Goethe 25/50 story

[Samm C Bartee <bartesc@mail.auburn.edu>]

This story starts a long time ago.  I bought an Appy mare, had her bred to
the best Arabina stallion I could find...Eagle El Hilal, and sat back to
wait on the results.  Finally, 5-1/2 years later, I have them!!

We  broke Weagle as a 4 yo.  took her to a few LD rides, to get her  used
to the goings on, and  while I was conditioning Coujur for the Tevis, my
best friend Kathy Bauer rode Weagle on numerous LD rides for both their
benefits!!  I have been waiting since spring of 92 (when we bred Jet) for
the time to come when I could ride the baby on her first 50  mile ride!!  
As things came along, I wasn't sure which ride would be her first.  I had
lots of plans, but like most plans,  they went by the wayside.  

I set my  sights on Goethe as her first 50.  Started gettting ready  for
that date.  Hurt my back, got the flu, Weagle had some fungus thing in her
foot, I had a powerlifting meet (but set an American record in the bench
press!!),  didn't get to ride her for a few weeks..but persevered!

Finally, we made it to the  ride site with knowing I was going to start
that darn 50 if it killed me. I knew Weagle was ready!!

During the  pre-ride vet in, the vet actually told me that my horse was
FAT!!  YIPPEE, I love to hear that.  I was planning on going slow, and had
decided to  walk out of camp at the start.  I did stick to my plan,
picked up two riding buddies, Sabrina Calvet doing her horses first 50 ,
and Randi Lavikoff, bringing her horse back after nearly a 3 year lay off.
So, off we went at that blistering walk pace:-)
The whole day was wonderful.   Each vet check, Weagle did great.  She ate,
she drank in camp, she did what I asked her to do.   The vets never saw a
problem and neither did I.  I kept waiting for her or me to hit that wall,
but it never happened.  By  the third vet check, Sabrina's horse was out.
She had found a hole or something and came up slightly lame.   It was me
and Randi left.  We took off at the same blistering walk pace we had been
setting on and off all day long.  The horses were all too willing to trot
on that last 10 mile loop and that made my heart jump with joy!!  Weagle
had done 35 miles previously  and that was her longest. 
I asked her to trot, she did, she asked me to canter and I let her for a
bit, just to stretch  those kinks out!!  She willingly came back to the
gait I asked for. She willingly  picked up whatever lead I asked her to,
she was just plain willing.  About 3 miles from the finish, she told me
she was tired, but she kept on keeping on.  I could feel her start to balk
at some of the sand that was out there, but this was her first ever time
in any  type of sand like this!!  She was still willing to trot, even
canter, but she was happier in the  trot.  That was ok.  I was happiest to
see the  end was drawing near, and glad to have enough horse to canter
across the finish line!!  

Kathy Bauer had gone to help crew and she was there all day for us!!
Hauling buckets of water, making sure me and the  horse had plenty  to eat
and drink and blankets for (our?) rears!!  The finish  line was no
exception!!  We  crossed, gave our cards to Rob Thompson who had ridden
and then gone to the finish  line to help...let the  horses drink thier
fill of water that Kathy had lugged all the way out to the  finish
line...with  some help from David Harris...and  walked back to the vet
check area with the horses.  

As I vetted out, I told the  vet that she was tired, but she was willing
to trot out and she looked good.  

The trails were marked well. Some folks did get lost, or took wrong turns
or something , but I don't know how they missed all that ribbon out
there!!  There was some water out, but I would have liked to see more, but
that's just part of the management of your horse, I guess and she did just
fine.  

The next morning, Weagle was stocked up  a little, but not bad ,and  she
was willing to trot out and she extended nicely, so I guess she was none
the worse for all that sand and my weight!!  When we got home, after the 9
hour trailer ride, she took off like a shot around the pasture, pee, roll,
drink water, all at a trot!!  now THAT is what I like to  see!!
I guess she might be a 50 mile horse for the  year.  I hope so, I had a
blast riding her!!!   

Appy  Trails,


Samm C. Bartee-#9432
with
B Jets War Eagle--Ara-App
SE Region