Re: Gunlock/Dammeron Valley 60 - Ride Story (LONG)

["Dyane Smith" <sunibey@sisqtel.net>]

Hey, Valerie.  That was a really interesting ride story with great food for
thought.  Thanks.  Hope you write more.
Dyane
N. Ca

----- Original Message -----
From: Valerie Newson <vnewson@tax.state.ut.us>
To: <blarsen1@aol.com>; <ridecamp@endurance.net>; Gary Belliston
<GBELLIST.FIMAIN.FIDOMAIN@fi.state.ut.us>; <nrdpr.cnewson@state.ut.us>;
<tiptonfamily@uswest.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 1999 2:56 PM
Subject: RC: Gunlock/Dammeron Valley 60 - Ride Story (LONG)


> Realizing that the LD vs. endurance arguments are quite interesting I
thought I'd throw in a ride story and include my contribution to the LD
argument, 2 for 1 so to speak!
>
> My horse, Bak, and I headed down to do the 60 at Gunlock (St. George area
of Utah).  My sister and her horse Steppin Softly (aka Lady) were going to
do the 25 since Lady has been having a little arthritis in her hock.  They
decided to do the 25 just to if Lady's hock was going to make and also
brought down a friend who wanted to try endurance to ride a 25 on our other
mare Valenya.  Since you all heard about my experience at Outlaw trail
without my sister's horse for my horse to buddy up with I was kind of
curious as to how Bak was going to feel about leaving his buddies at the
trailer and possibly seeing them along the way.
>
> At the ride meeting the vet, Dr. Dave Nicholson (the Duck) proceeded to
tell us that endurance rides in the "old" days were 100s and that's all
there was, this discussion was instigated by some 25 milers that were riding
their first 25 and wanted to know how FAST they should go.  Dr. Nicholson
politely told them they had 6 hours and they should take their time and that
it was not a race.  Apparently the riders weren't listening and asked again
how FAST they should go, and shouldn't they try to go faster than 6 hours
even though they had 6 hrs to complete?  Man o' man, I slightly pleaded
under my breath that these riders get a clue!
>
> There was also some talk about how if you kill your horse it was your
fault and not the vets, that if you wanted to hide stuff or push too hard it
was your doing.  Now this is the second time I've heard the "if you kill
your horse speech" this year and I have to admit the first time I was a bit
put off but upon further thought I think it was to add some fear and
responsibility on the rider.  These "how fast should we go" 25 mile riders
are the exact riders that  the vets are trying to save from themselves.
These riders wouldn't give it a rest though and we ended up with if you push
your horses too hard at these shorter distances that a backhoe would be
brought in to take care of the remains!
>
> So on that somber note we all proceeded to vet in.  My poor sister felt
that she had to justify the fact that her horse is a 50 miler horse that is
having some arthritis and she was doing a 25 to see if the cortizone
injection was working.  My first time rider friend was wondering what on
earth she'd signed up for and we assured her that no backhoe would be needed
for her or the horse she was riding.  ;)  My sister has been riding since
she was a junior (over 10 years ago, not as long as some but long enough to
have learned a little) and would SAFELY take them through the 25 at a
reasonable pace.
>
> This ride also had a 100 miler and the 60s and 100s were starting together
at 6:15 am, what a awful time.  Why is it that the further distances have to
leave so much earlier, it doesn't seem quite fair.  Whine!  Bak and I have
never ridden in the dark, except for coming off the trail as the sun was
going down a time or two, so this should be interesting.
>
> Bak was really perky that morning and although I did follow one of my new
rules (wear sports bra with no zippers!) I broke another one by changing his
french link snaffle to a uxterer kimberwick bit for the ride.  (ps thanks
Jasmine for all the bit info)  I did try the bit on the night before and Bak
managed to eat and drink with it on so I figured he was okay with it.  The
ride started with headlights and a controlled start.  I found out pretty
early that if I pulled on the reins too much Bak felt rather explosive (read
as ready to bolt or buck), too much pressure with the curb, so within the
first mile and half I figured I'd better lighten my hands a TON or I'd be on
the ground.  The head tossing seemed to subside though, more of a leftover
habit than anything else, so now I don't have people commenting on how much
and how often he can toss his head, oh yea isn't it neat!  Those comments
were getting so tiresome, well and rather embarrassing!
> The controlled start was on a hard packed road and we had a half moon out,
the sky was clear and the stars were bright, it was truely beautiful -almost
reverent.  I was talking with a gal named Dee and neither of us had ever
ridden in the dark before and we both agreed it wasn't near as bad as we had
imagined it.  Now Dee had riden this trail as she lived near by and so she
knew it pretty well.  Dee and I found ourselves in the lead, both our horses
were trotting out really well and feeling good.  Note to newbies:  Find
someone who knows the trail and make friends with them, follow them or take
turns leading but stick with them like glue.  Dee and I were apparently
pissing off some other riders who thought we were going to fast, I guess the
100 milers thought the pace was too fast.  Now I don't know anything about
100 milers but I'm kind of thinking that if you have a 100 miler horse that
you should be able to control your pace at that point in you and your
horse's career and ride your own ride.  But I soon learned that some people
