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Please Reply to: Char Antuzzi char.antuzzi@xxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Yes you can take a horse that isn't really broke to ride, get
that horse in April delivered to you and finish (Over time by
15 minuets) Tevis in July.  I know because I did it. BUT BUT
BUT, I would never say do it. So your all asking, well why did
you do it? What makes you so special.....

Nothing makes me special, nor my horse special. I won my entry
to Tevis. I went into the ride with an attitude of two things.
#1 and foremost, my horse would come first. If there was one
hoof beat that didn't sound right. If one ear was turned the
wrong way, he'd be taken out period. I would never ever get the
attitude of lets just keep going, hence the reason why I 
finished 15 minuets past the cut off. I mean to cross that
finish line 15 minuets past the cut off, so close. I get asked 
all the time, weren't you disappointed? What, you couldn't get
him to speed up, just a bit?  Heck yeah I was disappointed. I
cried all the way from GreenGate to the finish. I was on a 
tired horse. Now, knowing what I know about my big mustang stud
is, yes I could have pushed him a bit more. I didn't know Gali
at this point in the game. I had only had him three months and
was just learning about him and what makes him tick. Anyone
that knows Gali, knows he's a bit "conservative" that's Gali.
He will not allow himself to get over rode. I know he plays me, 
but that's Gali and you gotta love him for it. That night, on 
that ride, I told myself that Gali dug down and gave more to me 
then any horse I've ever ridden. He never complained the entire
day, his ears were pricked forward the entire way. He was
tired, yes he was. When it came to the clock, we were riding
close each and every step of that Tevis. But, HE not the CLOCK
was my priority. That's the reason why I didn't kick him to go
faster by 15 minuets. That horse deserved to cross the finish
line with his ears pricked forward. He deserved to cross that
line knowing he made it 100 miles, we both made it.

The 2nd thing was I had a "what do I have to lose" attitude. I
wasn't taking anyone's entry spot away from them. I won my
entry, the slot was there to fill, I took it. I rode mile to
mile, never ever ever seeing the finish line in my mind.
Because of that attitude I did get to see the finish. If I had
looked at the whole picture I don't think I would have
finished. I figured I'd use Tevis and my entry as a learning
experience, a gift from Julie, she drew my name.


Now here is where the most important things lie. I was SAFE! I
was safe for me, I was safe for other riders and I was safe for
the Tevis volunteers, vets and my crew. I got this horse broke,
to what I thought was a safe horse to ride. He wouldn't wreck
someone else's ride and I knew that others would be okay around 
us. He trailers, tied, camped and could be crowded. People 
could ride up his rear and cut him off. If there was even a
remote idea of someone getting hurt, I'd not taken him. Even
though I am relatively new to endurance I have trained horses
for all my life. I ride clients horses everyday. So, I am a
experienced rider, but as we know that not always helps, bad
things can happen to good riders. I just don't want anyone to
go out and pull my ride record and think I am a newbie to
horses, we all know how people jump to conclusions <grin>.
 

We live local to Tevis. This was a big factor for us. If
something happened, I could haul him home that day. I have
local people that all know me, I had a ton of help. It wasn't
like I hauled cross country to ride Tevis. Because I was doing
round pen work and arena work with Gali, just to get him going
I didn't have a lot of time to "condition" him. So Yes to
answer the question, I took a horse that was out on pasture,
got him going and took him to Tevis. I wasn't out to prove
anything. It was a personal goal of mine, no other reasons. Two 
months after Tevis we finished Virginia City and have since
completed it twice and we got out Tevis buckle last year.


I would never stand in anyone's way of going for their dream.
Just really sit down and ask yourself why you want this
particular goal? Then go ride, be safe to yourself, your horse
and others. If all the "Pro's" of taking your horse to Tevis
out weigh all the "Con's" then go do it, live your dream but
please remember always always, YOUR HORSE MUST COME FIRST. They
didn't ask to be loaded in that trailer, hauled to the Sierra
Nevada's and rode 100 miles through snow, heat and eating dust. They do this 
for you, because you ask them to do it for you. 

Char and Gail.... (Still learning about endurance)





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