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       Apparently the dangers and harsh reality of the Mongol Derby are 
starting to kick in for some of the riders. If you go to the Mongol 
Derby web site, there is a place on the toolbar to click for "Riders" 
and you can read the blogs that they are posting whenever possible. 
There certainly are some riders with incredibly impressive adventure 
backgrounds and profiles. There are also some riders whose profiles and 
blogs just leave you praying for their very survival in this adventure. 
I must say that I found it humorous that at least two of the young women 
riders write in their blogs about their concern for finding Self Tanning 
lotion (NOT sunscreen ,..Self Tanning lotion!) in Ulaan Baatur to take 
with them so they look their best for photos taken during the ride. If I 
was only allowed to carry the absolute bare minimum of emergency 
survival supplies, food & water, personally I would be concerned about 
making room for Immodium, antibiotics and water purifying iodine tablets.
    They have just started day four and will be now entering the 
mountainous area of the ride. One rider dropped about before the start 
of the race so only 25 started. Sadly the Spanish rider, Juan Pepa has 
been pulled because of severe spinal injuries due to a fall in the first 
couple of days. He was taken to the hospital 10 hours away back in Ulaan 
Baatur. It was not said if the one helicopter was used for any of the 
evacuation or if he was taken via vehicle cross country because of the 
"non existant" roads. From here on out, that hospital will be getting 
further and further away.
    New Zealand rider Dave Murray was able to send a blog to Horse & 
Hound Magazine on day three. With all that we've read about the dangers 
of this ride, who would have thought that one of those hazards would be 
MARMOT HOLES! Apparently he has had many "unplanned dismounts" several 
times a day and in one fall, has crashed into a tree injuring his shoulder.
Excerpts from the H&H read: "TOUGH GOING: The 1000km Mongol Derby has 
turned out to be tougher than former Lake Tekapo man Dave Murray had 
expected. Murray knows the holes made by the ground-living marmot 
squirrels are large enough for a horse to step in, sending the rider 
crashing to the ground just as he has done several times a day since 
beginning the 1000 kilometre Mongol Derby horse race four days ago.
Mr Murray opted not to wear a helmet at the start of the race as it was 
so hot. It took only one fall to make him put it on."
  Murray writes: "The body is starting to struggle. My back is killing 
me, I have got no skin on the inside of my legs. Hygiene is not great in 
Mongolia so we have all got itchy stomachs.You turn up at one of the 
gers (nomad tents) and the family invites you in. There is just half a 
sheep on the table, and they cut it off with their hands and hand it to 
you. You don't care because you are so hungry. You are just eating lumps 
of fat and anything you can get into your stomach because you are so, so 
hungry."
(Note to self: Don't forget to write Annie to include lumps of sheep fat 
and fermented mares milk for dinner on the next Duck ride. We'll pass, 
on her homemade spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and frosted chocolate 
cake for our ride dinners)
   I was personally happy to read Murrays comments on the Mongol ponies 
some of us have been concerned about:He is full of praise for the 
Mongolian horses, which the riders change a couple of times each day.
"I have had some horses that have got hearts of gold, 10 times stronger 
than some of the horses I have ridden back home."You really have to look 
after your horse as it is going to get you to the finish line."
A failed vet check could mean disqualification. And it won't get any 
easier for horses or riders, with the race set to move into mountainous 
country.
   Many riders have praised these ponies and voiced their goal to take 
care of them the best they can. I am thinking that some of the riders 
may be encountering some gastrointentinal "discomforts" that may slow 
them down a bit if they haven't been more proactive in their consumption 
of their new foreign diets. This excerpt is from the blog of the young 
rider Matinlda Branson 5 days BEFORE the ride began:
Matilada writes:
   "It's summer presently so the nomads eat ONLY dairy products... 
dried milk curds, fermented mare's milk or 'airag', bread made out of 
milk.. Just EVERYTHING is made of milk or cream or butter.. and the 
butter is so so so yummy.. For the first time in my life I understand 
what 'curds and whey' mean in the childhood rhyme of 'Little Miss 
Muffet', as I've eaten both in abundance in the last couple of days. "

(Hopefully Matida has made room for the Immodium alongside her Self 
Tanning cream after scarfing all of those "Yummy" unrefrigerated dairy 
products along the route.)
