Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Memorial Day weekend in Texas means one thing to endurance riders...the Old Glory ride.  This ride is the TERA benefit ride, TERA being the Texas Endurance Riders Association.  The Old Glory ride presents a rather unique opportunity...the "job" of ride manager rotates, and is open to any aspiring person who is willing to take on the task, knowing that they will have the full support and assistance of TERA.  Thus, it is a learning experience, allowing one to manage a ride without the risks normally associated with doing so.  Pretty dang cool, huh?

 

This year's victim...uh, I mean ride manager...was long time rider Carol Kight.  And I must say that she did a fantastic job!  Of course, we all knew she would, with her boundless enthusiasm and sense of humor.  Old Glory is a two day ride, with 25 and 50 mile rides offered each day.  The location is on a private ranch near Boerne, Texas, in the rocky and rugged Texas hill country.  This is the same site where the two-day Heart of the Hills ride is held in March, where Bear and I did the 50 both days.  This time, Bear was staying home, since he and I had done our first 100 just two weeks before.  I would be riding Kris Anderson's 1/2 Arab 1/2 QH mare Belle in Belle's first 50 on day 1 at Old Glory.  My husband Ross and his Paso Fino gelding Diamante would be doing their second 50, and our friend Lianne and her Arab gelding Al would also be doing the 50.

 

Lianne brought Al up to our place Thursday evening, as she and Sharon, along with a couple of friends, would be driving over from Houston in their motor home Friday afternoon.  She's still shopping for a suitable trailer to pull behind the RV.  Kris and Belle arrived later Thursday night.  Friday morning we loaded up the three horses (Diamante, Belle, and Al), after finally catching Al, and Ross, Kris, and I headed toward Boerne.  This trip was uneventful (figures...it's when Ross isn't along that I have a bunch of flat tires!!).  We arrived at camp around 2:30 or so.  They had one section of camp designated for those who had generators, so that they could run them at night if so desired.  We have one, and that's the area where we usually park, so that's where we went, in case we wanted to run it.  We got the horses settled in and they drank well and started in on a weekend of eating.  We saved a place next to us for Lianne and Sharon's RV, near Al's pen.  We got signed in, vetted all 3 horses in, and got everything ready for the next day.  Diamante had equibuild pour-in pads in all four feet.  Belle had shoes in back, and shoes plus pads in front.  Al had regular shoes all the way around.  Dang, it was hot!!!  It was predicted to be in the low 90s on Saturday.  I was glad I only had a horse for one day...I knew I wouldn't be able to handle two days in that heat.  The humidity was less than in East Texas, but conditions were still bad.

 

The ride meeting was at 7...the 50 was being run the same as at the March ride...4 loops, each 12.5 miles long.  Do the first loop, trot by, second loop, 60 min hold, third loop, 45 min. hold, fourth loop, and you're done.  Criteria was 64.  Start was at 6 am.  Pretty simple.  We headed back to camp, ate, fed the ponies, and went to bed.  I should mention that at some point Kris said that she sometimes snores...just a little...then later she admitted she sometimes snores moderately.  Ross and I decided that, although the heat was breaking just a bit, we'd run the generator and A/C as a masking mechanism...good thing we did...otherwise we'd have not gotten any sleep!  Sorry Kris, but you snored a LOT!  <EG>

 

Kris also sleeps HARD.  We got up at 4:30.  Kris was going to volunteer at the ride.  We turned on the lights, got dressed, made coffee, ate breakfast, and still she slept soundly, snoring periodically, on the sofa in our trailer as we walked back and forth past her.  We went in and out as we tacked up, etc.  Finally, at 5:45, I turned the lights out, shut the door, and we left...she was still out cold.  <G>  College kids...LOL

 

Ross, Lianne, and I headed to the start.  Kris had said that Belle can be rather wild at the start.  We planned to go slow, so stayed near the back as the controlled start headed off up the road and down the fenceline.  Belle was excited, but listening to me.  She's a neat little mare...gray, 14.1h, chunky, and a lot of fun to ride.  Kris had done only LDs on her, nearly all of them fast and top ten, earning BC on a couple.  Belle was going to have what we call a "come to Jesus" experience today...going slow, and going 50 miles.  <G>

 