just take this way too serious.
>
> I've never ridden in the front of the pack so I was a little unprepared
for some of the bickering that goes on.  I was so throughly enjoying myself
and that Bak was happy and it just felt SO good that I actually found the
bickering quite comical in a rather ironic sense.  I was following Dee and
before we could even make it to the first vet check at 15 miles I had people
jockeying into position, cutting in front of me, etc.  Well, when they all m
issed a turn and someone from behind yelled so the rest of us noticed I
turned right and ended up in the lead again and lead the group into the
first vet check with Dee right behind me, gave me a small smile to myself at
the justice of it all.  The vet check was totally not prepared for the group
of about 10 of us and getting P&R was rather slow and the vet line was long.
Dee's horse had a bad reaction to his blanket and proceed to take out the
back of a Montero with double barreled kicks, plastic light parts flying
everywhere and other than some paint on its hooves the horse was amazingly
okay!  Now as for the car, well, I guess Dee's going be paying for that one.
>
> After the 30 minute hold we all took off again, only to find our group
lost and headed back to the vet check.  I turned around in time to see
another horse and his rider, Bob, going on the correct trail and headed back
to the stop where we came off track.  Later on poor Bob was accused of
cutting trail by the riders that we had followed off track.  Ridiculous!
Bob was riding slower and paying attention and he also knew the trail.  I'm
making Bob another one of my friends!  Well our group passed Bob and got
lost one more time and had to catch back up to Bob AGAIN.  You should of
heard the bitching!  I really don't think it's any particular person's fault
if you get lost in a group then that means that not everyone is paying
attention and helping out, but just drafting along.
>
> Dee, Dean Jackson and I came into the hour hold together and I was the
last one to P&R so I lost about 6 minutes behind Dee.  This would have to be
the most inconvenient time for my sister and friend to show up with Bak's
pasture buddies.  ARRG!  They were in for their 30 minute hold and I had 1
hour.  Now at the pre-ride meeting the Duck had told us that he didn't want
to see our horses until at least half way through our hold time and he was
very serious about it, if you came in early he sent you away!  The part that
ride management forgot to tell us was that you couldn't get an out time
until the vet signed your card and that they did do not yell your time out
when its' your turn.  For you ride managers out there, please tell us this
stuff the night before, why on earth you want EVERY single rider out to ask
the same questions ALL day long is beyond me!  Pick a system, stick with it
and be consistent, oh and share it with the riders!
>
> Bak and I left the vet check alone and we were both kind of lonely, then I
realized that there was three hoofprint tracks in front of me and since I
was supposed to be the third rider out I was completely pissed off.  I had
specifically asked the out timers if I was out, actually hung around until I
was out to make sure I left right on time.  So basically someone else just
looked at their watch and said "Oh I'm out" and off they went.  I later
found out it was a 100 miler but still don't think that was appropriate, my
small amount of justice there was that the 100 miler rider got lost and we
found the rider wandering around a couple of miles from the check (ha ha ha)
and actually came into the third vet check with me and Bob and Bob's friend.
Bob had left the noon check about 10 minutes behind me and had caught up
with me.
>
> As I came into the 3rd vet check my position in this race has dawned on me
pretty much full force.  I have NEVER top tenned a 50 before.  I think I may
have once or twice on a 25 only to find out that that particular ride didn't
have a BC or in one case only took the top 5 finishers, anyway nothing
really earthshattering.  I've spent the last two years doing really slow 50s
and I mean really slow, barely coming in before time sometimes and I've had
more than my fair share of cold dinners, if there's any left at all, and
have ridden in to more than one awards ceremony because they got tired of
waiting for me, I guess it was obvious I was last!  Truely leaves a bad
taste in your mouth I assure you.  So maybe today's our day, maybe lucks on
our side today.
>
> Anyway Dee went out 15 minutes before me and Bob was out 1 minute before
me.  Bob was going for first heavyweight only.  I caught up with Bob and
then there was a group behind us closed in.  I was glad that a couple of
them were 100 milers because now I really wanted that top 10.  Bak had done
excellent all day, eating and drinking and paying attention and he deserved
to finish well.  Sharon Dumas, Dean Jackson and Bob's friend were now in our
group.  Bob lead us through really well and then I took a turn, Sharon kept
telling me not to get lost now.  Boy, no kidding, not a time to get lost.
We saw Dee in the distance and managed to close in.
>
> At the turn back onto the main hard packed road, we had 2 1/2 miles to the
finish.  Dee saw us coming and started to pick up her pace.  Sharon turned
to me and said if you're going to run with the big boys you'd better be
prepared to run!  (or something close to that effect) and off she went!
HOLY COW, how did I get here!  Well, I swallowed hard trying to get rid of
the lump in my throat and off Bak went, I didn't even cue him.  It was a mad
three horse gallop.  I kept checking the heart monitor to see if Bak was
