Those of you who regularly look at the www.endurance.net web site might have noticed a new advertiser, "African Horse Safaris" which is a link to Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris in Botswana, Africa. Its in the Tuli block of Africa which is where South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe come together. I bumped into their web site while looking for other things to do while I was in Africa on my last hunting trip. I picked them out of many African Horse Safaris because they were near my hunting area and because they were the only ones that had a higher weight limit of 220 pounds. I barely made it.
Its been nine months since I went there and I have just booked my next trip for May 2nd thru the 16th. I didn't know what to expect but was blown away by my experience. I don't know what else I could possilby do to top the experiences I had on this trip.
The guides were very inquisitive about my riding experience and questioned me intently on it. They made it clear that you could not be a novice or even intermediate rider, you had to be advanced and comfortable with any gait over any terrain in physically threatening situations. Tranlation: DON'T PANIC AND FALL OFF YOUR HORSE JUST BECAUSE SOME GRUMPY ELEPHANT DECIDES TO CHASE YOU, it can lead to a crushing experience. As I was going through customs and the South African / Botswana border post a S.A. policeman informed that just a few days prior he had to pick up the body of a local man who got too close to elephants while walking home at night. Their not meat eaters, but if you get too close they will charge and stomp you.
They don't get too many Americans at LVHS and thats because they don't market it to us. Shockingly, we Americans have the reputation of being whiny and sue happy!!! Can you believe it?? After the first full day riding and our first encounter with a charging elephant where I managed to keep control of my Boerperd bred horse "Impi - Zulu Warrior" and not fall off, I got the story of the last group of Americans who showed up. It seems they were from the San Francisco Bay area and were quite the sensitive type. They had group hugs and said a prayer to Mother Earth before they started riding the first day. The African guides told me they kept quiet, but rolled their eyes and laughed to themselves. Steve Rufus, the head madman, decided to test their riding ability by going on a full gallop in the bush. Three out of the six fell off, one getting skinned up moderately well. The sensitive Bay area people complained profusely. The group lasted two more days then Steve sent them home, no refund, its in the contract. If he thinks your riding ability isn't up to the point of being able to avoid dangerous animal situations, then he will take away your saddle. In order to sue someone in Botswana, you have to be a citizen. Which means you have to move there and reside for ten years before you are even elidgable to apply. Good luck.
If your are a good endurance rider and not the panicky tpye, but love adventure and want to really ride, then you will have no problem. Steve likes to use Warmblood Crosses for his horses. They are especially picked for durability and temperment. My horse obviously had a lot of Arab in him. There were also Anglo Arabs and Quarter/Arab combos. He uses Australian stock saddles they work extremely well for their type of riding. They don't trot. You either walk, canter or do some full out gallops so the Aussie saddles are excellent. I never fell off once for the entire ten days. You sleep in two man dome tents each night while out in the African Wilderness. They come with extra long comfortable thick beds. The camp is already set up for you at each location by the staff. Joyce the cook will keep you full with a delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner. If the staff likes the group, they will even sing to you each night at dinnertime. My group had two German men and three Proper British ladies. We had great times by the fire each night after an exciting day of riding.
I can't possibly tell you everything that happened, but over the next ten days: 1) I did the fastest galloping of my life over an African plain with warthogs, impala , eland, jackals and kudu darting out of the way while mixed in with a herd of about 15 giraffe 2) A five mile chase of a herd of Zebra with one of Steve's domestic Boerperd Stallions in it. This Stallion had run off two years earlier and had been breeding with the Zebras, we saw several small Zorses, we were not able to catch the Black Stallion 3) Galloped in seperate gallops with large herds of Blue Wildebeast, Impalas, and Baboons, 4) An additonal giraffe and zebra herd chase 5) I personally got chased around a game vehicle by some irate elephant bulls who were in must 6) Took two more charges by testy elephants 7) Ran into some wild lions on the ground 8) The last day I was there, Steve, myself and the two German guys, Hans and Frans, snuck up behind a herd of about 80 elephants and got them into a stampede and cantered behind them for about a quarter mile, you have to get off to the side quickly as those things throw up alot of dust. I am a 45 year old CPA and I was giggling like a twelve year old school girl.
There are some other experiences I will never forget. We went on long canters thru the bush as the sun was setting with warthogs, eland, kudu , blue wildebeast and impala darting out of the way. You will visit Boer battle sites and learn about the natural history of the area. Do some rock climbing and exploring on foot. The guides always have a 458 Winchester Magnum Rifle with them just in case.
As I have mentioned, they don't much care for American clients, but I assured them that endurance riders were different. After all, our mottos are "No Whining" "Ride, Really Ride" and "You Can Rest When Your Dead".
How much does it cost. Last year it was a mere $ 230 a day. That included everything except booze and optional tipping. Of course the air fare adds substantially. A round trip ticket from LA depending on the time of year will run from $1600 to $ 2000. This year the daily rate has risen to $ 280. Still, a fantastic bargain for what you receive. The staff takes care of everything. All you have to do is ride, eat and take pictures. I know it would still be a pricey trip for most people, but its worth it. You will never forget your trip to Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris. Check out their web page by the link at endurance.net.
I would like to help them build up their client base as Steve Rufus wants to expand into the Okavango Delta. There we could add Cape Buffalo, hippos and crocidiles to all the fun.
If any of you have any questions, please contact me by email at corecpa@earthlink.net or 805-496-8315.
Happy Riding,
Mike Core
Friday, February 06, 2004
Saturday, January 31, 2004
2004 Wickenburg Ride - Lee and Dave
Okay, since I haven't seen any ride stories for this one - I will jump in and give you my account of the day. I will leave the ride results to someone else who would have better information then I can muster right now.
This ride is a MUST DO. The new ride managers, Robin Ollendick and Nancy Halsey have done a wonderful job of making this a ride you will not soon forget. The trails are varied and fun. The volunteers are numerous and friendly. The Sheriff's Posse is everywhere helping the riders stay on track. Water is every 5 miles or so, clean and plentiful. The awards dinner was just down the road at the Elks Lodge and was simply delicious and plentiful. What more can a rider want ?
I had planned on doing the 50. However, my boyfriend, Dave, had just recently started riding my ½ Arab and ½ Quarter horse mare, Kaci, and expressed interest in trying to do a LD ride. He had camped with me at the Manzanita Ride and was intrigued by this craziness we call endurance. So for Christmas I gave him a paid entry to the Wickenburg 25 AND a pair of Homeys Hey, Paddi - I will forward you a picture for the contest under separate e-mail :).
Since I would be riding slow (Dave has only been riding for four months), I decided to mentor another newbie, Trudy and Rocky (her mustang partner that I am proud to say I started and sold to her) on their first ride. Pat, definitely not a newbie, but riding her 24 year old partner George, rounded out the group.
Pat, Dave and I arrived in camp on Friday afternoon after an uneventful drive from Yuma and quickly set up camp in the spacious parking at the Rodeo grounds. Uh-oh, no Trudy. She had tire trouble and ended up arriving late. We settled the horses in and wandered about the vendors and camp, and visited with old friends. Instead of riding we opted to take the horses and let them loose in the round pen to kick up their heels. Kaci and Bravo were excited and animated but George had that "been here, done this and I cannot believe I am here again" attitude.
The ride meeting was set for 5:30 and was complete with a wide variety of munchies, including wine and cheese ! Did I mention how wonderful the ride managers are? The weather promised to be cool and the pulse criteria was set for 60, by the head vet, Dr. Barney Fleming. The LD start time was 8:00, and knowing the temps would be about 30-35 overnight I was not unhappy about that ! We checked on the ponies and settled in for the night.
We awoke early and Dave and Trudy were almost more nervous than the horses. Kaci has done this ride two times before but she had not been to a ride in over two years. Bravo just knew he was doing the 50 and wanted to get started. George was not impressed. After a few delays and waiting for the frontrunners to clear out we started down the trail about 10-15 minutes behind the pack, on as controlled note as we could manage. The cool air and nerves were getting the best of the people and horses at this point.
Bravo and I took the lead and we started on the day's adventure. The horses quickly settled into a great working trot as we wound around the saguaro, ocotillo and cholla cactus. The views all day were spectacular. The trail was perfect and the volunteers had even hand walked and raked the rocks from the two track area ! Now that is what I call dedicated volunteers.
The day remained slightly overcast and cool, and before we knew it we were at the first vet check in just about two hours. This was right on the pace I wanted to set for the day for the new horses and riders. This was to be an hour hold. The horses pulsed down quickly and all vetted through with straight As. They quickly settled into eating, but our desert horses didn't do too much drinking, since the weather was cool and the water was still a bit chilly. At 30 minutes Bravo looked up as if to say "okay our hold time is over, let's go". He never did get the idea that we were staying for an hour and just looked puzzled the rest of the hold.
We headed down the trail for the second half and by now the horses were very relaxed and comfortable. The new riders were able to enjoy the scenery and a lot of good hearted joking ensued.
All too quickly the finish line was in sight. We crossed together in a ride time of just under 4 hours. Not too bad for two new riders, one new horse and one old timer (not me, George the horse!). There was even champagne at the finish line for the riders !
However, I must admit the highlight of the entire ride was right there at the finish line, when Dave pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring and proposed ! I was so focused on getting to the P&R area and vetting through that I was shocked and speechless - and any of you that know me, knows how rarely that ever happens.
We did vet through and everyone got a completion with straight As for all the horses. George even won a bucket of Dynamite vitamins for being the oldest horse to complete the 25 mile ride. A beautiful end to a wonderful ride ! And one that I know I will never forget.
Lee and Bravo
Dave and Kaci
P.S. I did finally say yes!
This ride is a MUST DO. The new ride managers, Robin Ollendick and Nancy Halsey have done a wonderful job of making this a ride you will not soon forget. The trails are varied and fun. The volunteers are numerous and friendly. The Sheriff's Posse is everywhere helping the riders stay on track. Water is every 5 miles or so, clean and plentiful. The awards dinner was just down the road at the Elks Lodge and was simply delicious and plentiful. What more can a rider want ?
I had planned on doing the 50. However, my boyfriend, Dave, had just recently started riding my ½ Arab and ½ Quarter horse mare, Kaci, and expressed interest in trying to do a LD ride. He had camped with me at the Manzanita Ride and was intrigued by this craziness we call endurance. So for Christmas I gave him a paid entry to the Wickenburg 25 AND a pair of Homeys Hey, Paddi - I will forward you a picture for the contest under separate e-mail :).
Since I would be riding slow (Dave has only been riding for four months), I decided to mentor another newbie, Trudy and Rocky (her mustang partner that I am proud to say I started and sold to her) on their first ride. Pat, definitely not a newbie, but riding her 24 year old partner George, rounded out the group.
Pat, Dave and I arrived in camp on Friday afternoon after an uneventful drive from Yuma and quickly set up camp in the spacious parking at the Rodeo grounds. Uh-oh, no Trudy. She had tire trouble and ended up arriving late. We settled the horses in and wandered about the vendors and camp, and visited with old friends. Instead of riding we opted to take the horses and let them loose in the round pen to kick up their heels. Kaci and Bravo were excited and animated but George had that "been here, done this and I cannot believe I am here again" attitude.
The ride meeting was set for 5:30 and was complete with a wide variety of munchies, including wine and cheese ! Did I mention how wonderful the ride managers are? The weather promised to be cool and the pulse criteria was set for 60, by the head vet, Dr. Barney Fleming. The LD start time was 8:00, and knowing the temps would be about 30-35 overnight I was not unhappy about that ! We checked on the ponies and settled in for the night.
We awoke early and Dave and Trudy were almost more nervous than the horses. Kaci has done this ride two times before but she had not been to a ride in over two years. Bravo just knew he was doing the 50 and wanted to get started. George was not impressed. After a few delays and waiting for the frontrunners to clear out we started down the trail about 10-15 minutes behind the pack, on as controlled note as we could manage. The cool air and nerves were getting the best of the people and horses at this point.
Bravo and I took the lead and we started on the day's adventure. The horses quickly settled into a great working trot as we wound around the saguaro, ocotillo and cholla cactus. The views all day were spectacular. The trail was perfect and the volunteers had even hand walked and raked the rocks from the two track area ! Now that is what I call dedicated volunteers.
The day remained slightly overcast and cool, and before we knew it we were at the first vet check in just about two hours. This was right on the pace I wanted to set for the day for the new horses and riders. This was to be an hour hold. The horses pulsed down quickly and all vetted through with straight As. They quickly settled into eating, but our desert horses didn't do too much drinking, since the weather was cool and the water was still a bit chilly. At 30 minutes Bravo looked up as if to say "okay our hold time is over, let's go". He never did get the idea that we were staying for an hour and just looked puzzled the rest of the hold.
We headed down the trail for the second half and by now the horses were very relaxed and comfortable. The new riders were able to enjoy the scenery and a lot of good hearted joking ensued.
All too quickly the finish line was in sight. We crossed together in a ride time of just under 4 hours. Not too bad for two new riders, one new horse and one old timer (not me, George the horse!). There was even champagne at the finish line for the riders !
However, I must admit the highlight of the entire ride was right there at the finish line, when Dave pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring and proposed ! I was so focused on getting to the P&R area and vetting through that I was shocked and speechless - and any of you that know me, knows how rarely that ever happens.
We did vet through and everyone got a completion with straight As for all the horses. George even won a bucket of Dynamite vitamins for being the oldest horse to complete the 25 mile ride. A beautiful end to a wonderful ride ! And one that I know I will never forget.
Lee and Bravo
Dave and Kaci
P.S. I did finally say yes!
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
A Newbies Ramblings & a Heartfelt Thank You - Leslie Beyer
I've just experienced my first year in endurance riding. It was a big year for me with a move from New Mexico to Ohio thrown in for good measure. I remember after the first LD of the Michigan shore-2-shore ride, Dr. Ray said something about me doing fairly well for someone who claimed not to know anything ... I tend to be pretty vocal about my lack of expertise in the sport. Well truth be told, I've still got SO much to learn, but it did make me realize what I do know and who I have to thank for that knowledge. So hats off to my good friend and endurance mentor Kathy Myers (aka magnumsmom@aol.com). Although I'm sure I would have made it into the endurance arena eventually; in say 5 years or so, I would have never gotten there as quickly as I did without Kathy. She taught me all the basics and then some. And she had the tremendous patience to accompany me every step of the way. In just a little over a years time she generously spent countless hours preparing me. Her trailer sat in my driveway for weeks while I worked on getting my horse Merlin to load. Then there were the training rides. She'd generally spend about four hours in driving time alone to pick Merlin and I up, accompany us on a ride, and then deliver us home again. When it was time for my first LD she couldn't be there but did lend me her truck so I could make it. When it was time for my first 50 she led the way and patiently let me waddle through the vet checks at my snails pace - I'd generally need an extra 30 minutes or so! There were lessons in easyboots, trail etiquette, and a zillion other things. In retrospect I learned so much from her, and ultimately would not have enjoyed this past year, if it had not been for all that she taught me.
What follows is a mix of appreciation and gratitude, along with a few anecdotal tips, newbie ramblings, and laughs on both of us. Please enjoy. And as for Kathy and her husband Pete, Blue the horse and Jasper the doggie, all back in New Mexico - we miss you terribly. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
CREWING (The Fine Art of Trailer Camping)
I met Kathy at work and we were basically insta-friends once we both found out we were interested in Endurance riding. I believe this happened within the first 5 minutes of conversation. Anyway, being very intimidated by all that this great challenge would involve, I decided that crewing for Kathy would be a great way for me to scope everything out. So in April of 2002 I tagged along with Kathy and her horse Blue to the Binns ranch just south of Socorro for the Indian Springs 50. Now the plan was to trailer camp and mind you I am not fond of camping. In fact my former Boy Scout husband has been trying to get me to go camping for eight years. He should have known all he had to do was bring a horse!
The first smart thing we did was park into the wind. The wind and sand probably only gusted to around 50 mph the next day so this was invaluable. Now Kathy's trailer was a handy little Circle J steel 2 horse slant bumper pull with a tack room. Quite nifty as all the partitions are collapsible. So you just bring a broom, sweep it out, and lay down a tarp. It's an open trailer so don't forget a second tarp in case it rains. Next fold in a cot and add a sleeping bag. All those handy tie rings make a great place to hang a lantern. Last but not least and my personal favorite, a 5 gallon bucket filled about 1/3 full with kitty litter for a midnight latrine. WahLah! You're snug as a bug in a rug. Never mind that you really won't be able to sleep because the horse tied to the trailer has to rattle his bucket every 5 minutes or so just to make sure it's empty
Now if you ever end up crewing for Kathy here are a few tips. Although she'll bring enough fancy fixins' to make Martha Stewart proud, the only thing she'll really eat is cold Kentucky Fried Chicken and Cherry Yogurt. So don't waste your time waving all the rest of the stuff under her nose. The one caveat is she does't really drink so just go ahead and plan on hooking her up to an IV once she quits foolin' with the horse.
TRAINING (Some Riding Skills Required)
Kathy, being my mentor and all was in charge of our training and conditioning. To fully appreciate this challenge a little background is required. I've been riding for about 5 years but I'm still pretty novice in a lot of ways. Plus Merlin is my first horse and although I'll credit my inexperience to much of his misbehavior he can still win the certified butt head award all by himself on occasion. Given all this, endurance riding is very very technical for me. There are things like SPEED and HILLS to contend with. And then there is Merlin, who'd just assume combine both!
