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[RC] Fw: Wolverine ride - Maggie Mieske

This fellow sent me this letter today and I had to share it with other
ridecampers.  I am going to put it in our next newsletter.  He asked me to
fix his spelling if I shared it but I am not going to.  I will just note
that he means Malik when he writes about Melekee....which sounds like a good
enough nick name to me!  :)  Enjoy...a better report/story will come along
when I am recuperated.  Managing a ride is a different kind of endurance.
:)  But is IS endurance nonetheless.  :)
As a side note, Rob wants to ride endurance (he has a mule) and wanted to
try one ride next year...he now tells Jan Kennedy that he wants to go to
LOTS of rides.  He was my ambulance driver and I have never seen a driver
take such good care of his charges.  :)  I think he would have pulled down
the sheets and tucked them in back in camp if he could have!  :)
Miles of Smiles,
Maggie Mieske
mmieske@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://arabianquest.com/samaha_arabians.htm
"So many of our dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable."
Christopher Reeve



Dear Maggie,
   Back home Sunday afternoon, long hot bath, afternoon nap, woke up in
time to go to bed and sleep. It's Monday and I wanted to send this e-mail to
thank you for letting me share in a small way in the sport you love. I came
there not just to work but to watch, listen and learn. I think it helped a
lot, and will benefit me in the future. These are some of the things I
observed;

   1) Most riders leaving the starting line have no expectation of winning,
they are there for the ride.
   2) The young lady last, at the last vet check had a bigger smile on her
face than the one who came in first.
   3) The person who pushes the hardest or rides the fastest may not win or
even complete.
   4) I should get a halter/ bridle for the ride and rest periods at the
vet check.
   5) You don't need to dress to look good, dress for riding comfort. (
But, I'll never wear lime green tights.)
   6) The riders seem kind and quick to welcome a new guy who wants to try
the sport.
   7) The riders care about the other riders. I was impressed when I
watched Carolyn (Loedeman) walk a crossed the field holding her side in pain
just to cheer in Mary Rose (Six) at the end of the 75 mile.
   8) The trails are well marked, but watch close, even the best rider can
miss a trail. ( I think Melekee just wanted to stall for time so he could
ride in with you.)
   9) Ride management has a million thing to do to put on a ride and most
riders don't know how much work is involved. Always show your appreciation,
and if you see one thing that you didn't think was perfect tell them, they
want to know, but only after you thanked them for the other 999,999 things
that they did great.
 10) The most important observation, Any ride that a mule enters is won by
a mule.

Thanks for a fun weekend,  Rob



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