Mountainside/Whiskeytown ride story (long, and shameless brag about kid)

[Karen Sullivan <greymare@jps.net>]

Friday my 11 year old daughter Brenna and I, and other friends from Lake County drove up to Whiskeytown for the Mountainside Endurance ride.  It was the first ride this season for Brenna and I.  I would be riding Nasty Chancey (official name), my 11 year old Arab/TWh, and Brenna on good old reliable Ashleyratez (15 year old Arab).  Both horses were very fit, had had most of the winter off, got nice and fat and ready to go.  BUT I went slightly worried as the weather indicated a big temp increase; both horses still had some winter coat, and had not trained in the heat this spring.  I also heard it was going to be a tough 50, so our goal was to take it slow and complete.  I stuffed both horses with beet pulp mashes, electrolytes, etc. and we arrived at camp without incident about 2:00.

I am going to only tell "our" story, but there were a lot of other stories going on!  Both horses vetted through fine, though Ashley had a C in skin tenting (slightly dehydrated, older horse) ,and a B in gut and membranes(Chancey had a B in mucous membranes); we did a short warm up ride (both horses were idiots), and got ready. This was the first ride I was really relaxed and laid back-after 4 years riding this darn mare, I FINALLY have lost all fear and nervousness, and just laugh at her 
cantering sideways and posturing.  Brenna really wanted to start up front, and I didn't care.

Of course we didn't, because we overslept......but got out only 5 minutes late.  Brenna walked the horses and warmed up while I closed up camp and we were off.  I was still worried about the heat, but also aware we should not dawdle during the cool morning hours, so we trotted along, walking the rocky parts until we came to the climb up Kanaka.  It turned out to be a lot less of a climb than I had imagined (we do much more tougher climbs on conditioning rides), but nevertheless, we mostly walked it behind a group. On the descent, I decided we should stay on the horses, since they do great on dowhill, and the footing was just fine.  We had ridden, up to this point, much slower than we do on conditioning rides, but were making fine  time.  Almost down to the bridge, when I felt my mare give a couple of slightly gimpy steps.  I jumped off, thinking she had a rock in her shoe.  Oh no, no shoe.  Walked her on down to the bottom and crammed on the easy boot, praying it would stay on to get back to camp.  Off we went again, Brenna grumbling because we had lost time.  With the easy boot, Chancey seened fine.  Back into camp before we realized it, cooled the horses and P and R'ed.  Brenna was told Ashley was slightly dehydrated; to get more water into and on her.  Chancey trotted just slightly "off"; vet said to take it easy on 8mile loop and recheck at lunch.

Second loop had another nice little climb-again, we took it easy, walked up. Trotting back into camp, Chancey seemed just fine, sound, and full of beans.  It was getting hot, but I felt confident that both horses were doing great, and that we could finish the ride if we took our time.

At lunch we stripped tack, and Brenna vetted in right away.  Both horses had waked in and met criteria of 60.  Ashley had "improved" to all A's, and Brenna was complimented by the vet.  Chancey, who had "felt" sound to me when trotting, gimped slightly on the downhill on the hard, rocky road.  Okay, out of ride.  No sensitivity in legs, must have hit some rocks when the shoe came off.  Darn.  

Brenna was really bummed.  Despite the heat and tough ride, she really wanted to finish.  I ran around looking for a sponsor, and Dennis Sousa readily and graciously agreeded to let her ride with him and his son-in-law John. I was a bit worried, becuase they had a definite program and plan for their horses (conditioning all day with heavyweight riders in preparation for the Washoe 100 that wife Joyce and Johns wife Jennifer would be riding in 2 weeks)  I told Brenna to just follow them, no stopping or whining; filled her water bottles, forced her to eat and drink, changed Ashleys pad, washed splint boots, etc, etc.  Best thing I did was syringe electrolytes in her mouth just before we left.  They left and I went through all the worries of a Mom sending off an 11 year old, moody, preteen with strangers.  Worried both about her, the horse, and how she would behave!!  

Then I sat and worried. They came in off the 3rd loop about 3:45. Brenna said it had been very tough, but Ashley had been drinking at every stream!
Dennis said she was doing fine, not slowing them down, a great rider and great little horse.  Quick P & R, Ashley came to pulse quickly, but respiration was higher, then it dropped.

Only 8 more  miles, but the same rocky climb as the second loop.  They finished at 5:45, Brenna all smiles, saying Ashley had been just great, and still full of beans on the climb. Dennis again said she was a fine rider, great horse.  Ashley vetted through with all A;s; looked a bit tired, but fine.  I offered to take care of her, but Brenna wanted to.

Okay, big brag alert-the vet Craig?. said he would not have thought Brenna was only 11; she was so mature.  He said that first of all, she listened to his advice at the first vet check, second, she acted on it, and took care of her horse. He said the horse looked better and better throughout the day. I was so proud of them both.  Not sorry I had to pull, in retrospect; it gave her this chance to quit or go on, away from Mom. I would like to think Chancey could have finished the ride, it sure would have been good for her mentally!

So many thanks, to the Sousa family, who took on an unknown junior and horse; Mike and Gail Lynch, who put on a great ride (Mike retightened my easyboot on the second loop), and the top-notch vets.  I believe it WAS a quite difficult ride-out of 46 on the 50, 10 pulled.  On the 25, 20 started and 9 finished.. I heard from many that it was a harder ride than they thought. I don't have the results on the 50; hope the Lynches can post them.  

Got home in fine shape; both horses trotted out in to the back field, and looked sound.  I think/hope Chancey just had hit a rock-she looked fine the next day.

Oh, a chuckle for those of you who remember my complaint about people who take dogs to endurance rides, instead of leaving them at home or boarding them-    I took -2- dogs, the greyhound and pug.  They were either on the leash, or in the trailer, and I hope they did not bother anyone.  It "still" would have been easier to not have them there-but my boarding fell through. The pug has given me a nice little case of poison oak.   

I also learned that the syringe of electrolytes in the mouth helped Ashley. I don't think she was really lacking them in the system, but the salty mouth after that really caused her to drink and drink the second half of the ride.  Neither horse seemed to be sweating overly; I think our pacing on the first loop was pretty good.  But this would have been a good ride to foam on easyboots!

Karen Sullivan


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