We crewed for Patty Lambert doing her 8th attempt at conquering the OD
trails--this time the 50 as Trenton is now a grand old man at 20 years, a
strapping 16H App with TB credentials and plenty of APPtitude. We had a
perfect record...'til now.
We arrived first, set up a spot for both trailers, kibbutzed with all around
us and waited eagerly for their arrival. When Patty opened the trailer door
the thing I immediately noticed was the lack of manure--the mat was pristine
clean. Trenton looked great, but didn't drink all that much during the
night, tho' he chowed down the nice alfalfa mix I brought special for him.
In the morning I cleaned up only one manure pile, good quantity/quality, but
strangely no more than that. We "noticed"/ignored an odd stamping of a hind
foot...flies?, not really.
We scratched our heads, saddled him up and were amazed at his "politeness"
and calmness--very un-Trenton. Patty went off at the tail end of the pack
of 90+ riders. We did the usual scurry routine to get out to McCoy's Ford
where they cross the Shenandoah (a good 1/4 mile stretch of river), about 12
miles out. First hold was only 20 minutes. Trenton came in looking good,
still at the back of the pack and doing a nice moderate pace for the start
of the ride. We had him in the 52 range within a few minutes--big
improvement over last year when we doused him with 150+ gallons of water
during the course of the ride!
The minutes flew by and out they went while we hitched a ride back up to the
road and our non-4WD truck (McCoy's Ford was a quagmire and they didn't let
anything but 4WD down there--the rest of us hitched or hoofed it). We had
the usual pleasant journey through the Massanutten National Forest, narrow
windy road, no berm, the dually taking up way more than it's fair share! On
to Fitchett's, a big grassy field next to a wide, fairly deep stream, shade
on the bank...lovely. Heating up big time now. The 50's didn't leave 'til
6AM (late this year) so we must factor in the increasing temps. We set up
near the stream and prepared to have a nice hour wait when Kevin jumped up
and yelled "Patty's here!" Hunh? At least a 1/2 hour early!
Trenton loves to climb and he passed horses right and left, making up
tremendous time. He came in at 92 so we went to work dousing him with 15
gallons, me at the front, Kevin at the rear. He dropped to 64 in a few
minutes again, but as soon as we stopped the water, the pulse would shoot
up. More water, even more water, several minutes to stabilize,
electrolytes, more water. Hovering now at 60-62, so we walked him slowly to
the PR area, but in the sun, up it goes again. Kevin & I both carried
buckets and we sloshed as we inched forward. Finally the pulse stabilized
enough for the P&R, but I'm a little worried. Trot out really good but he
flunked the CRI, back to the buckets to work some more.
Again, as long as we sloshed water he stabilized, stop & he spiked, not
high, but a persistent trend. We put him in the stream, knee deep, and
literally threw 3-5 gallons at a time all over his body--no cut off chlorox
bottle here...this was a 5 gallon bucket, dip and douse for what seemed like
hours!
Back again for another try but the CRI went from 52 to 72! Way too high.
Trenton is trying to tell us he cannot blow off the heat. Temp. normal, all
other metabolics good, diminished gut sounds. The "picture", the "eye", was
not right. He looked good, and not good. This was not his day. We
retreated to the shade and continued to wash the hind end. He was
lackadaisical in his quest for grass--he's usually ravenous. He wanted his
grain, but not much else. Drank well on trail, not here.
Larry Kanavy kindly gave Patty & Trenton a ride back to base camp where
Jeannie Waldron, the treatment vet, took a good look at him. Still
diminished gut sounds, a look of discomfort but not colicky. Dr. Waldron
recommended keeping him on site overnight, administered a laxative and
released him to our care.
He was never in serious distress but he was definitely not right from the
start. The CRI clued us in to a developing problem. Patty & Kevin left to
do P&R's at Bear Wallow for the in-coming 100 milers, and Kevin to pick up
pit crew duties for Steve Baker, while I stayed at camp to watch over the boy.
Every 15-20 minutes he would get a look on his face, discomfort perhaps? He
finally started to move manure, his appetite picked up but I never felt
completely at ease.
By morning he seemed his old pesty self.
Trenton had a bad bout with strongles this year and is on Strongid-C. Patty
had to withdraw the wormer 3 days prior to the ride. In analyzing what
might have caused his discomfort, this was the only noticeable difference.
The heat had to be a factor of course.
Hindsight being 20:20, I knew at some sub-conscious level that this might
not be Trenton's ride...the lack of manure in the trailer was a clear
warning signal. All these signs were quite subtle, all depended on "knowing
the horse", the expression in his eye. We'll never know exactly what the
problem was. Fortunately he is fine.
No, you never really can prepare yourself for the heat and humidity of an
Old Dominion ride.
There were lots of stories this year....others will tell you the more
exciting chapters.
Diane @ Safe Haven