Once the controlled start was over, we began to move out.  I fell in behind Ross and Lianne, but Belle didn't try to bolt...she was very easy to control...eager to move out, but very rateable.  We and other riders shot past the right turn to the little keyhole, and when I saw the front runners coming up the other side of the fence at us, I realized our mistake...I began hollering at everyone, and we all turned around.  The front runners went through a gate in the fence and picked up the keyhole they'd missed.  We backtracked and did the keyhole.  This yellow loop was relatively easy, with fewer steep hills and rocky stuff than the other loops have.  We trotted along, the three of us trading off the lead now and then.  Belle motored along well when in the lead, keeping a nice steady pace.  She has a very nice, smooth trot.  We followed rocky ranch roads, sections of single track, then back to ranch roads.  Belle was already grabbing grass on t rail...good girl!  We'd been planning to take about 2 hours on this loop, and came back into camp right on schedule.  We all trotted out, and headed back to the trailer.  I tied Belle to the trailer, and she dove into some hay.  I took a pit stop, drank an ensure, refilled my camelbak, and elyted Belle.  It barely broke her eating rhythm.  <G>

 

After about a 10 minute break, we all three mounted back up and headed out on the blue loop.  Belle seemed ticked off...pinned her ears when I asked her to move out, kept trying to turn around, etc.  She was just plain pissed.  I finally realized that she felt that she should have had more than a 10 minute "hold" to eat.  Kris *said* she was opinionated... She finally got over her sulk and moved out.  This loop had the long steep rocky downhill section along the fenceline.  We all got off and led down that section, as it was strewn with loose rocks of every size.  We then trotted over to my favorite place on the ranch...a stream where the water is only an inch or two deep, and flows over a solid sheet of rock.  Rising above the creek is a rocky cliff.  It's gorgeous.  After the horses drank, we crossed through the creek.  The horses grabbed some grass, and Lianne and Ross started to move on, and I was about to fall in behind.  I was looking at the ground at a flower, when I became aware of a pattern...I realized it was a snake...first I thought copperhead, then realized no, it was a rattlesnake, a western diamondback, a young one, and very pretty.  I called Ross and Lianne back and pointed it out.  Ross dismounted and lifted the little snake with a twig.  The little guy was abut 18 inches long, and still had the very bright, vibrant pattern of a young snake.  As with most snakes, their pattern dulls as they grow larger.  This poor little fellow was petrified...he was frozen, probably thinking that if he didn't move, we wouldn't see him.  <G>  Ross set him back down in the grass next to a large juniper, and he still didn't move...he remained motionless as we rode off.  We headed up a very steep rocky climb.  This is where I taught Bear to tail in March.  L ianne decided to see if Al would let her tail.  I sent Belle up the hill, and Al followed, with Lianne tailing off him.  We got to the top, and headed off.

 

This trail goes back through camp...the horses went through camp with only a couple of long looks as we passed right by our trailer, and continued on to finish the rest of the loop.  In March, there had been lots of birds singing on the ranch, including lots of the endangered Golden-cheeked Warblers.  These warblers arrive back from their wintering grounds in Mexico very early, and immediately get busy with nesting.  We didn't hear a single one during this ride...their nesting activity was basically over for the year, and the males had no more need to sing to defend territories.  We still heard lots of Rufous-crowned Sparrows, some Painted Buntings, Black-crested Titmice, and other usual hill country birds, though.  We stopped for a few pits stops for us and grass breaks for the horses, and arrived back to camp only a few minutes after our target of 2:15 f or the loop.  The horses all pulsed down quickly and vetted through well.  Back to the trailer for our 60 minute hold.

 

We set hay, alfalfa, beet pulp slurry, and water in front of the horses.  Belle raised her head I believe twice during the hour.  Yeah, she knows how to take care of herself!  Diamante did his usual eat well, then take a nap.  Al didn't eat as well as Lianne would like, but didn't seem stressed.  He had been drinking and eating grass well on trail.  After an hour we checked out with the timers and headed back out for the third loop.

