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[RC] [RC] Old horses - Lucy TrumbullLots of stories/observations from Tevis to tell, but I have to workthis morning, so I'm going to try and fit them in as I can. Sandy: I have a question for those who ride the senior citizens - I had READ that a 26 year old was doing Tevis. If true, how did this horse fare? There were several video crews taping the ride this year and they were showing the unedited video that night at the stadium while we were waiting for the riders to come in. This was really fun stuff and gave a good overview of the trail in the inaccessible high country. Part of the video included shots of horses going over Cougar Rock. The 27 year old horse was shown and didn't have a good experience going up - ended up slipping and turning around and evidently tweaked a hind leg big time, since he was holding it up and hopping a little right when this happened. I don't know the specifics of his pull at Red Star, but would suspect that lameness would have played a part in it. This video apparently won't be for sale (rats!), but will be shown at the "Auburn Endurance Capital" street party in early October. It is excellent and a good reason to go. (it also features Crysta Turnage and Sinatra's rather exciting and heart-stopping experience, but I'll let her tell that story ;-) ). The other exciting one was a lady whose horse went around the rock *to the left*. I didn't realise you *could* go around the rock *to the left* (ie. there's a steep drop off on that side?), so was astonished when they both popped out at the top. I think the rider was a bit shocked too, however, as she was bailing off as quickly as she could when they reappeared. Anyone have any details on who this was and what happened?? that will be a good story. Also, we have our 22 year old stallion and 21 year old mare who have a few miles of distance over the years - oh probably a few hundred each...and they SEEM to be fitting back up...how many people are competing over 20 horses, how they are doing, and especially from anyone who has an older horse who has had suspensory, cardiac or other major issues in the past - and how they have come back. I really think it depends entirely on the horse. PK Whiskey - a 20 yr old finished Tevis this year with Australian rider Susan Sutcliffe (she said at the awards that she believed he was going to be retired after this); Suzanne Ford-Huff's 3rd place finisher, Chase the Wind is 17; and Don Bowen's junior rider (who I apologize for not knowing the name of) finished Big Horn in 3rd place riding a 21 yr (?)(correct me Don/Pam?) old horse. Last year, Lindsay Graham's horse, Phoenix Affair, was 19 when he came 7th at Tevis. OTOH, my 19 yr old who has too much "go" for his own good is now retired simply because he blows himself up whenever he goes anywhere (witness him cantering in place last weekend when all the other horses were walking). Last summer we did some 20 mile rides with him horse camping and although he had a lot of fun *during* the rides (or so his adrenaline told him), he just didn't recover well once we were done and stood at the trailer looking very sorry for himself. He has suffered suspensory and tendon injuries over the ten years I've had him - and although once they were healed they never *seemed* to bother him (<snort>), I attribute those injuries to his own brain-fry, rather than his age/what he was being asked to do. Lucy Chaplin Trumbull elsietee AT foothill DOT net Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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