Matilda goes on to say:
   "I have had plenty of opportunity to find out about Mongolian ponies 
in the last couple of days... The Mongolian attitude to horses is pretty 
rough and tough- I've been riding the last few days in a  traditional 
wooden saddle which has absolutely no give in it and you have to stand 
up when trotting and cantering.. but the ponies are so docile but still 
willing to do whatever you want-  I hate to imagine Kilbert or any of 
mum's horses in one of them- most of the ponies actually have a white 
spot either side of their backs, where the rigid little saddles have 
broken open their backs at some point in their youth, then closed over 
again with scar tissue... It is difficult to accept the 'they'll be 
right' attitude towards ponies here, but then again they seem quite 
happy with their lot (the ponies) and spend most of their time grazing 
on the steppes and are used only to ride from ger to ger or during 
droving, which is great fun... 
My Mongolian is interesting... I have actually made an effort to pick up 
as much as possible.. Although it's so hard just to memorise a word, 
it's such an odd language.. Repertoire to date includes 'sun', 'rain', 
'dog', 'call off the dog!', 'horse', 'I like to gallop the horse', 
'mother', 'father', 'herdsman', 'milk vodka', 'thankyou', 'yes', 'no', 
'my name is..', 'Australia', 'sheep', 'camel', 'ankle bone game', 'sky', 
'road', 'big', 'small', 'OK', 'lost' and 'sorry'.  Surprisingly, these 
are extremely crucial words in Mongolia, and my most-used by far..
So now I'm quite excited about the race, and have a better idea of 
exactly what to expect out there on the steppes...  I now know it's darn 
cold at night.. I was literally sleeping in thermals, two shirts, a 
jumper and my raincoat every night to keep warm, and trying to fit 
yourself in your raincoat into a small sleeping bag is NOT easy, I can 
tell you!
(This was written before Matilda had even left Ulaan Batuur and I hope 
she will be prepared for the cold she will hit when she actually hits 
the mountain area or if rain, snow or wind should kick in)
   "The only downside thus far is a case of red, sore gums which I 
suspect is an allergic reaction to the complimentary toothpaste I used 
in the dodgy block-of-wood-to-sleep-on hotel I stayed in when I 
arrived.  A few days of rinsing out my mouth with iodine (intended for 
water purification but deemed multi-purpose by Matilda the 
Self-Diagnoser) and a course of antibiotics (intended for emergency 
UTI's only, but Matilda the Self-Diagnoser strikes again), my poor old 
gums are screaming for an expert opinion, so definitely a trip to the 
medic before I leave UB..."
    The young British rider Annelie Simmons had her Self Tanning cream 
on hand for her pre-ride publicity photos for "sport" magazine clad only 
in her bikini and riding boots. Note to self: Never leave "Sport 
magazine" out where any serious endurance riders husband might pick it 
up and conclude that all those seamless ride tights with padded inserts, 
sports bras, breathable shirts and fleeces, cool medics vests etc are 
just another costly riding extravagance. The serious, prepared and 
experienced riders on this adventure will certainly have amazing stories 
to follow and read. I will be following the other riders stories as well 
just because I'm sure that they will be even MORE interesting. Gotta 
love the innocence and confidence of youth.
   All kidding aside. You have to admit that there are some plucky 
youngsters and seasoned adventurers taking on this challeng and you have 
to hope that they will all be representing our sport of distance riding 
to the World in the role as responsible caretakers for their mounts. On 
ridecamp we have debated over this ride and regardless of whether we 
were opponents or proponents, the ride has still begun and we can all 
watch, learn and reevaluate our own ideas of what we THINK we know about 
distance riding in competition. We need to wish them all the best and 
safest adventure and pray for the safe return of each of them and the 
hundreds of brave ponies who are participating. 4 days down, one rider 
with sever spinal injuries and hundreds of km and many days to go.
  I still have concerns for the ponies and wish there were a talking 
horse like "Mr Ed" to keep us updated with blogs from the perspective of 
the horses. Hey Paul Sidio, can you write us something from their angle 
next?




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