okay, even though I could feel he was holding back because I was asking him
to, I just couldn't believe the amount of horse still under me.  I kept
thinking that hitting the ground at this speed could cause a lot of damage
and prayed and finally just trusted him to place his feet well.
>
> Well Sharon and Dee were side by side in front of me and I didn't feel
like squeezing in between, we saw the pie plate for 1/4 mile left and Sharon
kicked it up a notch and Dee matched it.  I decided that third place was a
fine place to finish and that I was not crazy enough for this sport,
somewhere before that pie plate I left my "new found" competitiveness on
that hard packed road and went back to just trying for a top 10 and not 1st
place.  Sharon seemed to settle into second place and Dee finished first.
When Sharon let up for second I thought about trying to slip into second for
a fleeting moment.  The thought left as soon as it entered and Bak loped
easily across the finish line in third place.
>
> WOW!  It was definetly neat, a lot of people had told me all day how good
my horse looked, Bob even asked me what I was feeding him!  I got a really
nice comment from Dean Jackson that meant a lot to me, Dean has seem me
finish last more than once for many, many years, even on 25s.  I was
incredibly proud of Bak and in awe of him and what he'd just accomplished.
>
> My top 10 soon turned out to be bittersweet.  As I vetted in for BC Bak
was slightly off on the right front.  The Duck told me that it pretty much
took me out of the running for BC, he also told me to come back later after
he was done with BCs and he would look at Bak a little closer to see what
was exactly wrong.  On a positive note, Bak stomach was excellent and we had
great gut sounds, good movements and a very bright-eyed happy horse, so we
have begun to manage the stomach and now I guess I get to work with
lameness.
>
> I went back later and the Duck was really nice and said that Bak was less
off than at the BC but that now it was his left front not his right.  Great.
He found a little tendonitis in the left and told me pretty bluntly that
it's a small problem now but could become a bigger one if I don't take care
of it.  I really appreciated his candor and went off to pamper and care for
my sweet Bak.
>
> Bak and I got first middleweight and got a nice saddlepad which I would
have gladly given back for Bak to be completely sound.  Basically I pretty
much felt like pond scum, the guilt is incredible.  Dee took BC and 1st
lightweight and I'm so glad for her since she had lead us for a good part of
the day and she earned and deserved it.  The Duck also gave us a wonderful
explanation of BC judging after the awards, he was actually surprised that
everyone stuck around for it <g>, and it was very interesting.
>
> As for the 25s, my sister and friend finished just ahead of two other
gals.  They came in time to see the awards for the 25 being handed out, kind
of disheartening, you figure they could at least wait for everyone to
finish.  They rode a safe and sound ride of about 4 1/2 hours and didn't
need the backhoe!
>
> If you don't want the 25s to race or hurry then why do you do the awards
before everyone finishes?  I think that it would be nice if the ride
management and vets were a little more on the same page, especially
considering the nice horse blanket the 25 miler BC got.  If you do what the
vet says then you ride a nice conservative ride, miss the awards and get
handed a plastic scaper for your horse as completion.  My sister and friend
had a glorious time and they rode the ride they wanted to ride and
accomplished what they wanted to accomplish and were very proud.  Lady did
great and my sister is pumped to go back to 50s.  My friend thought it was
great fun and decided that she needed to learn a lot more before her horse
would be ready for LD but loved having a seasoned horse show her the ropes.
>
> I took Bak to the vet on Monday and he has a swollen check ligament in his
right front and a swollen tendon sheath in his left front, I cried all the
way home from the vets.  My vet thinks that his feet were a little too long,
we were due for a shoeing but I didn't want to have his feet too short for
the ride as Gunlock is really rocky.  Basically it was a bad decision and
next time I'll have the trim and easyboot him instead, live and learn I
guess.   Bak's going to be fine and is patiently putting up with the ice
wraps on his legs and me fussing over him.  Last night as I turned him back
out, he did a lovely spin and floated away to his hay I realized that he was
going to be okay and he'll forgive me.
>
> As for the moral of this story, riding in the front of the pack is very
exciting but I think it was a little distracting also, if I ever get there
again I hope to not become one of the sour ones that bicker and complain,
maybe I just had some bad examples.  I have heard stories of people deciding
who was going to cross the finish line first, etc. so as to avoid the racing
in part.  Food for thought anyway.  I know that I'll be riding my next ride
differently and am so very glad that I'm going to get to do more rides and
that I didn't permanently injure my beautiful hunk of a horse.  As for the
LD thing, ride your own ride, for your own reasons and enjoy it heartily,
every minute of it.  I want to be thought of as a rider that was enjoying
the ride, my horse, etc. irregardless of distance because that's what it's
all about in the end.
>
> Happy trails,
>
> Valerie and Bak (yeah I still love her, she gives great treats, where did
those apples go!)
> No. Salt Lake, Utah
>
>
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>


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