I'll never forget my first ride out at Kathy's place in Cerrillos. Kathy has access to the most wonderful trails for endurance training. The down side of this is that there are lots of hills. Being completely terrified, I dictated that trotting was only allowed up hill - otherwise we would walk. As you can imagine it was slow going and even then SLOW DOWN was my word for the day. This is really where Kathy gets put up for Sainthood. She's very very patient with terrified newbies. I survived and slowly started to build a little confidence. Once I could contend with HILLS and SPEED a little better we had to work on Merlin's behavior with other horses. He's generally just fine as long as he's in front, however, if asked to take a secondary position all hell generally breaks loose. So Kathy enlisted her horse Blue to learn us better. Now this is where Blue gets put up for sainthood as he had to endure hours and hours of Merlin riding up his butt, biting his butt, and all manner of torture and wasn't even allowed to defend himself!
MY FIRST LD - (Proper Undergarments)
My first ride ever was Randy Eaton's cow tanks ride back in February. Now Kathy could not attend this ride but she tried mightily to cover all the bases for me. She did a pretty good job but there were a couple of things she either forgot to mention or I, being sooo smart, chose to ignore. So along with what to bring, what to feed, where to sponge, etc. etc. etc. she had a few tips on what to wear. Moisture wicking undies were on the list but then again her endurance checklist also has things like "dry socks" on it. Well that just doesn't make any sense so having ridden in nothing else but my tried and true cotton jockeys I didn't give it a second thought. Well in the end I have but one word of regret - OUUUCH!! My only other humble addition is a sports bra as again, I went with the usual. Having had the experience, let's just say that riding 25 miles with your bras straps around your shoulders does very little to enhance comfort or support.
We did complete though, even after a very rocky start. As it was my first ride I opted to start alone 15 minutes after everyone else. I knew I would have my hands full with Merlin and all his pent up energy. Even so, he has a huge trot and we caught up with everyone pretty quick. At that point we simply were not able to pass in a controlled manner. So as to not be a complete disruption, I got off and we walked for a while. It took about 15 miles but we were finally able to pass other horses in a calm controlled manner. Not to say that starting with him is still not a huge challenge, and sometimes I still have to get off and walk before he simply comes unglued, but we are making progress.
MY FIRST 50 - (Ride Till Ya Puke!)
Hey lets take our horses, go camp in the desert, get absolutely no sleep, get up a nervous wreck at an ungodly hour, and go ride 50 miles! Whose idea was this anyway!!
With an LD under my belt I was determined to make my first 50 before our impending move to Ohio. After all, Kathy would not be in Ohio! So in April of 2003 we were off to the Indian Springs Elevator CEI*** at the Binns Ranch once again - but this time I had a horse too! Finally I was going to do my first 50! I wish I could say I was excited but terrified would be a more apt description. Although my main goal was to complete, I really wanted to start with the group to avoid the stress added by our late start on the LD. I'd have never attempted this alone but Kathy and Blue were there and we'd practiced. So I bought a protective vest, really did not sleep a wink (made getting up fairly easy) and then in a complete state of exhaustion, managed to keep my breakfast down the next morning while I tacked up to ride.
Our preparation did pay off. The start was a breeze as Merlin was very familiar with what it meant to "assume the position" and let Blue lead the way. So in sum, Blue was my speed brake and Kathy took care of the navigation. All I had to do was ride! Along the way, as if it was not completely obvious, Kathy kept enthusiastically telling everyone it was my first 50. In the end her enthusiasm finally got to me. Once I woke up and made it through the third loop alive, I actually started to enjoy myself!
But let's talk about that third loop again. On this particular ride, the third loop was the kicker. We've all seen those cool endurance pictures of people running downhill with their horses, right? That being said did it ever cross my mind that I'd have to do this on my first endurance ride? Of course not! Somebody give me the elevation drop on that canyon - it must have been a thousand feet! Now I've hiked a few mountains and canyons but I've never hiked anything so steep with so little room for error. Not to mention the thousand pound horse behind me that wasn't near as distressed over the steepness of this trail as he was about catching up with Kathy and Blue. Love my Ariat Paddock boots but having no traction they were simply not cutting it! Much whimpering and whining ensued but I did finally make it down that canyon. Talk about being awake and really really FEELING ALIVE (phew)!
Third loop fun didn't end there though. Perhaps it was all the alive and awake feelings, recent beverage intake at lunch, or just my normal nervous bladder but I swear I had to pee every other mile. I'm sure many females can relate and woefully attest to the inconvenience of natures call when trying to be an endurance rider!! Kathy was a trooper though, and didn't bat an eye as I called for a 4th or 5th potty break and unceremoniously jumped off my horse and dropped my drawers. Unfortunately in so doing, I ended up with quite an uncomfortable collection of pine needles in my tights. Boy didn't that make riding comfy! Not to have suffered in vain though, I've since discovered Detrol-LA. TRY IT - IT WORKS!!
At the 40 mile point, it was my nervous stomach. Seems it had finally had enough so while Merlin was tanking up I puked. Not a huge deal, obviously a little gross but once it was out of my system I felt much better. Now Kathy, ever supportive, found this tremendously funny - something about a "Ride 'till ya puke" bumper sticker. Please reference her post on her experiences at the Tall Pines ride this year. Heh Heh. Who's laughing now!! Anyway we completed! I forget my time but who cares. What a wonderful mix of exhaustion and elation.
In my time since that first 50 my husband and I have moved to Ohio. I've entered and completed two more 50 mile endurance rides. Plus I even went and did a week of LDs in Michigans shore-2-shore ride all by myself J! The whole ride experience can be very hard, and at times you question why you put yourself through such abuse. But then you remember all those moments when you pop up over a hill and are suddenly surrounded by the most stunning views. It's just you and your horse and for a moment time stops and you can hear the angels sing. Therein lies the addiction at least for me. I'm just so thankful that I'm of sound enough mind and body to participate in this sport and that there are so many wonderful people like Kathy who will help get you through. Here's to another great year!
Leslie Beyer
What follows is a mix of appreciation and gratitude, along with a few anecdotal tips, newbie ramblings, and laughs on both of us. Please enjoy. And as for Kathy and her husband Pete, Blue the horse and Jasper the doggie, all back in New Mexico - we miss you terribly. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
CREWING (The Fine Art of Trailer Camping)
I met Kathy at work and we were basically insta-friends once we both found out we were interested in Endurance riding. I believe this happened within the first 5 minutes of conversation. Anyway, being very intimidated by all that this great challenge would involve, I decided that crewing for Kathy would be a great way for me to scope everything out. So in April of 2002 I tagged along with Kathy and her horse Blue to the Binns ranch just south of Socorro for the Indian Springs 50. Now the plan was to trailer camp and mind you I am not fond of camping. In fact my former Boy Scout husband has been trying to get me to go camping for eight years. He should have known all he had to do was bring a horse!
The first smart thing we did was park into the wind. The wind and sand probably only gusted to around 50 mph the next day so this was invaluable. Now Kathy's trailer was a handy little Circle J steel 2 horse slant bumper pull with a tack room. Quite nifty as all the partitions are collapsible. So you just bring a broom, sweep it out, and lay down a tarp. It's an open trailer so don't forget a second tarp in case it rains. Next fold in a cot and add a sleeping bag. All those handy tie rings make a great place to hang a lantern. Last but not least and my personal favorite, a 5 gallon bucket filled about 1/3 full with kitty litter for a midnight latrine. WahLah! You're snug as a bug in a rug. Never mind that you really won't be able to sleep because the horse tied to the trailer has to rattle his bucket every 5 minutes or so just to make sure it's empty
Now if you ever end up crewing for Kathy here are a few tips. Although she'll bring enough fancy fixins' to make Martha Stewart proud, the only thing she'll really eat is cold Kentucky Fried Chicken and Cherry Yogurt. So don't waste your time waving all the rest of the stuff under her nose. The one caveat is she does't really drink so just go ahead and plan on hooking her up to an IV once she quits foolin' with the horse.
TRAINING (Some Riding Skills Required)
Kathy, being my mentor and all was in charge of our training and conditioning. To fully appreciate this challenge a little background is required. I've been riding for about 5 years but I'm still pretty novice in a lot of ways. Plus Merlin is my first horse and although I'll credit my inexperience to much of his misbehavior he can still win the certified butt head award all by himself on occasion. Given all this, endurance riding is very very technical for me. There are things like SPEED and HILLS to contend with. And then there is Merlin, who'd just assume combine both!
I'll never forget my first ride out at Kathy's place in Cerrillos. Kathy has access to the most wonderful trails for endurance training. The down side of this is that there are lots of hills. Being completely terrified, I dictated that trotting was only allowed up hill - otherwise we would walk. As you can imagine it was slow going and even then SLOW DOWN was my word for the day. This is really where Kathy gets put up for Sainthood. She's very very patient with terrified newbies. I survived and slowly started to build a little confidence. Once I could contend with HILLS and SPEED a little better we had to work on Merlin's behavior with other horses. He's generally just fine as long as he's in front, however, if asked to take a secondary position all hell generally breaks loose. So Kathy enlisted her horse Blue to learn us better. Now this is where Blue gets put up for sainthood as he had to endure hours and hours of Merlin riding up his butt, biting his butt, and all manner of torture and wasn't even allowed to defend himself!
MY FIRST LD - (Proper Undergarments)
My first ride ever was Randy Eaton's cow tanks ride back in February. Now Kathy could not attend this ride but she tried mightily to cover all the bases for me. She did a pretty good job but there were a couple of things she either forgot to mention or I, being sooo smart, chose to ignore. So along with what to bring, what to feed, where to sponge, etc. etc. etc. she had a few tips on what to wear. Moisture wicking undies were on the list but then again her endurance checklist also has things like "dry socks" on it. Well that just doesn't make any sense so having ridden in nothing else but my tried and true cotton jockeys I didn't give it a second thought. Well in the end I have but one word of regret - OUUUCH!! My only other humble addition is a sports bra as again, I went with the usual. Having had the experience, let's just say that riding 25 miles with your bras straps around your shoulders does very little to enhance comfort or support.
We did complete though, even after a very rocky start. As it was my first ride I opted to start alone 15 minutes after everyone else. I knew I would have my hands full with Merlin and all his pent up energy. Even so, he has a huge trot and we caught up with everyone pretty quick. At that point we simply were not able to pass in a controlled manner. So as to not be a complete disruption, I got off and we walked for a while. It took about 15 miles but we were finally able to pass other horses in a calm controlled manner. Not to say that starting with him is still not a huge challenge, and sometimes I still have to get off and walk before he simply comes unglued, but we are making progress.
MY FIRST 50 - (Ride Till Ya Puke!)
Hey lets take our horses, go camp in the desert, get absolutely no sleep, get up a nervous wreck at an ungodly hour, and go ride 50 miles! Whose idea was this anyway!!
With an LD under my belt I was determined to make my first 50 before our impending move to Ohio. After all, Kathy would not be in Ohio! So in April of 2003 we were off to the Indian Springs Elevator CEI*** at the Binns Ranch once again - but this time I had a horse too! Finally I was going to do my first 50! I wish I could say I was excited but terrified would be a more apt description. Although my main goal was to complete, I really wanted to start with the group to avoid the stress added by our late start on the LD. I'd have never attempted this alone but Kathy and Blue were there and we'd practiced. So I bought a protective vest, really did not sleep a wink (made getting up fairly easy) and then in a complete state of exhaustion, managed to keep my breakfast down the next morning while I tacked up to ride.
Our preparation did pay off. The start was a breeze as Merlin was very familiar with what it meant to "assume the position" and let Blue lead the way. So in sum, Blue was my speed brake and Kathy took care of the navigation. All I had to do was ride! Along the way, as if it was not completely obvious, Kathy kept enthusiastically telling everyone it was my first 50. In the end her enthusiasm finally got to me. Once I woke up and made it through the third loop alive, I actually started to enjoy myself!
But let's talk about that third loop again. On this particular ride, the third loop was the kicker. We've all seen those cool endurance pictures of people running downhill with their horses, right? That being said did it ever cross my mind that I'd have to do this on my first endurance ride? Of course not! Somebody give me the elevation drop on that canyon - it must have been a thousand feet! Now I've hiked a few mountains and canyons but I've never hiked anything so steep with so little room for error. Not to mention the thousand pound horse behind me that wasn't near as distressed over the steepness of this trail as he was about catching up with Kathy and Blue. Love my Ariat Paddock boots but having no traction they were simply not cutting it! Much whimpering and whining ensued but I did finally make it down that canyon. Talk about being awake and really really FEELING ALIVE (phew)!
Third loop fun didn't end there though. Perhaps it was all the alive and awake feelings, recent beverage intake at lunch, or just my normal nervous bladder but I swear I had to pee every other mile. I'm sure many females can relate and woefully attest to the inconvenience of natures call when trying to be an endurance rider!! Kathy was a trooper though, and didn't bat an eye as I called for a 4th or 5th potty break and unceremoniously jumped off my horse and dropped my drawers. Unfortunately in so doing, I ended up with quite an uncomfortable collection of pine needles in my tights. Boy didn't that make riding comfy! Not to have suffered in vain though, I've since discovered Detrol-LA. TRY IT - IT WORKS!!
At the 40 mile point, it was my nervous stomach. Seems it had finally had enough so while Merlin was tanking up I puked. Not a huge deal, obviously a little gross but once it was out of my system I felt much better. Now Kathy, ever supportive, found this tremendously funny - something about a "Ride 'till ya puke" bumper sticker. Please reference her post on her experiences at the Tall Pines ride this year. Heh Heh. Who's laughing now!! Anyway we completed! I forget my time but who cares. What a wonderful mix of exhaustion and elation.
In my time since that first 50 my husband and I have moved to Ohio. I've entered and completed two more 50 mile endurance rides. Plus I even went and did a week of LDs in Michigans shore-2-shore ride all by myself J! The whole ride experience can be very hard, and at times you question why you put yourself through such abuse. But then you remember all those moments when you pop up over a hill and are suddenly surrounded by the most stunning views. It's just you and your horse and for a moment time stops and you can hear the angels sing. Therein lies the addiction at least for me. I'm just so thankful that I'm of sound enough mind and body to participate in this sport and that there are so many wonderful people like Kathy who will help get you through. Here's to another great year!
Leslie Beyer
2003 DVE - Becky Hackworth
Well, here I am again. For 7 years in a row now, we have rung in the new year at Panamint Springs. This place just draws you. I can't tell you why. But I keep coming back.
When the Hackworth's go to Death Valley, it can be an overwhelming undertaking. This year there were to be 2 horses and 5 people going. Since I am saving all of my Vacation time for this Summer and XP04, I worked right up until the day we left. Oh yes, Christmas also gets in the way, what with shopping, baking goodies, wrapping gifts, Observing the holidays. On the 26th, while at work the whole time, I have delegated errands to anyone that can drive, and chores to anyone that can't. It is so nice when everyone does pitch in and gets everything done that you ask. Even if you ask 10 times in a row and they roll their eyes and say "yes, Mom" 10 times back to you.
The only casualties not to make it in to the rig this year were my new Stainless Steel Thermos, and a 1/2 bag of Almonds. Not to bad. Beats forgetting the saddle blanket or the bridle. Don't laugh, have done that in the confusion ( " but I thought YOU packed it! )
We left later than I had hoped to, but left with nerves and horses intact. We got on the road about noon with the 5 hour drive ahead of us. But at least this year, we didn't need to stop at every Wal-Mart on the way looking for last minute necessities. That saves about 3 hours on this trip. Yup, we have done that before too.
We pulled in to camp after dark. Thank goodness I know right where we were going. We parked right across from good friends Mike and Sue Benson. We had not talked to them recently and they had started to worry that we had broken down. We got the horses settled in and went over to the Golf Pro Shop ( you've got to see it to believe it) where the early birds were eating dinner. We got checked in, said our "Hi's" to all of our friends, Mike and Sue found us. Just the usual "old home week". It's great.
We had gotten there too late to vet in, so we were up a little early to Vet-in in the morning. Both of the Boys looked great. They have both been here before and you can tell. Ed (my horse) wanted to stay with Marc (daughter Heather's horse) but finally settled in with Rocky (Sue's horse) Ed and Rocky have ridden several 100 miles together and seem to get along well. Help each other eat and drink and get by spooky stuff (ok, Rocky goes by fine, Ed might follow).
So Sue and I walk around camp until we are sure that the Hot Shoes are gone. Then we calmly walk down the runway (I told you not to laugh) toward Trona. It was cold this morning, so we walked for quite a while to warm up the ponies really well. They were both really good and when we asked for a little trot, they were both very willing to stay steady and easy. We kept that up all the way up and around the local boarding stables where we turn right and up the first of many canyons for the week. The morning light on the high rock walls is always so fascinating. Each year it looks different. This part of the trail is a lot of cross country single track. Ed was listening well and just leading or following as asked without arguing. It was so nice. Then at one point, the single track cuts left and joins in to a little road up a hill. Ed jumped the ditch and gave a little buck and was going for more. That should have been my warning sign. I didn't listen.
