Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Well, how do you keep 4 endurance mounts in condition when you don't have much spare time and your daughter's been at her real Dad's every weekend?  Ask the 'athlete' parents of one of your 'endurance interested' advanced students to join you on a 20 mile training ride on Sunday.

So off we went to Natchez Trace... The Father being a Triathlete who's ridden in the past, the Mother being a Balerina - who's riding for the second time in her life..Their daughter being my challenged riding student - who's just THRILLED to ride anything, anywhere..

As we unloaded the trailer - Murphy #1 hit - one of the trailer tires was 'hissing' with a nail in it.. Oh well, just bought that new gigantic jack - so I guess we'll change it after the trail ride...

Natchez Trace is currently in pretty rough shape. It was much more technical than I expected, I was very glad that 3-out-of-4 of my horses are solid on the worst of trails!! Needed them to take care of this group.. (other than the Triathlete...He wanted a challenge!!)

As I'm putting the Epics on the front feet of 3-out-of-4 of our mounts - one barely used boot 'blew it's cable'.. Well, drat! - at least the horse it fits is normally trained 100% barefoot.. Guess she'll go a 20 barefoot.. Murphy #2

My 4 year old Fino is having one of her 'adolescent' days. So we decide the Triathlete gets to ride her instead of the lighter wife. Need a more experienced rider today. Murphy #3

Hundred yards down the trail, and one of many times the Fino decides to jump mud puddles, Ed doesn't know how to ride a jump - but is great at sticking on. But the 'safety' stirrup leathers on the Australian keep popping off. So he's getting well-practiced at mounting/dismounting. So a quick lesson at keeping 'pressure' in the stirrups in a jump ensues. Fixes the stirrup loss problem.. Then the Fino freaks out - turns out - one of her brand new epics pops off... Put it back on tightly - then another mile it comes off again - this time she destroys the gater. So I take off the other boot.. At least she has been primarily trained 100% barefoot.. sigh... Murphy #4 & #5

9 miles in.. One of the stirrup leathers on the brandnew Australian that Ed is using, broke... Since he's been the one having the 'interesting' ride, his wife decides to take one off the Australian she's using. (I'm bareback - no stirrups to loan).. Murphy #6

So for the return ride, the rank beginner is now cantering and jumping logs stirrupless - and DAMN! Does that woman have some natural balance and ability!  She's on my former 'main mount' - Ginger.. Who's just a real solid horse on any terrain.. And as Mary Jane exclaimed: " Thankgod I'm on a gaited horse!!"

So, 4 hours later, we get back to the rig.. Get everything done and ready to leave... Now my 'new used' F350 - decides it's going to stall EVERY time I let off the gas and Coast.. Murphy #7.... So for the 5th time since we got it after Christmas - it's seeing the mechanic...Sigh, at least this FORD looks good in the driveway...!!!

But, at least I got all of the horses worked - and only had to ride one!

- LP