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April is a Morab mare who was given to me a year ago at the age of almost 8.
She was born and lived in a backyard with her Mom all her life and was roped
twice a year for shots, that's it. She was never shod, handled nor worked
with. My husband saddle-broke her using John Lyons method in the round pen
and I started riding her. We had to teach her everything about life, she had
been so sheltered. Our goal was to enter a 25 miler in a year and we did
last Sunday, the Napa 25, a two-hour trailer ride away.
The trailer ride went right through noisy San Francisco and she handled it
fine. Camp ended up with close to 90 horses, she settled in her portable
corral and ate and drank, no problem. She got straight As at the pre-ride
vet check after standing in line quietly - she had never been exposed to
anything like this - her pulse was 40 when the vet took it. We met a
wonderful couple, Vince and Ula, both endurance veterans and consistant top
10 competitors - they thought April looked fit enough to do the 50. I'd
rather err on the conservative side....
We had planned to let everyone go and then start, but April was acting so
"lady-like" that we started toward the back of the pack. The course was
tough - hilly and rocky. April worked so hard, giving it all from the start.
We followed a couple of riders most of the way to the 15 mile vet check
where my husband was waiting. We took our time at the vet check, our goal
was not to be competitive, but to finish with plenty of horse left. April
drank and ate like a pro. The vet again gave her all As, we hooked up with
Jason from Bolinas conditioning a new horse and another rider leaving the
vet check for the last stretch and April would keep up with them no matter
what, she was so focussed and determined, I couldn't hold her back. I
thought that if she pooped out, I would just hand-walk her the rest of the
way. She never slowed down. At the finish, I dismounted and she pulled my
husband along toward camp, he was amazed. All As and even a double A at the
post-ride check. Plenty of horse left, what a joy, we were so proud :-)
I went back to the finish, curious to see how we placed out of the 38 horses
entered. To my complete astonishment, we finished 9th!!! I had tears in my
eyes as I ran back to tell my husband - this little mare had given so much,
so generously.
Last but not least, I want to thank and congratulate ride manager Jessica
Tuteur for a job very well done. There were a lot of wonderful and very
helpful volunteers, plenty of water and food at the vet check, it was a
terrific first ride.
Liz
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Liz Henry
Best Internet Communications, Inc.
Je parle Francais
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