We finish up the loop back to camp easily. The boys both tank up and immediately begin eating. Even though we have only gone 7 miles or so, they remember how long it is until the next check.
Daughter Colleen (crew) says that Heather and Marc have just left. This is only a 30 minute hold, so a few minutes later, Ed and Rocky have slowed their eating, Sue and I have done "our business" and set off for the Vet check. Both horses vet through just fine, both eager. BUT HEATHER AND MARC ARE STILL IN THE VET AREA. Horse and rider are fine, just hanging out a little while longer eating. Ok, but Ed thinks he needs to be joined at the hip to BOTH horses. He started getting nervous and anxious. Heather and Marc trot off down the trail and Ed settles in sort of with Rocky. Our hold is up and we hand walk them over to a spot to mount up. I stop Ed and Sue kept walking Rocky ahead of us. That was a fatal error on my part. Ed DID NOT want to be that far away from Rocky. So as my right leg is in mid air over the saddle, Ed gives one of his famous BUCKING shows. I am sure profanity crossed my lips as I went sailing into the air.
It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't walked over to the road to mount up. The ground was as hard as asphalt. I did a full 4 point landing. Butt, right hand, left elbow and back of head (helmet!) I hit left elbow and tailbone so hard it took my breath away. Sue said that Ed turned toward her and Rocky with a look of "I'm in trouble now" and wouldn't come close to her. He went over to friend Ken, who had no trouble catching him. He walked over to me while I was still writhing on the ground, unable to get up. After a couple of minutes lying there, I was able to get up with much help from Ken. Ken held him while I got back on this time. We were able to then walk out of camp while I continued to assess the damages. One bloody finger (right hand). One lump on left elbow that hurts a lot, but is moving fine, No headache or blurred vision. Neck isn't even stiff ( not yet anyway ) Elbow seemed to hurt worse than butt at this point. So we set off over the mountains for the next leg of trail.
When we got to the top of the ridge, the views were as beautiful as ever. Very clear day. Cool and crisp and the horses are still feeling fresh. Trotting until we ask them to stop. The footing down this next section can be very tricky, but I figure with Ed's walk, we will be much better off if I can ride down them. I was right. He was careful with each step and we got down to the bottom without incident. This is my least favorite part of this whole day. There are only 10-15 foot sections where you can trot, the rest is all ankle biters. This section of trail to the bottom of the valley is close to 4 miles long before you turn north to camp and the footing from here to camp is PERFECT.
We finally pick up a trot. Not long into our trot we come up to Cindy Prior riding at a very slow walk. No distress, just slow. We stop to check on her. She describes walking on foot down the nasty rock hill and her ankle rolling over and she heard a "pop" sound. Another rider had helped her to get up on to the horse. It was her left ankle. She had it out of the stirrup, just hanging there. Her horse was being SOOO good about it. Sue and I asked if she needed Vet wrap or Duct Tape for it, did she want us to wrap it for her so she wouldn't have to get off, etc. Nope, she was fine. Would her horse be ok if we rode off and left her? Up. Ok, so off we went.
The horses are glad to finally be moving out too. Manes and tails are flying in the breeze. What a great day. Much to my surprise and amazement, Sue and I are both able to trot nearly the whole way to the 2nd vet check. Only a few brief short walks. This is so different than last year. There was more walking than trotting last year. Boy how the trail seems shorter when you are moving fast. This is fun.
Vet 2, no problems, smooth sailing. Worried Mom checks on Heather. She and Marc are over an hour ahead. No problems. Vet Charlie said they had looked good. Thanks Charlie!
So off we went. We walked all the way up to Ballarat from here. This is another 3 miles. With the cool air, we didn't want any stiffening muscles. Once again, the horses turn in to the campground, where camp has been in the past. Once again we keep them going to where camp really is, 8 more miles down the wide flat road to Indian Wells. Once again, Sue and I amaze ourselves with our ability to keep trotting. This is in such sharp contrast to last year. Muscle fatigue, muscle cramps, raw spots, the usual were just not there. Ed got in to a great little trot and I was able to keep the rhythm going with little to no effort on my part. It was incredible.
The horses vetted through just fine. Colleen trotted out Ed for me since walking was getting very difficult. Posting Was just fine! It was just not good when the legs wanted to go in opposing directions. So we got the boys settled in then Sue and I each got to take showers in our own campers. Love even the spit shower. Sure beats helmet head for a week.
We got to the ride meeting then off to bed for us. Ready for day two!
PS on Cindy Prior.....Husband Greg was leaving Vet2 in a little truck to find her. We sort of assumed she would drive the automatic truck since it was her left ankle, or sit on the tailgate and lead horse in. Nope. She rode at a walk all the way back to camp AND GOT HER COMPLETION! THEN WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO CONFIRM THE BROKEN BONE!! Now that is ENDURANCE...Cindy did sit out the next 3 days. Becky and the gang
Day 2 dawned with us all tacked up and it was COLD. As of the ride meeting last night, we were supposed to go all the way up this mountain. This Mountain goes up to 9000 feet. It was less than 30 degrees down where we were and the snow clouds were looming. As we started, Jackie said we only had to go up to the water trough and the glacier, write our name on the paper, and come home. Yeah! So we set off. Sue and I started off at a great little walk. OOps, there is Heather and Marc. Ed decides that is who he wants to be with. Berzerk. I still had him in the S hack and he knew it. Miranda was at the Balarat vet/ trot by. Asked her to find my bit. Now if I can survive until I get back down off the mountain. So off we go up the hill.
Ed was a little more cooperative going UP. It was nice. It really surprised me that the front runners didn't come back at us until we were up near the water. Ed was so thirsty he pushed his was in to the trough. He and Rocky really tanked up. That was really nice to see. Half way! So down the mountain we go. Now Ed decided he wanted to hurry. Ed has such a walk. It is actually a running walk / gait. I don't know what we look like, I just know it is smooth and he just FLIES down the trail this way. The biggest problem is I didn't want to fly DOWN the mountain.
Well, we made it down off the mountain in one piece. Not really sure how. Miranda was there and had found Ed's bit and had brought it back to the vet check with her. What a great crew! Thank goodness my new headstall just has clips at the bit ends, so that change only took about 30 seconds.
From Ballarat, Sue and I actually got to see some new trail, since to go straight back to camp would short the mileage since we didn't go all the way up the mountain. So we did the LD loop backwards. Flat with good footing. The scenery didn't change much, but it was nice after all of the walking we did up and down the mountain. The bit gave me so much more control and a whole lot less head shaking, wanting to go faster. He knew we weren't going to. End of argument. In the S-hack, it became just a long constant argument. Day one had been just fine. No problem or argument, just ok, Mom, what ever you want. They do get more fit as you go on a multi-day. By day four I had a "super-horse". At least he thought so.
Along the whole stretch down along the road, we would look up the mountain and see the whole area engulfed in snow clouds. It had been so cold only as far as we went, I was so glad we hadn't gone further!
It clouded up and looked like rain all afternoon. The light on the clouds really made for something pretty to look at. We actually passed a couple of riders in the last 5 miles. The desert is so funny. You can see camp. Looks close. Then you ride for a while, look up and it isn't any closer. It can be very discouraging unless you are used to it.
We finished with lots of boing in the step of both horses, both eager to get back to the trailers to drink and eat. There was plenty of time to take care of the ponies, eat, shower AND get to the ride meeting. My only question was, SAME AS LAST YEAR?. YUP. Good, that makes it so easy. Don't need no stinkin ribbons that way. Some years there has actually been sabotage out here. You wouldn't think there would be another sole out here, but there are. It is easy when you have done it before. There just aren't that many options out here. So off to bed early. Boy does that feel good. I can ride without any discomfort but still can't trot out my own horse. Oh, well, there is always someone there to trot out the horse. I just have to ride, right?
Well, I slept well, because I like the sound of RAIN on the camper. Yes, rain. It rained all night. Forcast was for rain today as well. Well, I have rain gear, so packed it on the horse. No problems.
Day 3
Was careful tacking up this morning. Have gone 100 miles now, lots of up and down, but there wasn't the slightest hint of back soreness. No "armpit" raw spots. No loin rubbing. Everything doing great. Oh yes, once again I am the test dummie for another new product. Katee of Heels Up Saddlery has come up with a pad that has a bottom of material that DOES NOT SLIP, breathes well, doesn't let sweat soak in to the felt. She put lots of thought in to the design of this pad. I have been riding it for a month or so at home without a problem, but the true test is always a multi-day ride. Well, so far so good. Two more days to go.
The morning was warmer while tacking up, so I took off the sweatshirt before putting on my windbreaker for the day. Error in judgement. It was a lot colder this day than past years. Just like every day so far. Oh well, just trot more! This is a good day for moving out. There are only 15 miles or so of hideous rocks today. That leaves you 35 miles of good trotting. So that is just what we did.
On the longest stretch of the notorious rock road, someone we passed asked "how long is this"....answer "too long", but then you get to the sand wash. If you are careful to watch for deep sand, you can move pretty fast. For 5+ miles you are going UPHILL in the sand though, so you have to know your horse pretty well.
So off the rock road, up the sand wash to the old vet check and around the corner to the other sand wash down to the vet check. All of the horses are looking great. Drink everywhere. Of course, water is only about every 10-12 miles. Sure makes the horses learn to drink when they have a chance. If you go slow enough, it has literally been hours since the last water. Some years on this day I have actually gotten HOT. Not this year.. But is wasn't nearly as cold as that mountain yesterday, which is still covered in snow clouds. Sure glad we aren't up there today too!
In to the Vet check and Ed and Rocky are doing great. Eating, eating, eating. We stay a few extra minutes because there isn't anything to eat out on trail out here. They stop to rest so we go vet them though. No problems. Both boys look great. So back in the saddle we are. Off for another long trot stretch. Sue and I aren't able to trot non-stop, but the breaks are less often and last less time. Training at home, there isn't a mile where you can trot non-stop, so being able to trot 2-5 miles out here is our only training ground. It is always me that has to stop, so this is great. I have never felt so good across this valley floor before.
Two things I credit with this is loosing 30 lbs (30 more to go) and sticking with Atkins durning the ride. I had no energy problems on any of the days. I always get looks when I eat my hunk of cheese, but I have always liked to eat a hunk of Jack Cheese. That with some applesause, ziplock of nuts and some Crystal light. The amazing thing for me was that I never felt hungry between, and I didn't feel uncomfortably full after the vet checks. This is realy new for me. Sometimes after lunch, trotting can be very uncomfortable. This is great.
So off we go down the valley floor. They are moving rigs again, and there are still many going past as we trot, and trot and trot. The road is 3-5 miles away on our left. I don't know if they can see us over here or not. Sometimes the rigs look like toys. They are so far away.
The jets are flying again today. My first year here, they buzzed us so close, you could see the sunglasses on the pilots! They were much higher this year. Probably 1000 feet at times. So cool to watch them. Good thing is Ed doesn't seem to mind.
We get to the last water. NOw it is a left turn and 4 miles up the side of the road to camp. Ed sure knows where he is. He is on a misson. Power walking whenever we aren't trotting. We are getting in the earliest I think I have ever done this day.
As we approach what earlier in the day is the finish line, there is a white van parked on the right side of the road facing us. I had crossed the road to the right, thinking they must have left the finish line out here this year. Did I mention that I am getting old and my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. As we get close, it turns out to be tourists. A whole passle of tourists. 4 Adults and 6 or so kids. Two of the kids are way up on the side of the rock hill, sliding down. The rocks are providing avalance material. One of the adults was holding a baby with a very loose blanket whipping around in the wind. Ed is taking this all in, dancing, gigging, snorting. You would think this was the start of a 50, not 150 miles in to a Multi-day ride! I was just about ready to get off or wait for Rocky to keep him settled. Took too long. Ed was out-a-there. Spun to the left leaving me in the same spot in mid-air without my horse. I had seen a car approaching us from behind. The only thing I could think of as I was sliding down the right side of his neck was "hang on to the horse, hang on to the reins" Ed did back up a drug my a couple of feet. But then he did stop. This time I just bounced a little on my RIGHT hip. At least he found a new spot to bruise up. Well, there was only a 1/2 mile to camp and I thought I could walk, wrong. So I got back on. That was still easier than walking. Miranda was at the finish line so was able to have her trot Ed out for me. I was able to walk across the street to our rig.
I asked why we were parked where we were and was informed that the runway we usually park on was actually being used AS A RUNWAY for a real life plane. Who'da thunk it.! Mike Benson has pictures too!
So once again, a spit shower, dinner and bed. Ready for day 4.
Day 4. What can I say. It is generally cold and windy here at Panamint Springs. This morning was no exception. It really was only breezy and it has been colder in past years. This morning I wore more layers than yesterday. I also brought both pairs of gloves. My warm ones and the regular gloves.
Sue and I started 5 or 10 minutes after the leaders. This worked out just fine. Some years the start is a bit crowded on the road. We ride along side of HWY 190 for the first mile or so, and I would imagine that seeing 100 horses along the road would make you drive carefullly. Well, sometimes. At least this section of road is curvy, so most drivers slow for that.
After the first mile, you turn left on to the dirt highway. This is the "back road" to Darwin. A sign tells you that 4WD is required. They mean it. The flat section of road is easily 2 1/2 lanes across, and pretty good footing as dirt roads go. In the morning this stretch goes by quickly, tonight this road is ever so long.
After a couple of miles of flat comes the climb. It goes up and up and up some more. It is only 4 miles or so. Nothing like the day 2 climb to the top. In fact it is only 1/2 the climb of our limited climb this year on day 2. But you are 100 miles more sore. 100 miles more raw. 100 miles more stiff. BUT THE HORSES are raring to go. They are not stiff. They are not sore. THEY ARE READY TO GO. The hill fazes them not. So Sue and I trot a little, walk a little. Trot a little, walk a little. We actually get through this section rather quickly. Then it's down to the wash. As we approach the wash, I am always reminded of my first year hear, when Gloria Vanderford came galloping from the right (the wrong way) muttering that no one had told her it was the wrong way! I guess she had been near other riders. But that was 7 years ago. Funny how you remember different things on trail from other years. Going down this trail Ed is in March down the trail mode. We hadn't seen but a couple of riders going up the hill, but I think we passed 6 or so going down. Most every one was off and hand walking down. Ed walks twice as fast as I NOMALLY do, and with my ever ripening tailbone bruise, I am only walking 1/2 of my normal speed anyway. Ed gets to carry me. It's his fault anyway.
So we get to the wash and go for the couple of miles through the georgeous rocks and cliffs. The layers are jutting out of the ground at a 45 degree angle , sometimes more. What an earthquake that must have been to have done that. I know what it feels like when the San Andreas move a few inches. These cliffs are a couple of thousand feet and are nearly vertical. Must a been something. Glad I wasn't there! The colors of the layers show such different types of rock. I don't know what they are, just that they are beautiful.
We get to the end of the wash in no time and head up the boring paved road. Again I am drawn to the memory of riding up here with Tuttie Nichols my first year and there was snow way lower than even this year. The wind was so cold and the views were incredible. We could see Mt Whitney from there. It just makes you feel so small and insignificant.
So while I was daydreaming, we get to the top. Now it is the drop in to Darwin. As others have said, what an interesting place. You really do have to see it to beleive it. I can even pick out NEW things from last year! Alex is at the edge of town with the ever wonderful water truck. Both Rocky and Ed find the water just delicious. There is even a few flakes of hay. We let them nibble, then it's off we go. They are both trotting strong today. Rocky is so steady. Ed is aguing with me STILL about going faster. At least I am winning the argument today. So on we trot.
Last year through this section, the wind in our face nearly pulled my helmet off. It had to have been gusting at 75 mph last year. Right now it is calm and beautiful. The clouds are forming. Sue and I both wonder how cold the Vet check will be. Check on this day has a very bad, very deserved reputation for being cold and windy.
We made our stop and turn at the corrals for the last 5 miles to the Vet check. Since this day is just an out and back, I wonder where the leaders are. They haven't started coming back at us yet. Either they are slower this year, or we are actually riding faster. Maybe that is it!
About 1/2 way across the valley, we did pass the leaders going the other way. Heather (daughter) and Elfta were planning on riding together today, so I kept expecting to see them any minute. Not so. So the Mom comes out, where are they??? Did one of the horses have a problem??? Did one of them have a problem. They have both ridden this day before, THEY CAN'T BE LOST! Even without ribbons.!
We got all the way to the Vet Check. There they were! Nope, both horses were fine, they were fine....just hanging out...taking it easy today. Whew.....Mom sigh of releif. OK, back to my horse. Oh, yeah, water, pulse, eat. Got it. Gosh, you would think I had never done this before! So Ed pulses down the instant I ask, which was as soon as I remembered! Just fine. Go over to where Miranda and Mike Benson are stationed with Miranda's car. Wow....they are ready for us! Coolers go on the horses. The flame thrower heater (boy does this thing work!) was set up next to the CHAIRS. No sitting on packs and bags this day! Yeah! My bottom can't take anymore of that! The saddle doesn't hurt to sit on, just everything else!
