Liberty Run II Part 1 Goat's tail.(LONG)

[Coujurs1@aol.com]

  Hope this doesn't get too long!  Here is part one!


  Duane and I had been discussing all spring where we would take "Goat" for 
his first 100.  We took him to Pa for the Fort Armstrong 75-mile ride.  He 
finished well, even after trying to drown us both in a creek (he thinks he 
can just keep easing out in the water not listening to me!), and falling on 
the asphalt as we headed out on our last loop.  I was the only one injured in 
the fall!  Well, my saddle, my helmet, and me!  We decided Liberty Run in 
Augusta, GA would be a good one since he handled the mountains of Pa just 
fine.  He had just finished well at the first day of the Big South Fork ride, 
since I was manager on Saturday this was the only day I could ride.  So here 
we were ready to take him to his first 100.  
  Goat is usually the best loader in the world, you lead him up to the 
trailer and he hops right in.  For some reason, did someone tell him he was 
going to have to do a 100?  He decided to stomp on my foot first.  I 
questioned his heritage, and he hopped on.  It was a 5+ hour drive, so one of 
the closest for us.  Duane, bless his heart, drove all the way.  
  The campground is absolutely gorgeous.  Set on a lake, with picnic tables, 
water and some electrical hookups.  And primitive showers on the grounds.  We 
decided on some lake front property, and set up camp.  Goat has a picket 
line, that comes complete with it's own tie pole.  Duane's dad made it, it is 
pretty cool.   And other than Big South Fork when Goat decided to take it and 
the horse trailer visiting…it works well!
  The ride is held on an Army base, and after setting up camp, I needed to 
run to the store and find stuff I had forgotten.  Charlotte Ladevig, bless 
her heart, is retired military and has an ID so we made up some huge story 
about me being her sister in law to try and get me in the Commissary.  
Despite our elaborate plans, I had to wait on her outside.  Charlotte also 
loaned me a ton of stuff, for some reason we came without reins.  Many thanks 
Charlotte.  Note to all: Don't be my neighbor, I borrow a lot! It turns out 
this ride is to be a first hundred for several people as well as horses.  
Vicki Parker held the ride meeting and announced loops etc.  So we are making 
up pneumonic's to remember the order of the loops.  
  5 am comes quickly, I finally roll out of bed and get Goat ready to go.  27 
are starting the 100, with most of them doing either the person's first 
hundred or the horse's.  We head to the start line to try and find Nancy.  
Nancy Gooch is absolutely the best timer in the world.  
  At 7 am we are off!  I start off trying to make Goat trot, he can really 
trot…if he will (and you can convince him)!  And am riding with Lynn Gilbert 
(from VA?).  We are trotting along and she asks Goat's name.  I tell her his 
real name is Saint Patrick Z, but we call him Goat.  She misheard me and said 
I can see why.  I said apparently you have seen him eat.  She looked puzzled 
and she asked me again what we called him, I told her, she said she thought I 
said we call him Go!  I had packed some Skittles for the slow dry times, 
since they help moisten my mouth.  Note to self: find quieter candy.  I 
didn't have a chance to eat any till mile 65 or so.  
  Pretty soon Valerie Kanavy, Betty Baker and Rita Swift take off.  They 
arrive a few minutes ahead of us after the first loop.  We untack Goat, all 
holds were 40 minutes so you had plenty of time, so we thought!  The other 
distances, the 50 and the 25 left 30min. and an hour and a half behind us, 
the 25 milers did a different loop than we did.  So we beat everyone back to 
the Vet check so no lines.  Goat vetted through quickly with all A's but gut 
sounds, which totally baffles me since he will eat anything that doesn't eat 
him first.  And eat non-stop.  Which he proves as we wait out the 40 minute 
hold time.  Duane has a good assortment of food stuff for him laid out, of 
course he decides Karen Clark's hay is better.  But that was okay since Jeb, 
Karen's horse, decided Goat's was better, so we swapped hay bags for the 
duration of the ride.  Soon enough Lynn and I are out on the next loop.  It 
is also a 15 mile loop.  You do 15, 15 and 20 although you come double a 10 
mile loop and can stop in camp halfway through, then you repeat them all 
again.
  You would not believe the water that Vickie and the rest of the Parker 
people had put out!  You sure didn't go far without any, natural or man left! 
 It was great.  Not only that, the trail was one of the best marked I have 
ever been on in my life.  I have never rode at Liberty Run, have only worked 
it, so I had never seen any of the trail.  The purple loop also went around a 
lake.  Here is a little warning, don't get behind Goat in a water hole, he 
thinks I don't know how to sponge properly.  Now I'm no Angie McGhee, but I 
can swing a pretty mean sponge.  He paws and splashes, on second thought, it 
would save you from sponging if you get in behind him.  He actually 
considered putting his foot in the tubs Vickie had provided, I had to 
chastise him severely on several occasions.  
  All the vet checks were back in camp, great for crews, but not so great for 
the horses.  I arrived back in less than and hour and a half, Duane met us at 
the road with some jugs.  He was an incredible crew, not only for me, but 
took care of Karen and when we were out on the trail, helped vet horses 
through.  Plus had food for Goat and I when we got in.  Must have ran 
non-stop the entire day.  It's much easier riding than crewing, take it from 
someone who knows!  Goat dropped fast, and we went to vet through.  The line 
was huge!  Duane ran and got Karen and I our hay bags, we swapped so the 
horses would have each other's hay and be happy.  He also brought water and a 
sponge and cleaned both our horses up while we waited in line!  We finally 
arrived at the vet, and no we didn't cut line!  Goat was at 44, and went up 
on his CRI, considerably.  The vet looked under his brows at me and told me 
to come back before leaving.  I wasn't as concerned as the horse got all A's 
otherwise, and was being a jerk on the trail.  All I had time to do was go 
tack up and come back.  He went 44/48 and the vet said he was clear to go.  
So off we went on the 10/20-mile trail.  
  You may a loop around a lake and they still had tubs of water out!  It was 
getting pretty hot, and I get heat stress.  Here is another helpful hint, we 
caught a bunch of 25 milers.  Barbara Chu had three of the cutest little 
girls riding with her.  I stupidly made a comment about her ducklings, as we 
passed Barbara had them doing a duck song, complete with flapping arms.  Goat 
was not amused; I almost got to go for a swim!  About 7 miles through the 
loop, we came up on a creek with concrete blocks in it.  I asked the others 
if they remember what ride management said, as I talked too much through the 
ride meeting.  They said she hadn't mentioned it.  Betsy Gilman, a 25 miler, 
pipes up and says, "I will go first since I'm only a 25 miler, and it won't 
matter if my horse gets hurt".  Absolutely not!  We tell her.  It looks 
pretty good on one side so one of the 100 miles goes through first.  No 
problem, other than Goat soaking all behind him.  Paw step, paw step.  
  We had decided to stop in camp for a "mini" vet check.  We all got off, got 
the horses to pee.  The command pee already works well for Goat.  He peed at 
every VC, occasionally not much as if to say, "happy?"  They munched a little 
and then back out on the other 10.  

Nina Gibson and Goat (Saint Patrick Z)


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