is. I was wondering if
maybe some horseman gave the city a huge land grant or something ...maybe
specified horses had to be allowed or something because the fact that we
were just defied every bit of logic being used practically everywhere
else. We were having a competitive event literally cantering through a
park alongside rollerbladers, baby buggies, kiddies on bikes, zillions of
dogs on their Saturday outings, picnicers, frizbee football games, etc.
etc. we went right up the lawn of the huge visitor's center, you name it.
We went there. Tiny narrow hiking trails where you might come around a
corner and meet a family with a 2 year old kid in the lead, scarey stuff.
We went for miles and miles and seemed to be on the Shelby Farms property
most of the time.

My friend Kara Drisbow brought a new horse and was doing his first ride.
I didn't envy her. They would have a lake, with a paved path about the
width of a car all the way around with walkers & rollerbladers on it.
Then there would be a dirt path about 2' away on the outside that we
used. There were places with old cattle guards and one we had to cross
had a big steel plate laying over it. It was slick and when the horse's
feet hit it it made an awful noise. The horse ahead of us went down on
it, not sure if it paniced and scrambled or hit it going fast but he
pulled later when the bruise & cut on his elbow got sore. We went across
it one at a time and it was pretty hairy. My biggest fear was the
porto-potty situation. There was only one at the away check...and none at
the "home" check. I guess they thought the bathrooms 1/4 mile away across
the park were sufficient for someone with no crew and a 40 minute tack
off hold. Ha. I intentionally got myself good and dehydrated to be safe.

I know it sounds weird but all the activity had a calming effect on
Kaboot. He had so much to watch that he his brain didn't explode in the
open areas. He wasn't scared of any of the activities, just entertained.
I was amazed at all the dogs everywhere off leash. Finally saw a huge
sign with the rules: "All dogs off leash must come immediately when
called or be kept on leash. Only one off leash dog per person." I got the
impression that all 500 dogs knew each other and had been to obedience
school. It was just one big happy playground with a dozen labs chasing
balls into every lake (and there were many lakes). We kept running into a
Weimereiner and thought that person really got around. Then came out at a
lake with a dozen Weimereiners & owners. Must have been a club or
something. Noticed an interesting phenomenon. If you have a 50 acre field
and put little red flags across it in a direct line and 2 people show up
to play kickball, or picnic, or throw a frizbee, they will choose to park
themselves in the direct line of the flags. Since I wasn't near the front
I had to ask myself..."after 30 horses trot by along this line, why don't
they get the idea to use one of the other 49 acres?"

On the second loop we came up on 2 walkers wearing helmets. Figured they
were either very safety conscious hikers or riders  who'd lost their
horses. Unfortunately it was the latter. They soon found one but the
other was Kara Drisbow's Anglo who decided to make his first ride with
her eventful. He was lost for 10 hours before being returned to her.
> whew< I think he was eating in the produce department at Walmart or
something.

But it was fun. Though it was sunny and hot, the wind was incredibly
strong and did a pretty good job of keeping the horses cool. (or in
Kaboot's case at least his hair didn't cook him). The footing was to die
for. Mowed grass, and smooth woods trails. There were some low limbs and
knee knockers but I only hit 2 limbs hard with my head, and missed the
limb that made Judy Sandlin look like she'd been attacked by a bobcat.
> g< Speaking of Sandlins. Doug's curb chain broke at the start so he had
a 16 minute delay while he went back to the trailer. He ended up still
winning the ride *and* BC! 

All day long I'd kept telling myself I might not finish so not to get
nostalgic about this kind of being the windup to Kaboot's career...but
then he passed the 3rd check looking great and when I started tacking
back up it hit me, what if this is the last time I do this? I don't want
to pull a Michael Jordan, have a retirement party then change my mind and
decide to do Million PInes with him in 2 weeks.... and then there's Ben
the horse my daughter rides. He was retired when he had lameness
problems, stood around 2 years and has come back for another 1450 miles
and 2 BC's. It could happen. But I just got a little weepy watching him
scarf down beetpulp while I tacked up. You start wondering...will my next
horse eat at checks. Will my next horse load O.K. at a truck stop? Will I
be looking between two gray ears again...or will they be bay. Then I'd
get all weepy again. Then I'd try to cheer myself up and think, "What if
my *next* horse doesn't try to kill me at every start"....

Rosco Weeks was in no bigger hurry than I was. We rode together and had a
good time. Took time to let them enjoy some of the Spring grass and cool
down at creeks. He should have finished ahead of me since he beat me
through all the vet checks but he had them put my name first. We have no
idea how we finished since they sort of read the finishers names (other
than top 10) at random. 

Otis Schmitt was the vet. He asked me if I was going to sell Kaboot now.
Ha. Lot of market for an uncontrollable 15 year old horse that does one
summersault per thousand miles and wants to trot at mach speed everwhere
he goes. >g< No thank you.

Anyway. I had a great time. It was a different kind of experience. My
horse loved it. I was so dehydrated I was able to drink anything I wanted
all the way home. :-))

Angie & Kaboot 3000 miles and won't do no more unless we feel like it.

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One would think that logic would prevail. But then, if logic did prevail,
men would ride sidesaddle. 
~  Bob Morris

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