We eat. The horses eat. We drink. They drink. After about 45 minutes, Mike and Miranda VET THE HORSES FOR US.... Wow, what a crew. Boy does this heater feel good. You don't realize how cold out it was until you stop. Gonna have to make "coolers" for Riders!
All too soon, we are off the way we came. Seems impossible that we have already gone 175 miles and only have 25 to go and the last vet check. Ok guys, hold it together. Trot a little, walk a little, trot a little, walk a little. Boy that one raw spot is really sore today! Walk a little, trot a little.
We get to the end of the Valley and the trough. EMPTY! Not a good thing. At least the boys had tanked up at lunch and it wasn't hot. It is only 5-7 miles more to Darwin and the next water. Both horses seem upset over the empty trough but very willingly head for home. Ok, more than willing. Pulling! So very strong. Well, it beats having un-willing at this point.
So in to Darwin. Yes, Alex is still there and there is water. Both of the boys tank up really well. There are a few scraps of hay left, so we let them nibble for a few minutes. Then Ed decides that the trailer hay bag will be much better and off we go. Up to the summit on the road, then down to the wash. Through the wash to the climb. I am not sure how, but I thought we were riding faster today than last year. But no, the sun is setting. It is getting colder, but not unbearable. At least there are no clouds and the moon is about 3/4 an already high in the sky. We are at a point where that road just lights up in the moon light. It is so white. We get down to the flat last section. Ready for our last trot. Ed pulls just slightly ahead of Rocky. I hear all sorts of commotion. Horse stumbling, stumbling. I see the light and dark shadows behind me bobbing up and down. I pull to a stop. Rocky had just about gone down with a stumble. Sue had miraculously stayed on and Rocky had done everything in his power not to fall on her! He somehow had gotten his feet back under him and righted himself. Both were a little shook up, but only a tiny skinned knee for Rocky and Sue was fine. OK, so we take a little more time and WALK the rest of the way home. At the end of the dirt road, Miranda and Colleen are waiting for us with her car. Again we are walking next to the road. It is dark and New Years' Eve. Miranda puts on her parking lights. Rocky trots a little. Yeah! Sound! Ed in on a mission! Power Walk time again. I try to keep him slowed down. A car is coming. We are in front of Miranda and she turns on her flashers. Ed is watching the lights, on, off, on, off....he is getting real nervous. Ok, lets hop off. Right, after 200 miles and it is cold out. My legs are a bit wobbly and as I am getting off, my left foot gets hung up for a couple of seconds. Thank goodness. Off and in one piece, but that was close. Totally my fault, Daughter Colleen walks Ed in the rest of the way. Miranda asks if I want a ride. Nope, got to finish. If not on the horse, at least under my own power. Never mind that we had passed the finish line for the front runners. Now it is another mile back in camp. It is actually feeling good to walk. By the time I get there, Ed and Rocky have tanked up well. Now we just need a Vet! We finally out wait Dave N. and get him to come out of his cosy 5th wheel trailer to vet us out. Both Boys trot out just fine. Now they pull us back to the trailers, where they know food awaits!
Boy is a shower going to feel good tonight.
Best thing I had done the past few nights was to use the hot water from the camper on Ed's Beet Pulp, so that it was nice and warm when he got to it. He would first drink all of the "slop" off the top, then eat all of it! He really seemed to enjoy them. He was also peeing out of trail 4-6 times per day. A little more than his norm. this is good. Got Ed bedded down for his meal, cooler on to dry out. Now it is my turn. Miranda had as usual scored dinner tickets from someone that had changed their minds. So the girls were all gone to eat. THE CAMPER TO MYSELF! Yeah. Only someone with teenage girls could enjoy that part!
Clean dry and fed. Horse and Rider. In that order. Wow. What a great week. Sue, Mike and I go up to the awards presentation. Wow. 30 Riders (+ or - officially?) have ridden the same horse all four days! Whooppee!
For Sue and I, that is two years in a row. Now the goal is 20 Mule Team 100 in Feb. Last year we only got to 65 miles when both of US pulled. The horses were great. I think we have gotten those kinks worked out.
After the awards were all over with, we head back to the campers where Miranda has set up her DJ equipment and we have our own party on the runway! What a great time.
The next morning, in what has become another tradition, we head to the Denny's in Ridgecrest for BREAKFAST! We have another party right there in Denny's. Then we said our goodbys, and head home. Thank goodness for a nice boring trip home. No problems at all. Rain from Tulare home. So everyone is home and safe and we had a great time. Will we be back?? You betcha! IT'S TRADITION!
Becky and the gang
When the Hackworth's go to Death Valley, it can be an overwhelming undertaking. This year there were to be 2 horses and 5 people going. Since I am saving all of my Vacation time for this Summer and XP04, I worked right up until the day we left. Oh yes, Christmas also gets in the way, what with shopping, baking goodies, wrapping gifts, Observing the holidays. On the 26th, while at work the whole time, I have delegated errands to anyone that can drive, and chores to anyone that can't. It is so nice when everyone does pitch in and gets everything done that you ask. Even if you ask 10 times in a row and they roll their eyes and say "yes, Mom" 10 times back to you.
The only casualties not to make it in to the rig this year were my new Stainless Steel Thermos, and a 1/2 bag of Almonds. Not to bad. Beats forgetting the saddle blanket or the bridle. Don't laugh, have done that in the confusion ( " but I thought YOU packed it! )
We left later than I had hoped to, but left with nerves and horses intact. We got on the road about noon with the 5 hour drive ahead of us. But at least this year, we didn't need to stop at every Wal-Mart on the way looking for last minute necessities. That saves about 3 hours on this trip. Yup, we have done that before too.
We pulled in to camp after dark. Thank goodness I know right where we were going. We parked right across from good friends Mike and Sue Benson. We had not talked to them recently and they had started to worry that we had broken down. We got the horses settled in and went over to the Golf Pro Shop ( you've got to see it to believe it) where the early birds were eating dinner. We got checked in, said our "Hi's" to all of our friends, Mike and Sue found us. Just the usual "old home week". It's great.
We had gotten there too late to vet in, so we were up a little early to Vet-in in the morning. Both of the Boys looked great. They have both been here before and you can tell. Ed (my horse) wanted to stay with Marc (daughter Heather's horse) but finally settled in with Rocky (Sue's horse) Ed and Rocky have ridden several 100 miles together and seem to get along well. Help each other eat and drink and get by spooky stuff (ok, Rocky goes by fine, Ed might follow).
So Sue and I walk around camp until we are sure that the Hot Shoes are gone. Then we calmly walk down the runway (I told you not to laugh) toward Trona. It was cold this morning, so we walked for quite a while to warm up the ponies really well. They were both really good and when we asked for a little trot, they were both very willing to stay steady and easy. We kept that up all the way up and around the local boarding stables where we turn right and up the first of many canyons for the week. The morning light on the high rock walls is always so fascinating. Each year it looks different. This part of the trail is a lot of cross country single track. Ed was listening well and just leading or following as asked without arguing. It was so nice. Then at one point, the single track cuts left and joins in to a little road up a hill. Ed jumped the ditch and gave a little buck and was going for more. That should have been my warning sign. I didn't listen.
We finish up the loop back to camp easily. The boys both tank up and immediately begin eating. Even though we have only gone 7 miles or so, they remember how long it is until the next check.
Daughter Colleen (crew) says that Heather and Marc have just left. This is only a 30 minute hold, so a few minutes later, Ed and Rocky have slowed their eating, Sue and I have done "our business" and set off for the Vet check. Both horses vet through just fine, both eager. BUT HEATHER AND MARC ARE STILL IN THE VET AREA. Horse and rider are fine, just hanging out a little while longer eating. Ok, but Ed thinks he needs to be joined at the hip to BOTH horses. He started getting nervous and anxious. Heather and Marc trot off down the trail and Ed settles in sort of with Rocky. Our hold is up and we hand walk them over to a spot to mount up. I stop Ed and Sue kept walking Rocky ahead of us. That was a fatal error on my part. Ed DID NOT want to be that far away from Rocky. So as my right leg is in mid air over the saddle, Ed gives one of his famous BUCKING shows. I am sure profanity crossed my lips as I went sailing into the air.
It wouldn't have been so bad if we hadn't walked over to the road to mount up. The ground was as hard as asphalt. I did a full 4 point landing. Butt, right hand, left elbow and back of head (helmet!) I hit left elbow and tailbone so hard it took my breath away. Sue said that Ed turned toward her and Rocky with a look of "I'm in trouble now" and wouldn't come close to her. He went over to friend Ken, who had no trouble catching him. He walked over to me while I was still writhing on the ground, unable to get up. After a couple of minutes lying there, I was able to get up with much help from Ken. Ken held him while I got back on this time. We were able to then walk out of camp while I continued to assess the damages. One bloody finger (right hand). One lump on left elbow that hurts a lot, but is moving fine, No headache or blurred vision. Neck isn't even stiff ( not yet anyway ) Elbow seemed to hurt worse than butt at this point. So we set off over the mountains for the next leg of trail.
When we got to the top of the ridge, the views were as beautiful as ever. Very clear day. Cool and crisp and the horses are still feeling fresh. Trotting until we ask them to stop. The footing down this next section can be very tricky, but I figure with Ed's walk, we will be much better off if I can ride down them. I was right. He was careful with each step and we got down to the bottom without incident. This is my least favorite part of this whole day. There are only 10-15 foot sections where you can trot, the rest is all ankle biters. This section of trail to the bottom of the valley is close to 4 miles long before you turn north to camp and the footing from here to camp is PERFECT.
We finally pick up a trot. Not long into our trot we come up to Cindy Prior riding at a very slow walk. No distress, just slow. We stop to check on her. She describes walking on foot down the nasty rock hill and her ankle rolling over and she heard a "pop" sound. Another rider had helped her to get up on to the horse. It was her left ankle. She had it out of the stirrup, just hanging there. Her horse was being SOOO good about it. Sue and I asked if she needed Vet wrap or Duct Tape for it, did she want us to wrap it for her so she wouldn't have to get off, etc. Nope, she was fine. Would her horse be ok if we rode off and left her? Up. Ok, so off we went.
The horses are glad to finally be moving out too. Manes and tails are flying in the breeze. What a great day. Much to my surprise and amazement, Sue and I are both able to trot nearly the whole way to the 2nd vet check. Only a few brief short walks. This is so different than last year. There was more walking than trotting last year. Boy how the trail seems shorter when you are moving fast. This is fun.
Vet 2, no problems, smooth sailing. Worried Mom checks on Heather. She and Marc are over an hour ahead. No problems. Vet Charlie said they had looked good. Thanks Charlie!
So off we went. We walked all the way up to Ballarat from here. This is another 3 miles. With the cool air, we didn't want any stiffening muscles. Once again, the horses turn in to the campground, where camp has been in the past. Once again we keep them going to where camp really is, 8 more miles down the wide flat road to Indian Wells. Once again, Sue and I amaze ourselves with our ability to keep trotting. This is in such sharp contrast to last year. Muscle fatigue, muscle cramps, raw spots, the usual were just not there. Ed got in to a great little trot and I was able to keep the rhythm going with little to no effort on my part. It was incredible.
The horses vetted through just fine. Colleen trotted out Ed for me since walking was getting very difficult. Posting Was just fine! It was just not good when the legs wanted to go in opposing directions. So we got the boys settled in then Sue and I each got to take showers in our own campers. Love even the spit shower. Sure beats helmet head for a week.
We got to the ride meeting then off to bed for us. Ready for day two!
PS on Cindy Prior.....Husband Greg was leaving Vet2 in a little truck to find her. We sort of assumed she would drive the automatic truck since it was her left ankle, or sit on the tailgate and lead horse in. Nope. She rode at a walk all the way back to camp AND GOT HER COMPLETION! THEN WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO CONFIRM THE BROKEN BONE!! Now that is ENDURANCE...Cindy did sit out the next 3 days. Becky and the gang
Day 2 dawned with us all tacked up and it was COLD. As of the ride meeting last night, we were supposed to go all the way up this mountain. This Mountain goes up to 9000 feet. It was less than 30 degrees down where we were and the snow clouds were looming. As we started, Jackie said we only had to go up to the water trough and the glacier, write our name on the paper, and come home. Yeah! So we set off. Sue and I started off at a great little walk. OOps, there is Heather and Marc. Ed decides that is who he wants to be with. Berzerk. I still had him in the S hack and he knew it. Miranda was at the Balarat vet/ trot by. Asked her to find my bit. Now if I can survive until I get back down off the mountain. So off we go up the hill.
Ed was a little more cooperative going UP. It was nice. It really surprised me that the front runners didn't come back at us until we were up near the water. Ed was so thirsty he pushed his was in to the trough. He and Rocky really tanked up. That was really nice to see. Half way! So down the mountain we go. Now Ed decided he wanted to hurry. Ed has such a walk. It is actually a running walk / gait. I don't know what we look like, I just know it is smooth and he just FLIES down the trail this way. The biggest problem is I didn't want to fly DOWN the mountain.
Well, we made it down off the mountain in one piece. Not really sure how. Miranda was there and had found Ed's bit and had brought it back to the vet check with her. What a great crew! Thank goodness my new headstall just has clips at the bit ends, so that change only took about 30 seconds.
From Ballarat, Sue and I actually got to see some new trail, since to go straight back to camp would short the mileage since we didn't go all the way up the mountain. So we did the LD loop backwards. Flat with good footing. The scenery didn't change much, but it was nice after all of the walking we did up and down the mountain. The bit gave me so much more control and a whole lot less head shaking, wanting to go faster. He knew we weren't going to. End of argument. In the S-hack, it became just a long constant argument. Day one had been just fine. No problem or argument, just ok, Mom, what ever you want. They do get more fit as you go on a multi-day. By day four I had a "super-horse". At least he thought so.
Along the whole stretch down along the road, we would look up the mountain and see the whole area engulfed in snow clouds. It had been so cold only as far as we went, I was so glad we hadn't gone further!
It clouded up and looked like rain all afternoon. The light on the clouds really made for something pretty to look at. We actually passed a couple of riders in the last 5 miles. The desert is so funny. You can see camp. Looks close. Then you ride for a while, look up and it isn't any closer. It can be very discouraging unless you are used to it.
We finished with lots of boing in the step of both horses, both eager to get back to the trailers to drink and eat. There was plenty of time to take care of the ponies, eat, shower AND get to the ride meeting. My only question was, SAME AS LAST YEAR?. YUP. Good, that makes it so easy. Don't need no stinkin ribbons that way. Some years there has actually been sabotage out here. You wouldn't think there would be another sole out here, but there are. It is easy when you have done it before. There just aren't that many options out here. So off to bed early. Boy does that feel good. I can ride without any discomfort but still can't trot out my own horse. Oh, well, there is always someone there to trot out the horse. I just have to ride, right?
Well, I slept well, because I like the sound of RAIN on the camper. Yes, rain. It rained all night. Forcast was for rain today as well. Well, I have rain gear, so packed it on the horse. No problems.
Day 3
Was careful tacking up this morning. Have gone 100 miles now, lots of up and down, but there wasn't the slightest hint of back soreness. No "armpit" raw spots. No loin rubbing. Everything doing great. Oh yes, once again I am the test dummie for another new product. Katee of Heels Up Saddlery has come up with a pad that has a bottom of material that DOES NOT SLIP, breathes well, doesn't let sweat soak in to the felt. She put lots of thought in to the design of this pad. I have been riding it for a month or so at home without a problem, but the true test is always a multi-day ride. Well, so far so good. Two more days to go.
The morning was warmer while tacking up, so I took off the sweatshirt before putting on my windbreaker for the day. Error in judgement. It was a lot colder this day than past years. Just like every day so far. Oh well, just trot more! This is a good day for moving out. There are only 15 miles or so of hideous rocks today. That leaves you 35 miles of good trotting. So that is just what we did.
On the longest stretch of the notorious rock road, someone we passed asked "how long is this"....answer "too long", but then you get to the sand wash. If you are careful to watch for deep sand, you can move pretty fast. For 5+ miles you are going UPHILL in the sand though, so you have to know your horse pretty well.
So off the rock road, up the sand wash to the old vet check and around the corner to the other sand wash down to the vet check. All of the horses are looking great. Drink everywhere. Of course, water is only about every 10-12 miles. Sure makes the horses learn to drink when they have a chance. If you go slow enough, it has literally been hours since the last water. Some years on this day I have actually gotten HOT. Not this year.. But is wasn't nearly as cold as that mountain yesterday, which is still covered in snow clouds. Sure glad we aren't up there today too!
In to the Vet check and Ed and Rocky are doing great. Eating, eating, eating. We stay a few extra minutes because there isn't anything to eat out on trail out here. They stop to rest so we go vet them though. No problems. Both boys look great. So back in the saddle we are. Off for another long trot stretch. Sue and I aren't able to trot non-stop, but the breaks are less often and last less time. Training at home, there isn't a mile where you can trot non-stop, so being able to trot 2-5 miles out here is our only training ground. It is always me that has to stop, so this is great. I have never felt so good across this valley floor before.
