Today was the Father's Day ride I had waited and planned for and had been so
excited about. Malik on the trail with his two daughters! Wow! The culmination
of FIVE years of dreaming and scheming and planning and training. It seems like
yesterday that we giggled about what short, fat Cherokee would produce if bred
to Malik and what he might do to tame that bulk and that head of my sister's TWH
mare, Dallas. Imagine our surprise the following year to get a pretty, little,
flaxen mane and tail CHESTNUT filly out of grey Cherokee and grey Malik, a BAY
filly out of Dallas and a GREY filly out of the black MFT mare we owned at the
time. Talk about an assortment! And here we are, at the rides, having done our
homework with two of them and finishing up homework on the third who may yet
make it to a ride this year. Awesome. Just awesome. Just when I think I have
experienced the greatest ride yet, I have another one.
The Oles and Pearson family were not confident about going out and doing 25
miles yet but agreed to let daughter, Brita be sponsored by me and to ride Max,
who was ready for 25 but not 50 yet. Bringing him along was an afterthought but
am I ever glad we did! Diana and Maddie were game to give it a try and so we
tacked up late on Sunday morning and waited for the hot shoes to head out. Right
away, there was trouble. Diana's horse, Joey (who Diana describes as the "prima
donna"), had about enough of all the excitement and after having a Thoroughbred
moment which resulted in his falling down and on top of Diana's ankle, decided
to leave camp for other regions. I tried to chase him down and managed to keep
him in sight, shouting WHOA, Joey, WHOA! He slowed down and actually stopped and
when he saw us coming along, started trotting along again as if he were quite
ready to begin now. Uncle John and Lisa Oles came along in the truck and I went
back to camp and let them catch him which they did. We finally got started but
Joey had broken his bridle so Diana and Maddie insisted we start without them
and they would catch up with us down the trail. So, finally at 6:30, we were on
our way.
Malik was pretty excited to be on trail with his buddy and one of "his"
mares. Mary had gone on ahead at 6:00 with the other riders so it was just the
three of us on Max, Malik and Luna. I was happy to be on trail again. I have
missed the green of the woods and the smell of ozone in the early morning air.
My sweatshirt only lasted about two miles before I tossed it back to Meg Pearson
and Nelson as they passed us on their way to the first pit stop. It was chilly
but exhilarating.
We encountered Larry Kirk, sports photographer at one of the pit stops and he
took some FANTASTIC photos. I hope we see him again soon!! My leg held up quite
well, especially when we were moving out at a trot or canter. Walking seemed to
make it stiff and it would hurt a bit until we got moving out again. The horses
paced well. Max took the lead as he is wont to do and showed Brita what a good
endurance horse is like and I do believe showed her a really great time! Brita
never whined once. Max gave her one big spook at one point and that girl's butt
never left the saddle!!! WOW! I am mightily impressed and sure hope I get to
sponsor her again sometime!! I have a hard time remembering her name so she told
me I could call her "Bob" which is her nickname at school. The spook gave me the
first opportunity to use it when I told her "Good job, BOB!". I won't forget her
name again now!
Luna was a wonder. We encountered scores of things she has never dreamed
about let alone seen!!! Wooden bridges and running creeks to name the most
daunting. Malik and Max showed her the ropes and she went right on with
business. What a filly! (I still have trouble thinking of her as a mare?she's a
"filly" to me yet). Her only trouble was not wanting to drink. Fortunately,
following the advice of Dr. Susan Garlinghouse as I have for the last several
years, and having tanked her up all weekend on wet sloppy beet pulp slurries,
she was well hydrated and perhaps didn't really need to drink. But she would go
into the water and rinse her mouth. She had all As at the first check and
slurped up her slurry without complaint or hesitation though she did not drink.
Thank God for beet pulp slurries!!!
Heading into the first vet check we caught up with Diana and Maddie. They had
gone off trail. Joey wasn't doing so well and it appears banged up his shoulder
during his "moment". They followed us into camp and pulled. They wouldn't let
Maddie continue on with me for the ten mile loop. She had already gone off
trail. L Maddie didn't cry (though I wanted to cry
for her) but she gallantly pitched in and helped trot out our horses and crewed
with Nelson on the last loop. I look forward to sponsoring Maddie ANY time if
her mom isn't able to for awhile. She is a great kid, too and I am sorely
disappointed for her and for her mom's rotten luck. Unfortunately, it's all a
part of the game and we have all been there at one time or another. Hopefully,
they've used up theirs for awhile and will come again another day that will hook
them into distance riding forever!! They have the horses that can do
it!!
