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[Alison Farrin <alison@hirschcompany.com>]

Well, how about a ride story for the ride that didn't 
happen............................
In 1998, Mt Laguna was the first 50 I tried.  Took my son along; he who has 
since decided that 25's are his speed.  Tried out a new Wintec after only a 
few practice rides; that was the first (or last) mistake in a series that 
included getting lost and going too slow.  We pulled, badly overtime, at 
Vet check 3.  After swearing that for 1999 I was just going to volunteer at 
Mt Laguna, sanity wore off and I again began considering what it would take 
to FINISH Mt Laguna in 1999.  First it took convincing my riding buddy that 
she could do a 50.  I had Betsy convinced by January and conditioning began 
in earnest on those occasional days when it wasn't raining.  By May we were 
well prepared and ready to go.  We were even making rather a party of the 
ride as Nicco Murphy had asked my son if he would ride one of his horses in 
the 25 and my neighbor Lisa rather innocently asked me if there were any 
CTR or endurance rides around here that she could try.  Lisa finished her 
first 25!

The sad part of the saga begins the weekend before the ride.  Those 
ridecampers who have seen me at rides know that I have the truck that tries 
hard - but breaks something on almost every ride.  It not its fault. We are 
a walking advertisement for hauling too much load for a 3/4 ton truck. 
 This time, it was still showing a distressing tendancy to overheat, so the 
weekend prior to the ride, hubby pulls the intake manifold and blocks the 
heat risers to keep the gas in the carb from vaporizing.  That part went 
fine.  Put it all back together and something under the dash starts 
smoking..............Reasonable expectation is that the regulator has just 
decided to stop working.  I stop by the parts store and get a new regulator 
and Thursday afternoon, Mark takes off work early to install it.  Three 
bolts off, three bolts on, bad news, its NOT the regulator. Alternator is 
still charging the battery to great excess.  While Mark is thinking hard 
about what else it could be, nasty rainclouds begin to gather over our 
happy home.  Lightbulbs and lightning struck at about the same time, as 
Mark figured out the real problem just as the rain really started coming 
down.  At this point, even if the truck could be fixed (and the solution 
involved several hours labor) I was too wired, tired and way behind 
schedule to even think about getting to the ride.  So we opted out and 
volunteered instead.

This is the real point of my not ride story.  Terry Wolley-Howe walked by a 
bunch of us working out at vet check one and asked if anyone wanted to be 
Vet Secretary to the new vet who was volunteering.  I instantly said yes. 
 What a wonderful education was contained in the next several hours.  Not 
only did we see 150 horses from the vet's point of view, we saw them from a 
"vet's eye" that was brand new to the sport as well as several vets who 
have been working Terry's rides for years.  Dr. Heather Mac is also a 
Wholistic/Chiropractic/Acupuncture oriented vet as well; a tad different 
perspective <G> even when not vetting endurance horses.  Horses with heart 
murmers; horses that traveled sound, but, well, wierd; those that just got 
too tired; every horse had a story.  What did I learn?  I learned that even 
the front runners are so focused even they forget to take out their vet 
cards when vetting through, and I shall be less embarrassed in the future 
if I forget mine!  As well as more determined to be organised and not 
forget at all.  I learned that different vets give different scores and it 
really is to your advantage to vet all day long with the same vet.  In 
part, we as riders are depending on the vets to tell us if something is 
potentially wrong with our horse.  If Vet A hears no gut sounds and calls 
that a "C", but Vet B hears no gut sounds and calls it a "B" and you 
started with Vet A and went thru Vet check one with Vet B, it would appear 
that the horse is improving, when in reality , it's not.  The vets did 
often differ a bit - usually not by a whole grade - but by minuses and 
pluses.  I was reminded that the vets really are there to help.  If they 
tell you you overrode your horse, don't argue, ask them why and how they 
came to that conclusion and what you can do to fix the problem.  If they 
tell you you ought to pull, but its your decision, they are trying to 
tactfully tell you its in your horse's best interest to be done for the 
day.  There are all the intangibles;  looking at 150 different gaits and 
ways of going is its own education.  Oh, and last but not least, if you 
horse has been burying his face in bran mash, do the vet a favor and wipe 
his face.  It's hard to see mucous membranes and check cap refill times 
through a face covered in mush <G>.

So, here's a heartfelt thank you to Terry, for allowing me to volunteer. 
 As usual, I got back more than I gave.  Another thank you to Dr. Mac, for 
letting me listen all day long.  I highly recommend Vet Secretary as a 
great volunteer spot if you are really interested in learning more about 
endurance riding.

Oh, and the truck.......in about three months when my brand new, custom 
ordered 2000 model Quad Cab Dodge Dually 6 speed diesel comes in, it will 
be for sale.

And Mt. Laguna.....so 2000 is the year I finish at Mt. Laguna.
Alison Farrin
The Hirsch Company/Innovative Pension Design


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