Two things I credit with this is loosing 30 lbs (30 more to go) and sticking with Atkins durning the ride. I had no energy problems on any of the days. I always get looks when I eat my hunk of cheese, but I have always liked to eat a hunk of Jack Cheese. That with some applesause, ziplock of nuts and some Crystal light. The amazing thing for me was that I never felt hungry between, and I didn't feel uncomfortably full after the vet checks. This is realy new for me. Sometimes after lunch, trotting can be very uncomfortable. This is great.
So off we go down the valley floor. They are moving rigs again, and there are still many going past as we trot, and trot and trot. The road is 3-5 miles away on our left. I don't know if they can see us over here or not. Sometimes the rigs look like toys. They are so far away.
The jets are flying again today. My first year here, they buzzed us so close, you could see the sunglasses on the pilots! They were much higher this year. Probably 1000 feet at times. So cool to watch them. Good thing is Ed doesn't seem to mind.
We get to the last water. NOw it is a left turn and 4 miles up the side of the road to camp. Ed sure knows where he is. He is on a misson. Power walking whenever we aren't trotting. We are getting in the earliest I think I have ever done this day.
As we approach what earlier in the day is the finish line, there is a white van parked on the right side of the road facing us. I had crossed the road to the right, thinking they must have left the finish line out here this year. Did I mention that I am getting old and my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. As we get close, it turns out to be tourists. A whole passle of tourists. 4 Adults and 6 or so kids. Two of the kids are way up on the side of the rock hill, sliding down. The rocks are providing avalance material. One of the adults was holding a baby with a very loose blanket whipping around in the wind. Ed is taking this all in, dancing, gigging, snorting. You would think this was the start of a 50, not 150 miles in to a Multi-day ride! I was just about ready to get off or wait for Rocky to keep him settled. Took too long. Ed was out-a-there. Spun to the left leaving me in the same spot in mid-air without my horse. I had seen a car approaching us from behind. The only thing I could think of as I was sliding down the right side of his neck was "hang on to the horse, hang on to the reins" Ed did back up a drug my a couple of feet. But then he did stop. This time I just bounced a little on my RIGHT hip. At least he found a new spot to bruise up. Well, there was only a 1/2 mile to camp and I thought I could walk, wrong. So I got back on. That was still easier than walking. Miranda was at the finish line so was able to have her trot Ed out for me. I was able to walk across the street to our rig.
I asked why we were parked where we were and was informed that the runway we usually park on was actually being used AS A RUNWAY for a real life plane. Who'da thunk it.! Mike Benson has pictures too!
So once again, a spit shower, dinner and bed. Ready for day 4.
Day 4. What can I say. It is generally cold and windy here at Panamint Springs. This morning was no exception. It really was only breezy and it has been colder in past years. This morning I wore more layers than yesterday. I also brought both pairs of gloves. My warm ones and the regular gloves.
Sue and I started 5 or 10 minutes after the leaders. This worked out just fine. Some years the start is a bit crowded on the road. We ride along side of HWY 190 for the first mile or so, and I would imagine that seeing 100 horses along the road would make you drive carefullly. Well, sometimes. At least this section of road is curvy, so most drivers slow for that.
After the first mile, you turn left on to the dirt highway. This is the "back road" to Darwin. A sign tells you that 4WD is required. They mean it. The flat section of road is easily 2 1/2 lanes across, and pretty good footing as dirt roads go. In the morning this stretch goes by quickly, tonight this road is ever so long.
After a couple of miles of flat comes the climb. It goes up and up and up some more. It is only 4 miles or so. Nothing like the day 2 climb to the top. In fact it is only 1/2 the climb of our limited climb this year on day 2. But you are 100 miles more sore. 100 miles more raw. 100 miles more stiff. BUT THE HORSES are raring to go. They are not stiff. They are not sore. THEY ARE READY TO GO. The hill fazes them not. So Sue and I trot a little, walk a little. Trot a little, walk a little. We actually get through this section rather quickly. Then it's down to the wash. As we approach the wash, I am always reminded of my first year hear, when Gloria Vanderford came galloping from the right (the wrong way) muttering that no one had told her it was the wrong way! I guess she had been near other riders. But that was 7 years ago. Funny how you remember different things on trail from other years. Going down this trail Ed is in March down the trail mode. We hadn't seen but a couple of riders going up the hill, but I think we passed 6 or so going down. Most every one was off and hand walking down. Ed walks twice as fast as I NOMALLY do, and with my ever ripening tailbone bruise, I am only walking 1/2 of my normal speed anyway. Ed gets to carry me. It's his fault anyway.
So we get to the wash and go for the couple of miles through the georgeous rocks and cliffs. The layers are jutting out of the ground at a 45 degree angle , sometimes more. What an earthquake that must have been to have done that. I know what it feels like when the San Andreas move a few inches. These cliffs are a couple of thousand feet and are nearly vertical. Must a been something. Glad I wasn't there! The colors of the layers show such different types of rock. I don't know what they are, just that they are beautiful.
We get to the end of the wash in no time and head up the boring paved road. Again I am drawn to the memory of riding up here with Tuttie Nichols my first year and there was snow way lower than even this year. The wind was so cold and the views were incredible. We could see Mt Whitney from there. It just makes you feel so small and insignificant.
So while I was daydreaming, we get to the top. Now it is the drop in to Darwin. As others have said, what an interesting place. You really do have to see it to beleive it. I can even pick out NEW things from last year! Alex is at the edge of town with the ever wonderful water truck. Both Rocky and Ed find the water just delicious. There is even a few flakes of hay. We let them nibble, then it's off we go. They are both trotting strong today. Rocky is so steady. Ed is aguing with me STILL about going faster. At least I am winning the argument today. So on we trot.
Last year through this section, the wind in our face nearly pulled my helmet off. It had to have been gusting at 75 mph last year. Right now it is calm and beautiful. The clouds are forming. Sue and I both wonder how cold the Vet check will be. Check on this day has a very bad, very deserved reputation for being cold and windy.
We made our stop and turn at the corrals for the last 5 miles to the Vet check. Since this day is just an out and back, I wonder where the leaders are. They haven't started coming back at us yet. Either they are slower this year, or we are actually riding faster. Maybe that is it!
About 1/2 way across the valley, we did pass the leaders going the other way. Heather (daughter) and Elfta were planning on riding together today, so I kept expecting to see them any minute. Not so. So the Mom comes out, where are they??? Did one of the horses have a problem??? Did one of them have a problem. They have both ridden this day before, THEY CAN'T BE LOST! Even without ribbons.!
We got all the way to the Vet Check. There they were! Nope, both horses were fine, they were fine....just hanging out...taking it easy today. Whew.....Mom sigh of releif. OK, back to my horse. Oh, yeah, water, pulse, eat. Got it. Gosh, you would think I had never done this before! So Ed pulses down the instant I ask, which was as soon as I remembered! Just fine. Go over to where Miranda and Mike Benson are stationed with Miranda's car. Wow....they are ready for us! Coolers go on the horses. The flame thrower heater (boy does this thing work!) was set up next to the CHAIRS. No sitting on packs and bags this day! Yeah! My bottom can't take anymore of that! The saddle doesn't hurt to sit on, just everything else!
We eat. The horses eat. We drink. They drink. After about 45 minutes, Mike and Miranda VET THE HORSES FOR US.... Wow, what a crew. Boy does this heater feel good. You don't realize how cold out it was until you stop. Gonna have to make "coolers" for Riders!
All too soon, we are off the way we came. Seems impossible that we have already gone 175 miles and only have 25 to go and the last vet check. Ok guys, hold it together. Trot a little, walk a little, trot a little, walk a little. Boy that one raw spot is really sore today! Walk a little, trot a little.
We get to the end of the Valley and the trough. EMPTY! Not a good thing. At least the boys had tanked up at lunch and it wasn't hot. It is only 5-7 miles more to Darwin and the next water. Both horses seem upset over the empty trough but very willingly head for home. Ok, more than willing. Pulling! So very strong. Well, it beats having un-willing at this point.
So in to Darwin. Yes, Alex is still there and there is water. Both of the boys tank up really well. There are a few scraps of hay left, so we let them nibble for a few minutes. Then Ed decides that the trailer hay bag will be much better and off we go. Up to the summit on the road, then down to the wash. Through the wash to the climb. I am not sure how, but I thought we were riding faster today than last year. But no, the sun is setting. It is getting colder, but not unbearable. At least there are no clouds and the moon is about 3/4 an already high in the sky. We are at a point where that road just lights up in the moon light. It is so white. We get down to the flat last section. Ready for our last trot. Ed pulls just slightly ahead of Rocky. I hear all sorts of commotion. Horse stumbling, stumbling. I see the light and dark shadows behind me bobbing up and down. I pull to a stop. Rocky had just about gone down with a stumble. Sue had miraculously stayed on and Rocky had done everything in his power not to fall on her! He somehow had gotten his feet back under him and righted himself. Both were a little shook up, but only a tiny skinned knee for Rocky and Sue was fine. OK, so we take a little more time and WALK the rest of the way home. At the end of the dirt road, Miranda and Colleen are waiting for us with her car. Again we are walking next to the road. It is dark and New Years' Eve. Miranda puts on her parking lights. Rocky trots a little. Yeah! Sound! Ed in on a mission! Power Walk time again. I try to keep him slowed down. A car is coming. We are in front of Miranda and she turns on her flashers. Ed is watching the lights, on, off, on, off....he is getting real nervous. Ok, lets hop off. Right, after 200 miles and it is cold out. My legs are a bit wobbly and as I am getting off, my left foot gets hung up for a couple of seconds. Thank goodness. Off and in one piece, but that was close. Totally my fault, Daughter Colleen walks Ed in the rest of the way. Miranda asks if I want a ride. Nope, got to finish. If not on the horse, at least under my own power. Never mind that we had passed the finish line for the front runners. Now it is another mile back in camp. It is actually feeling good to walk. By the time I get there, Ed and Rocky have tanked up well. Now we just need a Vet! We finally out wait Dave N. and get him to come out of his cosy 5th wheel trailer to vet us out. Both Boys trot out just fine. Now they pull us back to the trailers, where they know food awaits!
Boy is a shower going to feel good tonight.
Best thing I had done the past few nights was to use the hot water from the camper on Ed's Beet Pulp, so that it was nice and warm when he got to it. He would first drink all of the "slop" off the top, then eat all of it! He really seemed to enjoy them. He was also peeing out of trail 4-6 times per day. A little more than his norm. this is good. Got Ed bedded down for his meal, cooler on to dry out. Now it is my turn. Miranda had as usual scored dinner tickets from someone that had changed their minds. So the girls were all gone to eat. THE CAMPER TO MYSELF! Yeah. Only someone with teenage girls could enjoy that part!
Clean dry and fed. Horse and Rider. In that order. Wow. What a great week. Sue, Mike and I go up to the awards presentation. Wow. 30 Riders (+ or - officially?) have ridden the same horse all four days! Whooppee!
For Sue and I, that is two years in a row. Now the goal is 20 Mule Team 100 in Feb. Last year we only got to 65 miles when both of US pulled. The horses were great. I think we have gotten those kinks worked out.
After the awards were all over with, we head back to the campers where Miranda has set up her DJ equipment and we have our own party on the runway! What a great time.
The next morning, in what has become another tradition, we head to the Denny's in Ridgecrest for BREAKFAST! We have another party right there in Denny's. Then we said our goodbys, and head home. Thank goodness for a nice boring trip home. No problems at all. Rain from Tulare home. So everyone is home and safe and we had a great time. Will we be back?? You betcha! IT'S TRADITION!
Becky and the gang
Juniors - Sponsorship
Comments from Angie McGee, Karen Chaton, and Sandy: From Angie McGhee:
Since I have all this stuff fresh on my mind, I'm gonna comment on this. Sponsoring juniors can be great...but there's a few things you need to consider.
First, when you agree to ride with another adult, then get out on the trail and find out your horses just can't seem to pace together you can seperate. Not with a junior. The chances that 4 horses will match very well are not great so I wouldn't be thrilled about sponsoring 3 juniors from the start. It worries me that if just one horse is slower he'll probably overdo trying to keep up with the others and the kid doesn't want to drag the others down. If you as a sponsor have a faster horse it makes it too tempting to just expect them to keep up. However, if the horses are near each other at the first vet check chances are they'll travel well together. That's why I didn't mind picking up additional juniors at the first vet check as much as making a deal before the ride.
There are minuses to having 4 horses who cannot seperate on the trail. That's a big group to get watered when the water holes are small and the trail is one lane. We lost time every time there was water simply taking turns making sure everyone got a chance to drink. 4 horses in a group can be bad if the bees are bad. The last one in a group that size is gonna get hit. When you cross tricky footing that you need to walk over...a large group means the leader has to wait until the fourth horse gets past it before picking up the trot again. With lots of tricky footing like at the NC that adds up.
What if one horse goes lame? The sponsor can be in a fix. I've read the rules more than once on whether the sponsor has to pull if the junior switches sponsors on trail, etc. but I still can't say I'm sure what my options are once I'm out there. For your peace of mind, memorize the rules on juniors before the ride.
What if you've got 2 juniors who are doing a great job, and one is really getting tired and lagging...costing you all time at the waterholes...then the lagger shows "body language" signs of planning to go for the win at the finish...should you have an agreement that the sponsor will dictate the finish? If so, before the ride is a good time to discuss it. Having one good junior for a partner can actually speed you up. If you've got two horses who travel well together it gives you an automatic partner who is helping optimize your strategy. Any extras probably slow you somewhat...but not always. As a mom who has had to ask people to sponsor my child at two rides this year I am happy to return the favor for others when they're in a tight, but I'm not sure that I'm their best choice. Breaking them up might be best for their horses and their placements.
From Karen Chaton:
You can sponsor as many as you want. The kids are great. My advice would be to team up with either experienced juniors or experienced sponsors (but not inexperienced both). Make sure you know what to do if something happens to you, your horse, or one of the juniors or one of the juniors horses. I wouldn't want to sponsor more than one junior if they were very young or were inexperienced. It's not pretty out on the trail when things go wrong. Good luck, have fun and remember to follow the trail. :+D (it's easy to get sidetracked with lots of kids, it's good to pick at least one that is a good co-pilot).
Sponsoring juniors is great. You can give them back when you are done, they don't have to go home with you. Plus, they have to do what you say. I love it. Be sure and tell them that you have rules, and make them up as you go. Start with: NO WHINING ALOWED. :+) My next rule after that is: "you have to do what I say". Remember to remind them about their manners on the trail, the other riders will appreciate that!
From Sandy:
Sponsoring a junior - or two - is fun, fulfilling and a great way to start these kids out right. The caveat is - MAKE SURE TO START THEM OUT RIGHT! It is incumbent on anyone sponsoring or even mentoring a junior rider (or a beginning adult for that matter) that the BEST of manners, methods and ideas be taught - not just "Haul you-know-what down the trail and WIN!"
In addition, it is paramount that each rider be capable and WILLING to take care of his or her own horse as is they were never to have crew. When I see a junior rider (actually, any rider) Throw their reins to a crew member and just sit, I get irritated. While a 100 miler absolutely necessitates a rider taking a breather as well - and even 50s for most riders coming up, I bristle when I see young riders, chatting and just hanging out while mom or dad is vetting a horse through or otherwise doing the rider's job. Our daughter, now 14, rode her first LD at 9 years old - and no one has veer vetted her horse through nor has anyone else been required to feed, water or otherwise care for her horse at a ride. These are important things to teach as well - the least of the things to teach is how to win. Tschuss! San
Since I have all this stuff fresh on my mind, I'm gonna comment on this. Sponsoring juniors can be great...but there's a few things you need to consider.
First, when you agree to ride with another adult, then get out on the trail and find out your horses just can't seem to pace together you can seperate. Not with a junior. The chances that 4 horses will match very well are not great so I wouldn't be thrilled about sponsoring 3 juniors from the start. It worries me that if just one horse is slower he'll probably overdo trying to keep up with the others and the kid doesn't want to drag the others down. If you as a sponsor have a faster horse it makes it too tempting to just expect them to keep up. However, if the horses are near each other at the first vet check chances are they'll travel well together. That's why I didn't mind picking up additional juniors at the first vet check as much as making a deal before the ride.
There are minuses to having 4 horses who cannot seperate on the trail. That's a big group to get watered when the water holes are small and the trail is one lane. We lost time every time there was water simply taking turns making sure everyone got a chance to drink. 4 horses in a group can be bad if the bees are bad. The last one in a group that size is gonna get hit. When you cross tricky footing that you need to walk over...a large group means the leader has to wait until the fourth horse gets past it before picking up the trot again. With lots of tricky footing like at the NC that adds up.
What if one horse goes lame? The sponsor can be in a fix. I've read the rules more than once on whether the sponsor has to pull if the junior switches sponsors on trail, etc. but I still can't say I'm sure what my options are once I'm out there. For your peace of mind, memorize the rules on juniors before the ride.
What if you've got 2 juniors who are doing a great job, and one is really getting tired and lagging...costing you all time at the waterholes...then the lagger shows "body language" signs of planning to go for the win at the finish...should you have an agreement that the sponsor will dictate the finish? If so, before the ride is a good time to discuss it. Having one good junior for a partner can actually speed you up. If you've got two horses who travel well together it gives you an automatic partner who is helping optimize your strategy. Any extras probably slow you somewhat...but not always. As a mom who has had to ask people to sponsor my child at two rides this year I am happy to return the favor for others when they're in a tight, but I'm not sure that I'm their best choice. Breaking them up might be best for their horses and their placements.