 

This orange loop was fairly moderate, with some steep climbs, but nothing like the steep rocky downhill on the blue loop.  It was getting quite hot now, and we had lost the cloud cover we had enjoyed earlier in the day.  With the vegetation consisting of short scrubby oaks, junipers, and various hill country shrubs, there was no shade on this ride.  We luckily had a light breeze, which helped.  All of the horses continued to drink very well and to inhale the nice green grass that was growing everywhere on the ranch.  We continued to putter along, and arrived back at camp, pulsing down quickly.  Belle may be 1/2 QH, but she has pretty good metabolics.  Her HR wasn't as low as Al's and Diamante's (who pulses down as well as any Arab, and beter than many), but she did come down quickly.  I should also mention that she was just a wee bit pudgy...Kris said that she had been stealing her TWH's food lately, and it definitely showed!  We had a 45 minute hold, with an out time of 3:07.  Plenty of time, nearly 3 hours, to do the last 12.5 mile loop.  We do know how to get our money's worth at a ride.  If we're gonna pay for 12 hours, we're gonna use 'em!  LOL

 

Back to camp, and all three horses dove into the groceries.  Belle was doing very well.  She was much happier now that she was getting actual holds that allowed her to eat.  That trot by business and going right back out...as far as she was concerned, that was for the birds!!!  <G>  The girl does like her groceries.  She's a hoover with suction set on high...don't get too close to her head, or you may get pulled into the suction vortex.  LOL 

 

We headed back out right on schedule.  One loop left.  Belle was getting just a wee bit tired, but she definitely had plenty of energy left to complete in fine shape.  We trotted along steadily, and after about 40 minutes we were at the far northeast corner of the ranch.  We were trotting down a rocky road, when Belle suddenly stumbled in front and immediately got very ouchy on the left front.  I hollered, "Whoa, guys, she's off...I think she's lost a shoe!" as I pulled her up.  We all stopped and I dismounted.  Sure enough, Belle's left front shoe was gone.  There was only one option...Lianne and Ross would go on and complete the ride, and I would lead Belle back to camp via the shortest route...we didn't have any easy boots that would fit her, so had none with us.  With at least 8 miles or so left, there was no way she was going to be able to complete soundly with no shoe on that foot as rocky as it was, with only a couple of hours left.  This trail had some really nasty sections ahead on it.  So, they headed on, and I consulted my maps, looking for the most direct way back to camp.  Of course, this *would* happen when I was at the farthest possible point on the ranch from camp!  LOL  Did I mention it was hot?  I figured out what I thought was the best route, hung my helmet on the saddle, and set off walking, trying to keep Belle off the worst of the rocks.  It took longer than I thought...an hour and a half later, I arrived in camp.  I went to the timer and told them I was pulling and why, then took Belle to the vet.  Carter Hounsel checked her over, then came time to trot her out...she got all As on gait!  I was quite happy to hear that...I had been hoping that I'd be able to get her back to camp sound.  I, on the other hand, was lame in both feet with blisters and just plai n sore feet from walking on the rocks in boots that were well past their prime.

 

By the time I got her untacked, took her back down and hosed the sweat and grime off her, then fixed her a big pan of beet pulp slurry, Ross and Lianne were in.  They both completed with flying colors!!!  That made me feel really good.

 

I don't know the info on the LD ride, because they had the awards while we were still riding.  But in the 50 on day 1, 24 started, and 16 completed.  I believe Mark McBride won, with Mike Campbell second...the two were riding together, and came in quite a ways ahead of every one else, according to Kris.  Deb Stewart top tenned for the first time ever with her horse Tsupreme Finale...she not only got high vet score, but BC as well!!!  She was absolutely shocked!!!  She only stood for BC just to see how it was done.  Congratulations Deb and Finny!  Lianne got turtle.  The turtle award was a wonderful basket with wine and other goodies, all wrapped up in purple ribbon...purple is Lianne's favorite color, so it was wonderfully fitting!!!  Ross got "second turtle" which included a giant turtle candy (yum!), some desitin, and some other goodies.  Carol, her friends, and volunteers really did themselves proud with neat ideas for awards. 

 

I do know on day 2, 9 started the 50 and 19 started the LD.  We left around noon or so, so I don't know the outcome of the second day.  Deb Stewart and Finny rode the second day as well, and when I saw them at about the halfway point, Finny looked fabulous. 

 

Many thanks to Carol Kight, vets Dennis Seymore, Carter Hounsel, Linda Reznicek, and Gail Conway, all of the volunteers, and TERA, for making the ride happen and be so much fun.  And thanks to Kris Anderson for trusting me with Belle...she's a wonderful horse.  Now I just need to figure out how to steal her.  :)  Watch for Kris and Belle at the Zink Ranch ride in a couple of weeks...Kris will be doing a 50 on her there...no more LDs on Belle for Kris, she's movin' up!!!  Atta girl!!!

 

Dawn Carrie