Susan - Thanks for the congrats, Eddie had a great
day and since you asked here's my story.....
This is our third season and my horse Steady Eddie
has been having a good year. This weekend at the Spook Run ride in Indiana
on Saturday we won our first fifty and also won BC. We only live
about an hour away from this ride and knew it had been raining and it was going
to be cool but we had missed a few rides already this season ( life intrudes
when you have two teens) and I was looking forward to riding.
Because of the rain and the forestry bulldozing
some of the nice single track trails the ride was run differently from previous
years and included new trail on the middle loop. It had rained all day
Friday but by Saturday morning it had stopped and eventually got sunny but very
windy and cold. Footing was actually good for most of the ride - many of
the miles were on old forestry roads which have a solid base and some stretches
of pavement, the trail sections were muddy but nothing that bad. Saturday
morning 15 riders started the 50. I have learned to wait till the first
group riders goes out before we start. Starting slower and controlled makes
for an entirely pleasant ride than starting fast and fighting him for a first
loop. Also, this way as we gradually make our way around and catch up
with various riders I get a chance to chat and meet lots of new people.
Anyway, by the end of the first 19 mile loop, Eddie was feeling strong and
we had moved up a few places. 2nd loop was 23 miles and early on this loop
we caught up with Lois McAfee, Kyla - her grandaughter and Lori ( I'm
sorry Lori I don't know your last name). Eddie led for most of this loop
and really moved out once we hit single track trail through the woods.
This is his and my favorite type of trail and he just flies - this was an out
and back with a password at the turn around. Now, lets just say I have
some memory issues, cause just five minutes after turning around I could not
remember that password for anything and Lois and Kyla were laughing. I was
just happy to have witnesses but they kept reminding me so I was good except
then no one ever asked what the password was anyway! By the third loop -
which was just an 8 mile out and back, flat with good footing - Eddie was still
strong and we cantered pretty much the whole thing. I kept wondering how
long he was going to last " hanging with the big dogs" but on Saturday at least
he was a " big dog".
The best ride moment for me though is always when
we get home. Eddie gets off the trailer and goes running around his
pasture, has a long roll and then goes over to his buddies ( Boomer and Nadja)
and you can just see him telling his version of a ride story. He spent the
afternoon napping in the sun. Good ride. Good horse.
Thanks to Lois and Bob McAfee for putting on
Spook Run as well as Top of The Rock. Thanks to Bill Wilson for once
again hosting a rainy ride that tears up his pasture.
Roxanne Kopp/Steady Eddie/Kentucky
Also - congrats to the finishers of the 100 mile
ride. My helmet is off to all of you - it was cold and dark but you kept
at it and finished.