From Karen Chaton:
You can sponsor as many as you want. The kids are great. My advice would be to team up with either experienced juniors or experienced sponsors (but not inexperienced both). Make sure you know what to do if something happens to you, your horse, or one of the juniors or one of the juniors horses. I wouldn't want to sponsor more than one junior if they were very young or were inexperienced. It's not pretty out on the trail when things go wrong. Good luck, have fun and remember to follow the trail. :+D (it's easy to get sidetracked with lots of kids, it's good to pick at least one that is a good co-pilot).
Sponsoring juniors is great. You can give them back when you are done, they don't have to go home with you. Plus, they have to do what you say. I love it. Be sure and tell them that you have rules, and make them up as you go. Start with: NO WHINING ALOWED. :+) My next rule after that is: "you have to do what I say". Remember to remind them about their manners on the trail, the other riders will appreciate that!
From Sandy:
Sponsoring a junior - or two - is fun, fulfilling and a great way to start these kids out right. The caveat is - MAKE SURE TO START THEM OUT RIGHT! It is incumbent on anyone sponsoring or even mentoring a junior rider (or a beginning adult for that matter) that the BEST of manners, methods and ideas be taught - not just "Haul you-know-what down the trail and WIN!"
In addition, it is paramount that each rider be capable and WILLING to take care of his or her own horse as is they were never to have crew. When I see a junior rider (actually, any rider) Throw their reins to a crew member and just sit, I get irritated. While a 100 miler absolutely necessitates a rider taking a breather as well - and even 50s for most riders coming up, I bristle when I see young riders, chatting and just hanging out while mom or dad is vetting a horse through or otherwise doing the rider's job. Our daughter, now 14, rode her first LD at 9 years old - and no one has veer vetted her horse through nor has anyone else been required to feed, water or otherwise care for her horse at a ride. These are important things to teach as well - the least of the things to teach is how to win. Tschuss! San
Friday, January 02, 2004
2004 DVE - Ride Story Day 1 - Tracy Browne
DVE Ride Story, Day 1
Photos of Day 1
It was our first 50, and we completed Day 1 of DVE! The weather was fabulous - about 60 degrees as a high. Night was very, very cold and there was lots of ice on the water buckets. We were in a tent, and there was a very thick layer of frost on the inside of the tent. We were okay because we piled a ton of blankets on top of us. I am so glad I took my husband - he now feels "under-rigged" and thus we are on the hunt for a LQ trailer!! Yea! The drive down to Trona from Sacramento was uneventful - it took about 8 hours and just one mountain pass that had a light dusting of snow on the grass and none on the road. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I think 103 riders started the first day and 100 finished. I am so proud to be one of the finishers!
The trail was lovely - perfect for a first 50. We started out with a 12 mile loop around the town of Trona, through the mountains, with nice sand footing with some rocks. Because I started towards the end, some of the sand was really deep so I had to go around it to avoid any suspensary injuries. This was a fast loop with many finishing it in less than an hour, but it took me about an hour and a half. Vet check 1 was back at camp with a 30 min. hold. I was a bit concerned because the vet said that my horse looked like she moved choppy in the hind end. This was a different vet than check us in the night before, so he did not have a base line to compare with. She felt fine to me, so he let me go off into the desert. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous heading out there for 30 miles before the next vet check with a potential problem brewing. I do believe she looked funny because we had just had her shod with pads on her hind feet as well as her fronts.
So we gradually climbed the Slate Mountain range. Annie though it would be more fun to canter up the gradual fire roads than just trot, so I let her go a bit. What fun was that! We passed a deserted mine with a falling apart shack and a chair right next to the trail. Perhaps a ghost town?? The climb to the top was easy, but the journey down was treacherous. Very steep hills, loose rocks, and sand. I got off and hand walked down the mountain - not the smart thing to do as I could hardly keep my footing. So I made much better time by getting back on Annie and letting her do the hard work. It took about 5 miles to get down that mountain at a walk until we were in the Pinamint Valley and back to good footing. A nice lady broke her ankle going down that mountain. She was walking next to her horse and she heard it snap. Unfortunately she had a long way to go before anyone could help her. Someone helped her onto her horse, gave her a vikatin, and as long as she was walking she was okay. We went past a historical sign that said something about someone leading a family to safety out of death valley through this canyon. Interesting...
Once we hit the Valley, we picked up a strong trot and tried to get into the the vet check, thinking it was only a few miles down the path. Oh no, we kept going, and going, and going, no vet check... I saw what looked like a lake to my right, but no, that was a mirage - just a dried up lake bed. No water for a while. The footing was lovely sand - not the deep kind - the good kind. But in the middle of no where, a very kind man in his off road truck had a bale of alfalfa for us and a lot of water. What a great stop! I was riding mostly by myself, so it was so nice to see another person! And very shortly thereafter was the vet check! And my husband was there with our trailer - what a fabulous sight! Annie thought she was finished. I was hoping that she looked okay in the hind end, and yes, she looked fine, no problems, so we continued on the 9 miles back to camp.
Those last 9 miles were tough to get though. The longest ride my mare and I have ever done is 33 miles. I knew the faster we get into camp, the better. No use dragging it out - we were still on the same nice sand footing but now the sun was setting over the mountains and the cold air was setting in fast. We left the check at a walk and she kept looking back at the trailer as if to say that we are going the wrong way!! We went by a real ghost town with falling down banks, post office, and cabins. Apparently it used to be a gold mine that was closed in about 1940. It was rather creepy by myself in the dusk. I would have liked to read the historical markers by the town center, but I had one thing on my mind - finishing!! I knew I could do it - just take it easy into camp. At the check they said we could see camp and that we were almost there - not true!! I couldn't see camp until the last mile - I kept thinking it was over another hill in the other valley. It is really hard to judge distances in the desert!
We finished at 4:31. Just as the sun was setting. It took us 8 hours and 31 min. Just a perfect first ride. We vetted out fine. My mare ate well, slept well, and hauled well home. I, on the other hand, could not move until today. I was so sore in my legs and especially my thighs. I need to get in shape!
Most everyone stayed for all 4 days, but not me! One 50 was quite a feat for me, so we went home on a good note. I am glad we left when we did because a storm was scheduled to role in on Monday night. I am not sure if they got it or not but I did not want to be in my tent for that!
My husband drove our rig to the next base camp. He unfortunately picked a horrible spot next to a very mean lady. She yelled at us for parking by her because she had a dog-aggressive pit bull that she insisted needed to run free off leash. We have a 4 month old border collie. She said that she put up water jugs, but they were on the other side of were we parked. We already had our tent set up so it wasn't going to be easy to move, not to mention all the people there already and it was dark. That was the first time I have ever run into a nasty distance rider. Why must people insist on their dog-aggressive Pit Bulls to be off leash??? That is ridiculous. So we had to protect our puppy by locking him in the truck unless we were going on a walk.
Next year, I am doing all 4 days!
Tracy Browne
Rose Trace Arabians
http://www.rosetrace.com
Photos of Day 1
It was our first 50, and we completed Day 1 of DVE! The weather was fabulous - about 60 degrees as a high. Night was very, very cold and there was lots of ice on the water buckets. We were in a tent, and there was a very thick layer of frost on the inside of the tent. We were okay because we piled a ton of blankets on top of us. I am so glad I took my husband - he now feels "under-rigged" and thus we are on the hunt for a LQ trailer!! Yea! The drive down to Trona from Sacramento was uneventful - it took about 8 hours and just one mountain pass that had a light dusting of snow on the grass and none on the road. I couldn't believe how many people were there. I think 103 riders started the first day and 100 finished. I am so proud to be one of the finishers!
The trail was lovely - perfect for a first 50. We started out with a 12 mile loop around the town of Trona, through the mountains, with nice sand footing with some rocks. Because I started towards the end, some of the sand was really deep so I had to go around it to avoid any suspensary injuries. This was a fast loop with many finishing it in less than an hour, but it took me about an hour and a half. Vet check 1 was back at camp with a 30 min. hold. I was a bit concerned because the vet said that my horse looked like she moved choppy in the hind end. This was a different vet than check us in the night before, so he did not have a base line to compare with. She felt fine to me, so he let me go off into the desert. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous heading out there for 30 miles before the next vet check with a potential problem brewing. I do believe she looked funny because we had just had her shod with pads on her hind feet as well as her fronts.
So we gradually climbed the Slate Mountain range. Annie though it would be more fun to canter up the gradual fire roads than just trot, so I let her go a bit. What fun was that! We passed a deserted mine with a falling apart shack and a chair right next to the trail. Perhaps a ghost town?? The climb to the top was easy, but the journey down was treacherous. Very steep hills, loose rocks, and sand. I got off and hand walked down the mountain - not the smart thing to do as I could hardly keep my footing. So I made much better time by getting back on Annie and letting her do the hard work. It took about 5 miles to get down that mountain at a walk until we were in the Pinamint Valley and back to good footing. A nice lady broke her ankle going down that mountain. She was walking next to her horse and she heard it snap. Unfortunately she had a long way to go before anyone could help her. Someone helped her onto her horse, gave her a vikatin, and as long as she was walking she was okay. We went past a historical sign that said something about someone leading a family to safety out of death valley through this canyon. Interesting...
Once we hit the Valley, we picked up a strong trot and tried to get into the the vet check, thinking it was only a few miles down the path. Oh no, we kept going, and going, and going, no vet check... I saw what looked like a lake to my right, but no, that was a mirage - just a dried up lake bed. No water for a while. The footing was lovely sand - not the deep kind - the good kind. But in the middle of no where, a very kind man in his off road truck had a bale of alfalfa for us and a lot of water. What a great stop! I was riding mostly by myself, so it was so nice to see another person! And very shortly thereafter was the vet check! And my husband was there with our trailer - what a fabulous sight! Annie thought she was finished. I was hoping that she looked okay in the hind end, and yes, she looked fine, no problems, so we continued on the 9 miles back to camp.
Those last 9 miles were tough to get though. The longest ride my mare and I have ever done is 33 miles. I knew the faster we get into camp, the better. No use dragging it out - we were still on the same nice sand footing but now the sun was setting over the mountains and the cold air was setting in fast. We left the check at a walk and she kept looking back at the trailer as if to say that we are going the wrong way!! We went by a real ghost town with falling down banks, post office, and cabins. Apparently it used to be a gold mine that was closed in about 1940. It was rather creepy by myself in the dusk. I would have liked to read the historical markers by the town center, but I had one thing on my mind - finishing!! I knew I could do it - just take it easy into camp. At the check they said we could see camp and that we were almost there - not true!! I couldn't see camp until the last mile - I kept thinking it was over another hill in the other valley. It is really hard to judge distances in the desert!
We finished at 4:31. Just as the sun was setting. It took us 8 hours and 31 min. Just a perfect first ride. We vetted out fine. My mare ate well, slept well, and hauled well home. I, on the other hand, could not move until today. I was so sore in my legs and especially my thighs. I need to get in shape!
Most everyone stayed for all 4 days, but not me! One 50 was quite a feat for me, so we went home on a good note. I am glad we left when we did because a storm was scheduled to role in on Monday night. I am not sure if they got it or not but I did not want to be in my tent for that!
My husband drove our rig to the next base camp. He unfortunately picked a horrible spot next to a very mean lady. She yelled at us for parking by her because she had a dog-aggressive pit bull that she insisted needed to run free off leash. We have a 4 month old border collie. She said that she put up water jugs, but they were on the other side of were we parked. We already had our tent set up so it wasn't going to be easy to move, not to mention all the people there already and it was dark. That was the first time I have ever run into a nasty distance rider. Why must people insist on their dog-aggressive Pit Bulls to be off leash??? That is ridiculous. So we had to protect our puppy by locking him in the truck unless we were going on a walk.
Next year, I am doing all 4 days!
Tracy Browne
Rose Trace Arabians
http://www.rosetrace.com
Friday, December 19, 2003
2002 My Last Tevis Ride? - Chris Martin
This story is about the 2002 Tevis ride and the horse that fell off the cliff on Cal 2 I first rode the Tevis in 1999 and since that time, the ride has kinda taken on a life of its own. Tevis is a 24-hour event that takes 365 days of your life. You pack a whole year into that little 24-hour period, especially for those of us who have the BUG. The Tevis gods rule, and this year was no exception. I have pre ridden most of the trail, at least twice and as many as 10 times, except that portion from Robie to Robinson. This year I started in January, riding different parts of the trail once a week.
The horse I have been training and conditioning for four years came up with a reoccurring problem with his right fetlock, fracture of the sesamoid that never really healed. He could go for a couple of fast 50's and then he would start to have some problems. This was to be by top-ten Tevis horse.
I had another horse that I’d started along last year and he was doing fine until he came up lame in May. I knew you had to have a backup horse but I didn’t think I needed a backup for the backup. The Tevis god’s have spoken.
Being desperate, I borrowed a horse from my neighbor on June 23rd, a 12-year-old Arab named Bo who had been bought at auction. The horse had done some endurance back in April of 2001 and had 150 AERC miles with one metabolic pull. My neighbor’s daughter was riding him when he panicked about a loose saddle and fell off a cliff, hurting himself pretty badly. After he’d healed up enough, he was put out to pasture on 900 acres for that whole year. When I rode him home from, a distance of about 3.5 miles, I thought he was going to die. I had a heart rate monitor on him and it took him over 20 minutes to recover from the ride/trot home. I had some big question marks at that time.
I started conditioning rides with the horse (Bo), riding every day and sometimes twice a day. He did very well, some days being able to do twice what he had done the day before. I recorded all his training rides keeping track of milage, heart rate files, and recovery times. We did quite well on our first 25-mile training ride and then the next week we did a 40-mile training ride. During the last weeks, we were doing about 80 miles a week with our long ride days being on portions of the Tevis trail with our training buddies Jon and Spider. Spider is the horse. We did hard/easy workdays with a high carbo supplement after each work and feeding the work with grain. He had taken to the work very well His most training miles were 83 miles in one week. By his 8th week, which was the Tevis week, I was sick with the flu and we did almost no milage, but Bo was looking very fit, a much different horse from the pasture potato that I had started with seven weeks earlier.
One week before Tevis I decided that I should buy Bo., just in case something happened, so we worked out a price, just a little more than the price of meat, and the deal was done. The eight weeks of conditioning were actually six He had once week off because of a swelling on the left rear caused by a kick during one of our long rides about the 4th week. He had another week off, the week before the Tevis, as he had caught his right front in the lead rope while tied to the trailer. On Monday prior to Tevis, I came down with the flu and was down in bed until Wed. On Thursday, I left for the ride. Jon and Spider had saved us a spot at Robie
Jon and I rode on Friday before we vetted in. We rode about 10 miles, Bo looked fine when we got back, still swollen but not lame at all. Anyway, I vetted him through and he got all A's, so we were good to go. I kept ice on it until we went to bed. Jon got Spider a massage and he looked like he really enjoyed it.
Ride morning started for me at about 3 a.m., with the ride actually starting at 5:15 a.m. I was kinda worried about having lost about 12 pounds with the flu and not having eaten anything since Sunday (not to mention having liquid coming out each portal). Needless to say, I was pleased when I made that first important stop to the Porta Potty and I did more than dribble; now we were really ready to ride.
At about 5 a.m. Jon and I headed for the start line along with 250 other riders. Bo and Spider were all hyped up and ready to go. The trail was set up in three sections, red for the people who wanted to start up towards the front, blue for those who wanted to be in the middle, and white for those in the rear. We started moving up towards the front and just made it into the red section when the line started moving. The trail is only 20 feet wide at this point and we were all packed into this little space with very excited horses, some behaving better than others. As we started moving down the trail, I heard someone behind us holler that a person was down but do not know what happened. As the trail opened up, we started moving faster and faster, riding with someone beside us and of course someone in front and someone in the rear. As we came to a small wooded bridge, there is a guy on a mule trying to pull it across the bridge. He got out of the way and we continued on, heading down to the highway just below Squaw Valley. We crossed the highway and up the steep trail that led us the to top Squaw. Bo was flipping his head and trying to get the rains over the top of the bit. Jon noticed that Bo had managed to get his tongue over the bit and was now bleeding. I looked at the heart rate monitor and it was in the 170-180 range. People were in front of us and behind us, so there was no backing down the way I wanted to. Before the ride, I had decided not to let him get over 160 for any length of time during the ride. As soon as I found a place we could pull over, I pulled the bit off and just rode him with the reins attached to his rope halter (what a mistake). After I pulled the bit we continued down the trail for a quarter of a mile or so when we heard people yelling. We looked up and saw that we (me) had missed the trail and would have to go back up the mountain to catch it.
Jon was in front so I just put Bo on Spider’s tail and off we went. He was pulling on me but when I headed him directly into the other horse's butt there was nothing he could do. We made it up the top of Squaw where they had a water stop. Both horses drank well and we gave them their electrolytes. There are no bathrooms so you just use your horse as kind of a shield and go for it.
