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Friday nite about midnite the rain started and it was cold. I listened for a
while in my tent (yes, Karen, tents can stay dry in the rain <g>), got up
and checked on how waterproof Tony's rug was (okay there) and crawled back
in. Rain tapered off and quit right around start time.
The start was controlled for about the first 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile as it was
on black top then we were on our own going up the first hill. The start had
a little bit of excitement- don't they always? About 4 horses down the hill
from me I hear "WATCH OUT WATCH OUT". Oh sh*t, I think as this is the first
time I have let Tony start with the group, his Eq. are a little bit of a
disadvantage in the mud but I've managed to sandwich in between some folks
just wanting to walk/slow trot for a little ways, and things are looking up.
I hear a big commotion and look back to see a horse bucking, no *breaking in
two* with no rider and the saddle turned 45 degrees and moving towards 90
degrees. Horse comes up hill but can't go far w/out literally running into
us so cuts down mtn making his own trail. There were several riders back
with the thrown rider so I and the other riders around me cont'd on. Turns
out she dislocated/broke/something awful her shoulder and as of the first
v.c. they still had not found the horse!
Rest of first loop is uneventful - I get used to the way Tony handles the
mud in his Eq. and just learn to sit very still going down hill, give him
his head and remember to *breathe* (make mental note to seriously
investigate the studs for these things). I hooked up with a fantastic riding
partner from New Hampshire (21 hours away!!) - Kathie was her name, dunno
her last name....How is it you can ride 50 miles with someone and not find
out their last name?? Anyway, she's a talker (and I don't have to tell you
guys that I am <g>) so we had a big time. We paced well together and decided
to slog thru this mess together for the day - her horse was ROC qualified
and her goal was keeping him fit and sound until then so she was happy to go
medium to slow - my speed for the day. We had a ball - I think there was
about 5 mintues of dead air the whole day, literally :-)
The first vc was out and well run especially considering the # of horses
that came thru - 33 started the 2day 100, 40-something the 50, and a bunch
more the 25. The check was in a big pasture full of grass - 45 minute hold
so Tony chowed down while I tried to keep warm....Am having to learn another
horse all over again. Rode Embers last year - know what he likes at checks
etc...Well, Tony let me know he was NOT embers and he was not eating that
beet-pulp-grain slop at a check - he only likes it at his regularly
scheduled meals and he would like his grain on the side please - no slop! So
he ate grass :-) This was my first time to do an away check with no crew and
I must say I survived just fine. Not only that but I don't need half the
stuff I spent last week stressing out over - thanks to Wynne's advice I had
food, some grain, and other goodies on me so if I had not been able to find
my stuff for some reason we would have been okay. That gives you a sense of
security - knowing you have certain necessities with you. Will continue that
for sure! First loop was 18 miles.
Second loop - go out about 5 minutes ahead of Kathie - she'll catch up. I am
a happy camper - first section of this 21 mile loop back to camp is gravel
and pavement - just what the Equithotics are made for!! Tony is feeling
waaayyy too good for the mud and hills we have been thru so off we go at a
rapid pace. Kathie catches up and the conversation resumes :-)) Back in the
woods/mud - we commiserate together over how much we hate the mud. The trail
by the way has the potential to be very pretty <g>. And where it wasn't
slick, icky mud it was great - like on top of the hill (I called it a mtn
but was corrected <g>)- in decent weather - this would be a fast, pretty
trail. There were probably some nice views but the clouds took care of that.
Anyway, Kathie and I almost fall off laughing at one point... we are
cruising down some blacktop together and I am explaining how Tony can make
himself magically appear 10 feet to the left or right from where he
currently is when he suddenly demonstrates. The really funny part is her
horse can too and did about 3 minutes later - imagine it was a hoot for
those riding behind us....hmmm, guess you had to be there. Often things are
funnier in the context of a ride than they are after the fact <g>.
