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[RC] L&S LD Ride story - long - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Diane Roby diane_roby2002@xxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== This was my mare, Skyrock Lakota Gold, or Codee, and my second LD ride. Our first was the Cougar Prowl in March. Due to some unfortunate events at the Cougar (See Louise's story about the arson and trails...lol) I wondered what this would be like. No two rides could have been any more different! The weather for the Cougar was an unusual 80 degrees in March, the weather for the L&S was an unusual 70 something in June. We got to the ride Friday morning at 11 am so I could get set up. I was going to this one alone and wasn't entirely sure how it would go. We found a great shady spot and I unloaded Codee and set up the Hi Tie, another first. Since the day was quite warm I took my time setting up the tent and everything I would need for the next day. My boyfriend was coming out later but was not a horse person so his job was to make sure I ate and refilled my water bottles. At 2 I went over to get checked in and I guess Codee decided she didn't care to be left alone and kicked the trailer, everyone heard that! She was fine tho. Vet in was at 4 and we vetted in with all A's. So far so good. She even managed to behave, no airs above ground this time. The next morning there were sprinkles and thunder when I got up at 4 am to feed. The 50's went out at 6 am and the 25's were to go at 6:30. Got tacked up with no problem and even had no issues with the start - it was a controlled start for the first little bit of it. Codee was feeling quite fresh and the rain started to come down as we entered the wooded area at the start. Then the lightening struck and she started crowhopping and prancing and just being an unhappy camper. The first loop was 16.5 miles and we did it in about 3 hours. We rode in rain, and the lightening and thunder, and then came the hail and the wind. At one point I thought we were going to be blown off the trail. Codee was convinced I had lost my mind but she kept moving. We had a 45 minute hold after the 1st loop and again Codee vetted in with all A's. All that rain helped tremendously with keeping the horses cool as it tends to be hot in OK in June. After the hold we went back out for the final 8.5 mile loop. By now the day was getting warm and humid. We got lost on the big hill on this loop and managed to do it not once but twice! At this point we met up with a nice lady from MO and her grey arab gelding. We rode with them for almost all of the last loop, but she was doing a 50 she needed to pick up pace so she rode ahead. Codee was a little concerned being left but the dressage lessons have helped and I was able to get her to trot nicely by herself. We came in at 4 hours 57 minutes total and vetted out with all A's. Codee managed to best our Cougar time by almost an hour! All in all it was a great ride and even with the weather one of the best I've had yet. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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