From the top of Squaw where the lift stops, you have to go about another half a mile to mile to get to the real top. Wow! What a view, if you take the time to look. From there, the trail drops off into what they call the Granite Chief wilderness area. There is a five-mile stretch so terrible it’s hard to describe. It is a rocky (large and small rocks), steep, downhill stretch with large slabs of rock that you slide down into. Many, many horses are injured on this part of the trail. There are spots where it is muddy and almost boggy. Bo, not having a bit in his mouth, was almost uncontrollable. Spider would get a little bit ahead and Bo would just race through these rocks and mud; scared the hell out of me. My hands were so tired from trying to hold him back that I decided that I had to get his bit back in his mouth, but had to wait until we had a safe place to do it. As we were making our way though this nightmare, a lady in front of us fell off her horse when it slipped. Jon stopped and we blocked the trail until she got back on, after a couple of attempts, and then we were off again. I finally found a spot to stop and redo the bit for Bo; wow, power steering again!
The next obstacle was Cougar Rock . Not as hard as it looks; they take the pictures so it looks like you’re doing something superhuman but it’s a piece of cake. Both horses went up and over, looking good. A lot of the trail is fine dust so if you don't have a mask, you will be blowing a lot of dirt clods. I wore an outlaw-type bandana, which worked great, just pull it up and pull it down. We finally made it to Lyons Ridge, the first kinda vet check; horses get to eat and drink a little, heart rate checked, trotted to make sure they are not lame, and then you are off to Robinson Flat, which is at the 36-mile mark six miles down the road. From here, the trail is pretty nice all the way to Robinson. We had crew waiting for us with all the stuff we would need, plus some food and replenishment of the drinks we carried with us. We arrived at about 10 a.m., both horses vetted through, and we settled down for our one-hour hold. It seemed like we no sooner sat down before we had to get back up again to saddle up.
They pull a lot of horses at Robinson, mostly for lameness and some for metabolic (going too fast). The average pull rate of the ride is about 50 percent with this year closer to 60 percent. The finish rate was in the 40th percentile, with 94 riders finishing.
Jon and I had pre ridden the rest of the trail from Robinson to Auburn in different chunks during the last several months. Because I had to start a new horse, Bo had seen only some of it.
When we left Robinson, we were in 40- 50th position. From there, the ride goes to a water stop at Four Corners and then on to a vet check at Last Chance (an old mining location). The trail was not too bad but very dusty in spots, and they run you down a couple of canyons and back up again, all on single-track trails. We were following three other riders when the female rider’s horse tripped and fell. The rider went over her horse’s head and landed sitting up in the middle of the trail. Her horse skidding on his chin until he was almost right on top of her and then got up and trotted down the trail. One of the other riders got the horse while the lady slowly got up and made sure everything worked. At that point, we passed them and went down the trail. The vet check was just a few miles down the road. We were pleased and surprised to see the woman who had fallen off vetting her horse through, though she had a thick layer of that fine dust all over, especially were she skidded on the trail. Her horse looked fine and she ended up finishing the ride, as we found out later. We ended up staying at Last Chance for a while to let the horses eat. It was only a 15-minute hold but they had good eats, ice-cold watermelon, lemonade, Coke, etc.
From Last Chance, you head down into a canyon with a swinging bridge at the bottom, takes about a 30-minute ride with switch back after switch back. Some people get off their horses and jog down the trail which is single track and rocky in spots, but for the most part you can make good time over this stretch of trail. Time at this point was not a factor. There are cut off times at each vet check and you have to make that time or you are done; over time, you’re out. We started down the trail going pretty fast with the horses feeling great and everything looking good. All of the sudden riders start stacking up on the trail and we’re moving at a snail’s pace. We could see what the holdup was as we looked down the switch backs. I spied some unfit overweight female, slowly walking her horse down the trail. I kept my mouth shut for at least a couple of switch backs and was very proud of myself for that. Then I could no longer contain my frustration and started hollering. I asked for the trail, asked her to speed up, asked her to jog, asked her to pull over when safe and let us by. She basically said she didn’t have to and she didn't. We ended up passing her just before we got to the swinging bridge and didn’t see her again; I don’t think she finished. On the way down, we saw the same mule that we had seen at the beginning of the ride (the one that would not go over the bridge) coming back up towards us. The rider said that his mule would not go over this little tiny wooden bridge that was on the trail just before the swinging bridge, so I guess he was going back to Last Chance.
From the bottom of the canyon, the trail, which is all single track, goes straight up via switch back, for over a mile to Devil’s Thumb. A lot of people tail their horses up, walking behind the horse and holding its tail. It takes 30 minutes riding and a little longer tailing, but you can only go as fast as the people in front of you. When we got the top, they had water and some hay for the horses. After that, the trail flattens out until you get to the vet check at Deadwood, about four miles away. The trail to Deadwood is actually more like a road and doesn’t have many rocks so you can pass there.
The vet check at Deadwood was good, with lots to eat, and we spent lots of time letting the horses eat. From there the trail goes down into another canyon and then back up to the check at Michigan Bluff.
The Michigan Bluff check was even better, with fried chicken and lots of other good stuff to eat. Then it’s only six miles to Foresthill. While in Michigan Bluff, I encountered Bo’s previous owner. She said that the horse would only go so far and then he would just lay down. She asked if I had any such problems and I told her no; nice information to have at about the 60-mile mark in a 100-mile event.
The next stop was Foresthill, the main vet check and a one-hour hold. Our horses vetted through fine, we changed clothes and got something to eat, and then we were gone. The ride goes through the middle of town and all the local yokels were out hootin’ and a hollerin’ as we went by. We headed down into another canyon called the California Loop, on our way to Fransisco’s about 15 miles away. We started this loop in the dark at about 9 p.m. Again, we weren’t too concerned about time as it was just a buckle ride (riding for the finish and not top ten) and trying not to be in the other 50 percent. We’d just headed down the trail when we noticed another rider following quite a way behind us and hollered out for (him) to join us. He turned out to be from Japan and was riding a leased horse. Anyway, as time went on, we started picking up more and more riders. At last count, I think we had about 15 riders following. I started to pick up the pace. Bo had light bars on his breast collar so the other riders could see him as we trotted down the trail. Bo w as doing a great job. At one point, a rider asked who was leading them and doing such a great job, and I answered, “Bo, a gelding.”
The top part of the trail is called Cal 1 and the next section is Cal 2. Bo, who was leading us, had never been on this section of the trail. On about the third switch back of Cal 2, Bo was trotting fast with Jon and Spider right behind us when I heard some scrambling and then Jon saying, "Going down." I turned and looked and could see the light bars on Spider tumbling over and over. My heart sank as I heard Jon yell for Spider, that frantic scream you would yell after your child when he stepped into the path of a freight train. I yelled at Jon to see if he was OK and all I could hear was him yelling for Spider. The other riders were now on top of me as I halted Bo. By that time, I was at the corner of the switch back. Two riders were in the corner, apparently coming up the trail as Spider rolled right over the trail in front of them. As they let me by, I thought that Jon had gone on down the switch back that I was on. I sent the other two riders on to get help, let all the other 15 or so riders pass me, and then went back to find Jon. I finally found him and he was okay, having only gone down about 30 feet or so. We thought sure that Spider was dead because of how steep it was where he had gone down and because of the fact that he had gone completely over the trail in two spots. He went out of sight tumbling over and over and then there was dead silence. After the second switch back there aren’t any more as the trail continues west. Jon asked if I would go on to Francisco's and make sure we got some help. I gave Jon my flashlight and left my good friend in the darkness. Bo easily found his way through the darkness as my tears clouded my vision. I knew that Jon would be okay but I could still hear his screams for Spider in my mind. I knew that other riders that had passed me would get to Francisco's long before me. At this point, alone in the darkness and knowing that Spider was dead, the ride did not seem to be very important. Waiting year after year for the Tevis ride did not mean anything anymore. Bo and I just kind of plodded along and finally came to the vet check at Francisco’s which seemed like forever.
Wonderful volunteers, a couple of young ladies, held my horse while I went over the to person with the ham radio. He said they knew what had happened and that the sweep riders had already been in contact with Jon and were making plans to get him out. I kept worrying about what I was going to tell his wife, Anne Marie. I looked for the signal on my cell phone but no such luck. I decided that Jon had probably already been in touch with his wife on one of the radios that the sweep riders had and that he would beat me back to Auburn by a long shot.
I pretty much took my time at Francisco’s, watching at least 20 riders pass along down the trail. I had no clue what time it was and really did not care. Bo and I started walking on down the trail, a section Bo had been on at least once. We walked along the trail about 200 feet above the American River, the full moon shining brightly, which would have been pretty nice if tragedy had not struck. We just walked in the darkness, not a soul in sight. I could see the tiny green light bars that they had marked the trail with dangling in the air. As your horse moves up and down along the trail you can make out all kinds of shapes and visions. I could see outlines of giant houses with windows and doors. The whole time I was thinking about Spider and Jon’s frantic scream. I decided that this is my last Tevis ride and a DNF (did not finish) at that. I never wanted to feel like this again. I am sure that my eyes were all red and blood shot.
We finally got to the river and crossed without incident. Bo was used to going fast on this last section of the trail. I knew that the last vet check, the quarry, is just four miles down the trail, but really didn’t care. I didn’t even look at my watch to see what time it was and had no idea what the cut-off time was. Bo kept trying to trot and I kept pulling him back to a walk. About two miles after the river crossing, I heard riders behind me. Bo and I just kept walking. Soon there were three riders, the drag riders coming from Francisco’s. Well, that meant that I was the last rider on the trail. They started chatting with me and I told them what had happened. By this time, I could see the lights from the vet check at the quarry. The ladies said that the cut-off time for the quarry was 4:15 a.m. and gave us some encouragement. I started thinking about it and decided that if Bo had it in him, we would give it a try for our good friend Spider.
Bo and I left the drag riders in the dust as we cantered that last two miles into the vet check. The people at the check could hear us coming and started yelling that we could make it. As we neared the check, they lowered a yellow ribbon they had used to direct the horses. The vet ran out to check Bo who got a quick drink and then had his pulse checked. Reaching the mandatory 68, he did a quick trot out and we were good to go. We nailed the 4:15 a.m. check-out time but now we had to go almost seven miles in under 60/minute. Bo had done this section of trail at least three times so he knew it well, but we had never done it in the dark and 60/minute was a real push even for daylight hours on a fresh horse. Bo had already done over 95 miles
Bo seemed to have taken on new life and had to be held back almost the whole way. I knew that if I got to the top of Robie Point by 5 a.m. I could make the finish by 5:15, the cut-off time. Bo ran through a section of the trail called the Black Hole of Calcutta like a champ. He strongly trotted all the way to the top of Robie Point were I checked my watch at 5 a.m. We then sprinted down the trail that weaved in and out, up and down, over some rocky areas, through the star thistle, and under the tree limbs towards the finish. Soon we heard someone screaming from the finish line. Some young girls (bless their hearts) started yelling,” You can make it, you can make it.” We crossed the finish line at 5:15 a.m., the last place finisher with maybe the fastest time between the last vet check and the finish line. I could not have been prouder of Bo if he’d had the four years of conditioning instead of his meager six weeks.
We walked into the stadium where Bo vetted through, looking very good, I might add, for a horse that just ran and last six miles of a 100-mile ride. We would get our “Spider buckle”.
I stood around for a few minutes looking for someone I knew. It wasn’t a very big crowd of people who had stayed up to see the last place finisher at 5:15 a.m. I finally spotted Jon’s wife, Anne Marie, and the tears welled in my eyes.
She told me that Jon was on his way in and would be there shortly. I assured her that Spider had to be dead, that there was no way he could have survived that fall, and vowed never to do this ride again
Bo ate some hay as we were talking and we saw a truck pull into the parking lot. Jon got out and we hugged and cried, then got down to business of finding Spider. Works were already underway for the search party. I left Jon talking to the search people and went to tuck Bo into bed. I had told Jon to wait because I was going with him. I had Bo squared away and was changing clothes when Ann Marie appeared and said the search party had already left. I didn’t think that I would be able to sleep but told them to come get me the minute they heard anything. I jumped up in the camper bunk at about 7:30 a.m. I laid awake for some time but finally fell asleep. At 10:30 a.m., there was knocking on the camper door and voices yelling that they had found Spider. I could not believe my ears. The first info that we got was that he was swimming in the river. Not all that info was correct but much better than dead. We waited for what seemed like forever for Jon and Spider to show up at the fairgrounds. The Tevis Gods had spoken again, only this time they were smiling.
We spotted the truck and trailer pulling into the parking lot at the rear of the Fairgrounds. I ran out and could see Jon riding in the back of the trailer with Spider. I jumped on the side of the trailer, looking in at Spider and Jon. The truck pulled as close as it could to the barn area and then stopped. I opened the trailer door and out jumped Spider, looking like he had been in a knife fight with straight razors. We walked Spider to the wash rack and washed his cuts and abrasions. He appeared to only have one (1) significant wound, a puncture wound to his left upper front leg. He was not lame and was eating up a storm! His right eye was somewhat swollen and he looked like a prize fighter, (the looser).
I got Bo and took him over to keep Spider company while we waited for the vet to show up to treat Spider. Jon told us of the rescue while we waited.
Jon said that he and two volunteers, and the vet, Jamie Kerr followed the path that Spider had taken off the trail of Cal 2 on his journey down towards the river, with Jon in the lead. He said that he got to a ledge about 50 feet above the river when he looked down and thought he saw Spider’s head lying with his mouth open on top of a giant boulder. Thankfully, what Jon saw turned out to be a piece of driftwood. Just as he decided it was not Spider, Jon heard a noise to his left. He looked and there was Spider, 30 feet away, standing with his hind feet on the up slope of the hill. Jon could not believe his eyes. Spider was trying to reach around and grab a little patch of grass that was nearby. Jon called out for the rest of the party and they came on down the hillside. Jon led Spider to a small clearing where the vet did a quick assessment of Spider’s condition and was given some medical treatment by Dr. Kerr. The volunteers cut some brush and small trees out of the way so that they could walk Spider down this steep section closer to the river.
Dr. Jamie Kerr stayed with Spider, letting him eat the green grasses alongside the river while Jon went downstream to see if they could get to Ford’s Bar. The other two volunteers went upstream but ended up coming right back down. By the time Jon had turned around, Dr. Kerr and the other two had decided that the best way out was the way that Jon had gone, downstream, so they started crossing the river. When Jon met up with Dr. Kerr, the vet was soaked from head to toe as Spider had stepped on his toe and down into the river he’d gone. Dr. Kerr led Spider out about four miles to the waiting trailer in Todd Valley; or the way Dr. Kerr tells it, Spider pulled him up the trail the whole four miles
After Jamie Kerr returned to the fairgrounds, he made a more comprehensive inspection of Spider and spent some time cleaning out the puncture wound. Spider was cleared to go home at about four in the afternoon. Being pretty tired myself, I loaded Bo and headed for home.
The drive home went quickly as I reviewed in my mind everything that had happened in the last 34 hours. I did that same review for the next two weeks and then some.
At about 10:00 the next morning Jon called and said that he was going back to Cal 2 to retrieve his saddle. I told him I wanted to go and met him in Todd Valley, along with my precious Honda Rancher quad. Jon and his wife rode on the quad they had brought and Peter, their son, rode with me. We parked the quads at the beginning of Cal 2 and started walking. Jon shot a video on the walk to where Spider took his spill. We walked the two switch backs, marking Spider’s path with trail ribbon. We found where he had flown over the last switch back, marked it, and then started the climb down. We went down about 100 feet and then decided to use the rope that Jon had brought (300 feet). We secured the rope to a tree and the four of us descended the rest of the way to the bottom. We ran out of rope for the last 100 feet but the mountainside angle had finally started to mellow a little. We are guessing that it is about a 50-degree angle on the hillside. We took a reading on Jon’s altitude watch at the top and then again at the bottom, 750 feet. During the climb down the hillside, backwards, holding onto the rope, we could see small trees and other large bushes that had been dislodged by Spider’s fall. Whole tree branches had been snapped off the trees that he had come close to. His path was very definite. If Spider had gone the extra 50 feet to the river he would of died, but this 750 feet should have killed him too, so who knows? If it’s not your time, its not your time. We spent a few minutes at the water’s edge and then started the trek back up the hillside. Jon had purchased a large quilted BBQ bag, one of those real nice covers that you put over your Weber BBQ. We stuffed his saddle into the bag, tied it off with the rope and within the hour we were up to the trail.
On Thursday of that week Jon invited my wife Nancy and I, along with Tracy and Eric, our outstanding crew, and with their respective significant others to dinner at his house. We arrived about 5 p.m. and went directly to see Spider who whinnied when I called to him and paced around his pen. Jon got him out and I hand-trotted him around to see how he was. He was good to go. Jon told me that Spider wanted to look all scarred up like Bo so that’s why he fell down the mountain. Jon and his wife gave us a gift, it was a Manx Kitten, with the name of Tevis, who thinks that she “is the Tevis God”.
Three weeks later Bo and Spider were racing on the wonderful trails at Point Reyes, The hard rocky terrain of the Tevis seemed so far away.
For more information on Bo and his rise to being a real endurance horse see my story “Eight weeks to Tevis” This story actually happened for the most part before Tevis 2002 and takes you through the conditioning process from a pasture potato to his 8 weeks of training and the completion of the 2002 and 2003 Tevis rides.