Second check is not so good. Somehow, tho the starts were staggered by an
hour each (100's started seperate from 50s so 3 groups went out) we all
managed to get to the 2nd check in close proximity it seemed - sigh....We
come in and are down by the time I put his cooler on and get in line and
wait and wait and wait. Glad all checks were 45 minutes....Of course this
was the check where I HAD to go to the bathroom too - always happens that
way huh?? Even tho it was cold I was drinking very well - something I'm not
inclined to do even in the heat :-(
The difference? I used my camelbak instead of water bottles - I will drink
if all I have to do is lift a tube to my mouth and sip - but if I have to
get a water bottle out and fool with it, forget it. My camelbak is 70 ounces
and I went thru 2/3 of it during the course of the day - had I been using
bottles I *might* have gone thru one - score one for camelbak :-). Vet thru
fine - vetting is a little lax I think - no CRIs, no checks on legs, minimal
back/wither palpation. Dunno about the pull rate - didn't seem like lots of
folks were being pulled but saw lots of massaging of butts (horses' butts,
that is) in line so tight muscles were a concern of course with the mud and
hills. Give Tony his grain sans slop and he doesn't move a muscle while
someone holds him for me to slip across the mud to the ladie's room, er
port-a-john....
Go back out in umpteenth place - right where I planned to be for this ride,
Kathy comes up and dynamic duo is ready for "the loop from hell" as it was
affectionately called. 11 miles that was taking many folks as long as the 21
mile loop. Tony is still feeling way too good so we make time where we can
but are forced to walk/slide much of it. Tony is drinking well - drinking on
the trail is a new thing for Tony :-) so I was pleased. We chat and at each
muddy hill we say "This must be THE HILL Amy (ride mgr) told us about" until
we get to the next one....better than half of it was like that. Then we got
to the *real* mud at the bottom - YUCK!!! We hate mud - we both say to no
one in particular and am sorry to see that saying so does NOT make it go
away. On this loop we get to go right by a gun range where someone was
target practicing with a rifle - man are they loud!!! Tony put it in TURBO
going by that....
The other excitement for this loop was this - this weekend was the date of a
HUGE Air Force 50th anniversary in Louisville (20 miles away) - one of those
planes passed inches from us - or at least that's what it sounded like. I'm
surprised we all still have our hearing. Rest of loop is more the same -
finally get back to the common section of trail and know we are home free!!
Came in, vetted thru fine and went back to take care of Tony and get my meal
ticket.
An aside about awards dinners - this is really a MW ride tho SERA sanctions
it as a SE ride - dunno if this is a MW thing or if the SE is unique or
what.... In the SE most if not all of the awards dinners are kind of a
"deal" - they usually wait till everyone's off the trail (if possible),
everyone sits down together, eats, talks, listens to the awards which are
always humorous cuz the mgr usually has something to say about several of
the riders. It's an enjoyable part of the weekend. However, we didn't do
that at CC - they just opened the buffet and we got our food when we could
and did our own thing - which was fine just different than what I was used
to. I think they did an actual awards - I'm not sure - at one point I saw
about 15 people up there but I was busy tending to Tony so did not go up. As
a matter of fact I never even went back up to find out where I finished AND
I forget to get my vet card back. It's very possible my brain is still in
Indiana also!! I know there were a few behind me...<shrug> we finished
looking great and sound and that's what was important to me right now. The
time will come for me to be competitive on this horse - but not yet.
I went up to this ride fully intending on doing 2 days and excited about it.
However, I'm proud to say I made an adult decision <g> and opted not to go
back out - 1) Tony's recovered suspensory came thru this mess beautifully
and I didn't want to see if it could handle 50 more - if I had and he had
come up sore/lame, I would have been sooo mad at myself afterwards 2)I guess
I wasn't thinking of this as being as strenous an effort as a "real" 100 -
by that I mean a one-day so I had another 50 planned in two weeks. Wynne
nicely suggested I might want to rethink that plan :-) 3) my main goal for
this spring is to finish the OD in a respectable time and again my personal
ride advisor Wynne <vbg> mentioned that one big goal for this first half of
the seaon may be enough and 4) this was only Tony's 3rd 50 - very little
base on him.
So, though I *really* wanted to do another day I opted not to and was glad I
did - there will be other 2 day rides - after I'm more sure of the stress
his suspensory can handle and he has more miles on him. Had the footing been
okay I would have gone back out - he had no stiffness, filling, soreness at
all - he looked great I am happy to say. I also felt the best I have after
a ride - perhaps cause I drank so much water??
*Of course* Sunday's weather was nice and the mud seemed to be drying
somewhat :-)
Tina - still cleaning mud off of everything
hickst@nichols.com
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