Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

[RC] SandHill ride - Karen Williams

Hi all
 
Well, I'm back from the Sand Hill ride -- my first venture into the Southeast region.  I left last Thursday and the further south I got the warmer it got.  By the time I reached camp, it was around 88 degrees.  I sure was glad I decided to clip off the rest of Widget's winter coat before I left home. 
 
The campground there is huge, but all the slots under the trees were gone.  I parked next to the riding ring and ended up by coincidence right next to a fellow Virginia rider and right next to where they would be doing the vet checks AND right next to the showers and bathrooms.  A very convenient spot!  Fortunately, there was a great breeze blowing and the trailer provided enough shade for my horse.  I also got there early enough to grab a stall. 
 
Friday was another hot, sunny day, but the breeze held and it felt very comfortable.   Friday evening during the ride briefing, a front blasted through bringing a downpour and a decided drop in temperature.  I was glad to have a stall to put my horse in that night.  I was also glad to get him away from the trailer for the night as he spent most of Thursday night scratching various parts of his body on the corner of the trailer, setting the whole rig to rocking while I was trying to sleep!  I'd yell at him, he'd stop for about 20 minutes ......... just long enough for me to get back to sleep......... and then he'd start up again.
 
Our ride started at 8:00 am.  I'm thinking I really do like the shorter distances because we get to sleep later!  The 100-milers started out at 6:00, the 55-milers at 7:00 and us wimpy 30-milers at 8:00. 
 
The trail was totally different from the rocks and hills that we are used to.  The terrain ranged from hard-packed sand to medium-soft sand to deep sand.  Guess that's why they call it Sand Hills!  There were no mountains to climb -- the terrain was gently rolling to flat.  You were either on wide forest trails or very wide sand roads.  We gaited and cantered most of the ride, walking through all the deep sand and up most of the inclines.  I found it easier to canter on the soft sand and gait on the hard-packed sand.  Widget pulsed down immediately at both vet checks.  He got all A's at the first check and one B at the final check for gut sounds.  There were water tanks set out at various places along the trail as there is not much water on the trail at all.   We were warned not to go into any of the ponds as there was quicksand abundant.  There were a few places we could get water, but I was wary about letting Widget near natural water as he likes to splash right in rather than drink at the edge. 
 
The pine trees were beautiful -- much different from the ones we have in Virginia.  And I couldn't believe the size of the pine cones!  They were huge!!!  We had a pretty strong wind on ride day, which helped keep the horses cool, but it also constantly blew pine pollen and sand around. My eyes felt gritty all day long.  I don't think this would be a ride for anyone wearing contacts!
 
I can't remember our ride time, but I think it was a bit over 5 hours.  Hey ... we ain't fast but at least we are no longer finishing at the back of the pack.  I'm just out to have an enjoyable ride.  At the end Widget felt really good --- I felt that he could have done the 55.  Maybe next year.
 
After we got our completion, I headed back to the trailer.  I gave Widget a good hosing down, let him roll and left him munching on a snack while I headed off for a hot shower.  I came back, put some stuff away in the trailer and when I came back out a few minutes later, Widget was laying on the ground.  Very unusual............  I got him up and took him out into a field that had nice grass to see if he'd graze.  We had been there a few times before and he had gorged himself on the grass.  This time he just looked at it, lay down again, got back up, pinned his ears back and had a very pained _expression_ on his face.  This was not good!  I headed back to the vet check to have him looked at as he definitely was NOT feeling well.
 
The vet looked him over, said his gut sounds were fine and his heart rate was fine.  He gave him a shot of banamine and said to keep an eye on him and come back if he doesn't improve.  We went back to the trailer and I could tell he was feeling better.  He drank water, munched his hay, ate some food and was fine after that.  Sure scared me, though and I still have no idea what the problem was.
 
I stayed over Saturday night and headed for home on Sunday morning, following a fellow rider from Maryland.  She and I decided to travel back together and we had a great time.  We stopped for breakfast, stopped a rest stops to let the horses out to eat and drink, stopped for lunch.  It was definitely a very leisurely drive home.  
 
Widget was glad to be back home.  He went out and immediately rolled in his favorite spot and then headed out to the pasture at a gallop.  Aside from Widget's little "incident", it was a wonderful weekend at a very well-run ride. 
 
Karen
 
 
Karen Williams
Spotsylvania, VA
www.mattariver.com