Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Melissa said:  "When the Tevis was first run it was untried and still  
proved to be a success, and based on the criteria that Western States  
Trail put into place, Dr. Dave Richardson (Duck) put forth a new idea  
for XP rides but he still used the same basic criteria for horse care.  
Those XP rides were untried too but proved to be a success."

I have to set the record straight here:  Yes, Dave "the Duck"  
Nicholson's 5 day XP rides were/are an amazing success and my five day  
completion in 1984 remains one of the highlights of my endurance  
career.  However, as to Dave's basic criteria, Melissa, people like  
you would likely have been appalled.  When Dave gave his pre-ride  
speech, this is loosely what he said (any of the rest of you can join  
in on your memories), "If you kill your horse out here, you'd better  
have the $250 for a back hoe 'cause all I have with me is a half  
bottle of Pen-Strep and you can't save a dying horse with that. In  
fact, they didn't teach me how to save a dying horse at vet school in  
Colorado.  You have to go to California to learn how to save a dying  
horse."  Dave used one roll of orange ribbon on that 250 miles and  
said he really didn't care how you get to the end of the ride each day  
or to the vet check as long as you get there without loading your  
horse in a trailer.  There was/is one vet check at approximately 25  
miles and very laid back criteria.  Interestingly, no horses got in  
trouble despite these very relaxed criteria.  There was no treatment  
vet or even treatment facility.  In fact, there were places where you  
were likely 300 miles or more from any treatment facility.  We rarely  
saw any sign of human habitation on the trail.  We had snow on the  
first and last day (April).  I ate the best pancakes I've ever eaten  
at the Rez.  Smokey saved my life by giving me whiskey so I could  
sleep when I got sick with a terrible cough and allowed me to sit on  
Bandit bareback and ride him around camp.  Anyhow, Melissa, I have no  
idea if this Mongolian adventure will be safe or not, but as I listen  
to the complaints/fears I think these same people would have tried to  
shut Dave down.  Dave believes 100% in rider responsibility for your  
own horse.  It's worked amazingly well for 26 years with a safety  
record few rides can match.  Besides, needing criteria to enter a  
prestigious 100 miler is not the same as riding 25 miles, which isn't  
even an endurance ride (ha, now I can get us off this topic and on to  
LD:)
Cindy

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