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] Raven Rides Malaysia!!! - Merri Melde

OK, so I'm not riding in tomorrow night's official 120 km FEI Royal Kedah 
International Invitational Ride 2007, but I <i>did</i> get to ride a horse in 
Malaysia! I got to be Steph's jockey today. The Raven got to ride in Malaysia 
too!

And OK, so it wasn't much of a ride, just a nice half hour trek to loosen the 
horses' muscles for tomorrow night's ride. I'm not really bent on competing 
internationally - I just want to ride, anywhere and everywhere (as does the 
Raven). And today we did just that!

We arrived at the stables in the morning, when it was, I have to admit, almost 
pleasant outside (i.e., not too swelteringly hot yet)! Grace was saddled up for 
me, and with Peter Toft's permission - Peter from Australia brought 6 horses 
for the ride, and Grace is one of them - I climbed aboard - with the Raven in 
my pack, of course.

Now what other horse sport can you go out for a nice ride in the countryside, 
like, say, Malaysia, and ride with 4 other instant friends from Australia, 
Malaysia, and Qatar, and enjoy yourself doing it! Amir and I discussed just 
that - he started riding only a year ago in Malaysia, and he really enjoys 
endurance. His wife Nadia started riding in London 8 years ago when she went to 
school there, she's got a really nice seat. Isi is here from Qatar for the 
ride. Peter is from Australia, has endurance horses in training and competition 
all over the world - I'll get to spend some time with his operation in 
Australia in April.

The riders here in Malaysia are naturally concerned about the heat and 
humidity. Arab horses are bred for heat and distance, yes, but not the 
humidity. I expect some horses will handle it well, and some may be like me - 
just don't function well in it. The trail is also different from the last ride 
in Terrenganu; there's some technical footing - plenty of rock and roots to be 
aware of, especially in the dark; and the horses will have to deal with 
encountering villages, road crossings, water buffaloes, paddy fields, canal 
ditches. Steph will be riding the entire ride with the Tofts. Their goal is to 
take it easy and complete, with an eye toward Malaysia's WEC in November 2008.

Our ride took us around a little lake - man-made, I expect, and on a little 
path that gave you a little glimpse of what some of the jungle will look like. 
The bugs were already greatly irritating Grace - they'll all get fly spray for 
the ride, before going out on every loop. Grace had a great big walk, was 
interested in moving on out. I think Steph will have a great ride tomorrow 
night/Saturday.

I'm not <i>too</i> disappointed I'm not riding in the Kedah International. 
Besides, I'd have a very hard time in the heat. I don't think fellow riders 
would want to listen to me whining all night and all day long.

Maybe we can come back in winter and do a ride! :) (Malaysia doesn't have a 
winter.)    

(http://www.endurance.net/merri)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=