The horse I have been training and conditioning for four years came up with a reoccurring problem with his right fetlock, fracture of the sesamoid that never really healed. He could go for a couple of fast 50's and then he would start to have some problems. This was to be by top-ten Tevis horse.
I had another horse that I’d started along last year and he was doing fine until he came up lame in May. I knew you had to have a backup horse but I didn’t think I needed a backup for the backup. The Tevis god’s have spoken.
Being desperate, I borrowed a horse from my neighbor on June 23rd, a 12-year-old Arab named Bo who had been bought at auction. The horse had done some endurance back in April of 2001 and had 150 AERC miles with one metabolic pull. My neighbor’s daughter was riding him when he panicked about a loose saddle and fell off a cliff, hurting himself pretty badly. After he’d healed up enough, he was put out to pasture on 900 acres for that whole year. When I rode him home from, a distance of about 3.5 miles, I thought he was going to die. I had a heart rate monitor on him and it took him over 20 minutes to recover from the ride/trot home. I had some big question marks at that time.
I started conditioning rides with the horse (Bo), riding every day and sometimes twice a day. He did very well, some days being able to do twice what he had done the day before. I recorded all his training rides keeping track of milage, heart rate files, and recovery times. We did quite well on our first 25-mile training ride and then the next week we did a 40-mile training ride. During the last weeks, we were doing about 80 miles a week with our long ride days being on portions of the Tevis trail with our training buddies Jon and Spider. Spider is the horse. We did hard/easy workdays with a high carbo supplement after each work and feeding the work with grain. He had taken to the work very well His most training miles were 83 miles in one week. By his 8th week, which was the Tevis week, I was sick with the flu and we did almost no milage, but Bo was looking very fit, a much different horse from the pasture potato that I had started with seven weeks earlier.
One week before Tevis I decided that I should buy Bo., just in case something happened, so we worked out a price, just a little more than the price of meat, and the deal was done. The eight weeks of conditioning were actually six He had once week off because of a swelling on the left rear caused by a kick during one of our long rides about the 4th week. He had another week off, the week before the Tevis, as he had caught his right front in the lead rope while tied to the trailer. On Monday prior to Tevis, I came down with the flu and was down in bed until Wed. On Thursday, I left for the ride. Jon and Spider had saved us a spot at Robie
Jon and I rode on Friday before we vetted in. We rode about 10 miles, Bo looked fine when we got back, still swollen but not lame at all. Anyway, I vetted him through and he got all A's, so we were good to go. I kept ice on it until we went to bed. Jon got Spider a massage and he looked like he really enjoyed it.
Ride morning started for me at about 3 a.m., with the ride actually starting at 5:15 a.m. I was kinda worried about having lost about 12 pounds with the flu and not having eaten anything since Sunday (not to mention having liquid coming out each portal). Needless to say, I was pleased when I made that first important stop to the Porta Potty and I did more than dribble; now we were really ready to ride.
At about 5 a.m. Jon and I headed for the start line along with 250 other riders. Bo and Spider were all hyped up and ready to go. The trail was set up in three sections, red for the people who wanted to start up towards the front, blue for those who wanted to be in the middle, and white for those in the rear. We started moving up towards the front and just made it into the red section when the line started moving. The trail is only 20 feet wide at this point and we were all packed into this little space with very excited horses, some behaving better than others. As we started moving down the trail, I heard someone behind us holler that a person was down but do not know what happened. As the trail opened up, we started moving faster and faster, riding with someone beside us and of course someone in front and someone in the rear. As we came to a small wooded bridge, there is a guy on a mule trying to pull it across the bridge. He got out of the way and we continued on, heading down to the highway just below Squaw Valley. We crossed the highway and up the steep trail that led us the to top Squaw. Bo was flipping his head and trying to get the rains over the top of the bit. Jon noticed that Bo had managed to get his tongue over the bit and was now bleeding. I looked at the heart rate monitor and it was in the 170-180 range. People were in front of us and behind us, so there was no backing down the way I wanted to. Before the ride, I had decided not to let him get over 160 for any length of time during the ride. As soon as I found a place we could pull over, I pulled the bit off and just rode him with the reins attached to his rope halter (what a mistake). After I pulled the bit we continued down the trail for a quarter of a mile or so when we heard people yelling. We looked up and saw that we (me) had missed the trail and would have to go back up the mountain to catch it.
Jon was in front so I just put Bo on Spider’s tail and off we went. He was pulling on me but when I headed him directly into the other horse's butt there was nothing he could do. We made it up the top of Squaw where they had a water stop. Both horses drank well and we gave them their electrolytes. There are no bathrooms so you just use your horse as kind of a shield and go for it.
From the top of Squaw where the lift stops, you have to go about another half a mile to mile to get to the real top. Wow! What a view, if you take the time to look. From there, the trail drops off into what they call the Granite Chief wilderness area. There is a five-mile stretch so terrible it’s hard to describe. It is a rocky (large and small rocks), steep, downhill stretch with large slabs of rock that you slide down into. Many, many horses are injured on this part of the trail. There are spots where it is muddy and almost boggy. Bo, not having a bit in his mouth, was almost uncontrollable. Spider would get a little bit ahead and Bo would just race through these rocks and mud; scared the hell out of me. My hands were so tired from trying to hold him back that I decided that I had to get his bit back in his mouth, but had to wait until we had a safe place to do it. As we were making our way though this nightmare, a lady in front of us fell off her horse when it slipped. Jon stopped and we blocked the trail until she got back on, after a couple of attempts, and then we were off again. I finally found a spot to stop and redo the bit for Bo; wow, power steering again!
The next obstacle was Cougar Rock . Not as hard as it looks; they take the pictures so it looks like you’re doing something superhuman but it’s a piece of cake. Both horses went up and over, looking good. A lot of the trail is fine dust so if you don't have a mask, you will be blowing a lot of dirt clods. I wore an outlaw-type bandana, which worked great, just pull it up and pull it down. We finally made it to Lyons Ridge, the first kinda vet check; horses get to eat and drink a little, heart rate checked, trotted to make sure they are not lame, and then you are off to Robinson Flat, which is at the 36-mile mark six miles down the road. From here, the trail is pretty nice all the way to Robinson. We had crew waiting for us with all the stuff we would need, plus some food and replenishment of the drinks we carried with us. We arrived at about 10 a.m., both horses vetted through, and we settled down for our one-hour hold. It seemed like we no sooner sat down before we had to get back up again to saddle up.
They pull a lot of horses at Robinson, mostly for lameness and some for metabolic (going too fast). The average pull rate of the ride is about 50 percent with this year closer to 60 percent. The finish rate was in the 40th percentile, with 94 riders finishing.
Jon and I had pre ridden the rest of the trail from Robinson to Auburn in different chunks during the last several months. Because I had to start a new horse, Bo had seen only some of it.
When we left Robinson, we were in 40- 50th position. From there, the ride goes to a water stop at Four Corners and then on to a vet check at Last Chance (an old mining location). The trail was not too bad but very dusty in spots, and they run you down a couple of canyons and back up again, all on single-track trails. We were following three other riders when the female rider’s horse tripped and fell. The rider went over her horse’s head and landed sitting up in the middle of the trail. Her horse skidding on his chin until he was almost right on top of her and then got up and trotted down the trail. One of the other riders got the horse while the lady slowly got up and made sure everything worked. At that point, we passed them and went down the trail. The vet check was just a few miles down the road. We were pleased and surprised to see the woman who had fallen off vetting her horse through, though she had a thick layer of that fine dust all over, especially were she skidded on the trail. Her horse looked fine and she ended up finishing the ride, as we found out later. We ended up staying at Last Chance for a while to let the horses eat. It was only a 15-minute hold but they had good eats, ice-cold watermelon, lemonade, Coke, etc.
From Last Chance, you head down into a canyon with a swinging bridge at the bottom, takes about a 30-minute ride with switch back after switch back. Some people get off their horses and jog down the trail which is single track and rocky in spots, but for the most part you can make good time over this stretch of trail. Time at this point was not a factor. There are cut off times at each vet check and you have to make that time or you are done; over time, you’re out. We started down the trail going pretty fast with the horses feeling great and everything looking good. All of the sudden riders start stacking up on the trail and we’re moving at a snail’s pace. We could see what the holdup was as we looked down the switch backs. I spied some unfit overweight female, slowly walking her horse down the trail. I kept my mouth shut for at least a couple of switch backs and was very proud of myself for that. Then I could no longer contain my frustration and started hollering. I asked for the trail, asked her to speed up, asked her to jog, asked her to pull over when safe and let us by. She basically said she didn’t have to and she didn't. We ended up passing her just before we got to the swinging bridge and didn’t see her again; I don’t think she finished. On the way down, we saw the same mule that we had seen at the beginning of the ride (the one that would not go over the bridge) coming back up towards us. The rider said that his mule would not go over this little tiny wooden bridge that was on the trail just before the swinging bridge, so I guess he was going back to Last Chance.
From the bottom of the canyon, the trail, which is all single track, goes straight up via switch back, for over a mile to Devil’s Thumb. A lot of people tail their horses up, walking behind the horse and holding its tail. It takes 30 minutes riding and a little longer tailing, but you can only go as fast as the people in front of you. When we got the top, they had water and some hay for the horses. After that, the trail flattens out until you get to the vet check at Deadwood, about four miles away. The trail to Deadwood is actually more like a road and doesn’t have many rocks so you can pass there.
The vet check at Deadwood was good, with lots to eat, and we spent lots of time letting the horses eat. From there the trail goes down into another canyon and then back up to the check at Michigan Bluff.
The Michigan Bluff check was even better, with fried chicken and lots of other good stuff to eat. Then it’s only six miles to Foresthill. While in Michigan Bluff, I encountered Bo’s previous owner. She said that the horse would only go so far and then he would just lay down. She asked if I had any such problems and I told her no; nice information to have at about the 60-mile mark in a 100-mile event.
The next stop was Foresthill, the main vet check and a one-hour hold. Our horses vetted through fine, we changed clothes and got something to eat, and then we were gone. The ride goes through the middle of town and all the local yokels were out hootin’ and a hollerin’ as we went by. We headed down into another canyon called the California Loop, on our way to Fransisco’s about 15 miles away. We started this loop in the dark at about 9 p.m. Again, we weren’t too concerned about time as it was just a buckle ride (riding for the finish and not top ten) and trying not to be in the other 50 percent. We’d just headed down the trail when we noticed another rider following quite a way behind us and hollered out for (him) to join us. He turned out to be from Japan and was riding a leased horse. Anyway, as time went on, we started picking up more and more riders. At last count, I think we had about 15 riders following. I started to pick up the pace. Bo had light bars on his breast collar so the other riders could see him as we trotted down the trail. Bo w as doing a great job. At one point, a rider asked who was leading them and doing such a great job, and I answered, “Bo, a gelding.”
The top part of the trail is called Cal 1 and the next section is Cal 2. Bo, who was leading us, had never been on this section of the trail. On about the third switch back of Cal 2, Bo was trotting fast with Jon and Spider right behind us when I heard some scrambling and then Jon saying, "Going down." I turned and looked and could see the light bars on Spider tumbling over and over. My heart sank as I heard Jon yell for Spider, that frantic scream you would yell after your child when he stepped into the path of a freight train. I yelled at Jon to see if he was OK and all I could hear was him yelling for Spider. The other riders were now on top of me as I halted Bo. By that time, I was at the corner of the switch back. Two riders were in the corner, apparently coming up the trail as Spider rolled right over the trail in front of them. As they let me by, I thought that Jon had gone on down the switch back that I was on. I sent the other two riders on to get help, let all the other 15 or so riders pass me, and then went back to find Jon. I finally found him and he was okay, having only gone down about 30 feet or so. We thought sure that Spider was dead because of how steep it was where he had gone down and because of the fact that he had gone completely over the trail in two spots. He went out of sight tumbling over and over and then there was dead silence. After the second switch back there aren’t any more as the trail continues west. Jon asked if I would go on to Francisco's and make sure we got some help. I gave Jon my flashlight and left my good friend in the darkness. Bo easily found his way through the darkness as my tears clouded my vision. I knew that Jon would be okay but I could still hear his screams for Spider in my mind. I knew that other riders that had passed me would get to Francisco's long before me. At this point, alone in the darkness and knowing that Spider was dead, the ride did not seem to be very important. Waiting year after year for the Tevis ride did not mean anything anymore. Bo and I just kind of plodded along and finally came to the vet check at Francisco’s which seemed like forever.
Wonderful volunteers, a couple of young ladies, held my horse while I went over the to person with the ham radio. He said they knew what had happened and that the sweep riders had already been in contact with Jon and were making plans to get him out. I kept worrying about what I was going to tell his wife, Anne Marie. I looked for the signal on my cell phone but no such luck. I decided that Jon had probably already been in touch with his wife on one of the radios that the sweep riders had and that he would beat me back to Auburn by a long shot.
I pretty much took my time at Francisco’s, watching at least 20 riders pass along down the trail. I had no clue what time it was and really did not care. Bo and I started walking on down the trail, a section Bo had been on at least once. We walked along the trail about 200 feet above the American River, the full moon shining brightly, which would have been pretty nice if tragedy had not struck. We just walked in the darkness, not a soul in sight. I could see the tiny green light bars that they had marked the trail with dangling in the air. As your horse moves up and down along the trail you can make out all kinds of shapes and visions. I could see outlines of giant houses with windows and doors. The whole time I was thinking about Spider and Jon’s frantic scream. I decided that this is my last Tevis ride and a DNF (did not finish) at that. I never wanted to feel like this again. I am sure that my eyes were all red and blood shot.
We finally got to the river and crossed without incident. Bo was used to going fast on this last section of the trail. I knew that the last vet check, the quarry, is just four miles down the trail, but really didn’t care. I didn’t even look at my watch to see what time it was and had no idea what the cut-off time was. Bo kept trying to trot and I kept pulling him back to a walk. About two miles after the river crossing, I heard riders behind me. Bo and I just kept walking. Soon there were three riders, the drag riders coming from Francisco’s. Well, that meant that I was the last rider on the trail. They started chatting with me and I told them what had happened. By this time, I could see the lights from the vet check at the quarry. The ladies said that the cut-off time for the quarry was 4:15 a.m. and gave us some encouragement. I started thinking about it and decided that if Bo had it in him, we would give it a try for our good friend Spider.
Bo and I left the drag riders in the dust as we cantered that last two miles into the vet check. The people at the check could hear us coming and started yelling that we could make it. As we neared the check, they lowered a yellow ribbon they had used to direct the horses. The vet ran out to check Bo who got a quick drink and then had his pulse checked. Reaching the mandatory 68, he did a quick trot out and we were good to go. We nailed the 4:15 a.m. check-out time but now we had to go almost seven miles in under 60/minute. Bo had done this section of trail at least three times so he knew it well, but we had never done it in the dark and 60/minute was a real push even for daylight hours on a fresh horse. Bo had already done over 95 miles
Bo seemed to have taken on new life and had to be held back almost the whole way. I knew that if I got to the top of Robie Point by 5 a.m. I could make the finish by 5:15, the cut-off time. Bo ran through a section of the trail called the Black Hole of Calcutta like a champ. He strongly trotted all the way to the top of Robie Point were I checked my watch at 5 a.m. We then sprinted down the trail that weaved in and out, up and down, over some rocky areas, through the star thistle, and under the tree limbs towards the finish. Soon we heard someone screaming from the finish line. Some young girls (bless their hearts) started yelling,” You can make it, you can make it.” We crossed the finish line at 5:15 a.m., the last place finisher with maybe the fastest time between the last vet check and the finish line. I could not have been prouder of Bo if he’d had the four years of conditioning instead of his meager six weeks.
We walked into the stadium where Bo vetted through, looking very good, I might add, for a horse that just ran and last six miles of a 100-mile ride. We would get our “Spider buckle”.
I stood around for a few minutes looking for someone I knew. It wasn’t a very big crowd of people who had stayed up to see the last place finisher at 5:15 a.m. I finally spotted Jon’s wife, Anne Marie, and the tears welled in my eyes.
She told me that Jon was on his way in and would be there shortly. I assured her that Spider had to be dead, that there was no way he could have survived that fall, and vowed never to do this ride again
Bo ate some hay as we were talking and we saw a truck pull into the parking lot. Jon got out and we hugged and cried, then got down to business of finding Spider. Works were already underway for the search party. I left Jon talking to the search people and went to tuck Bo into bed. I had told Jon to wait because I was going with him. I had Bo squared away and was changing clothes when Ann Marie appeared and said the search party had already left. I didn’t think that I would be able to sleep but told them to come get me the minute they heard anything. I jumped up in the camper bunk at about 7:30 a.m. I laid awake for some time but finally fell asleep. At 10:30 a.m., there was knocking on the camper door and voices yelling that they had found Spider. I could not believe my ears. The first info that we got was that he was swimming in the river. Not all that info was correct but much better than dead. We waited for what seemed like forever for Jon and Spider to show up at the fairgrounds. The Tevis Gods had spoken again, only this time they were smiling.
We spotted the truck and trailer pulling into the parking lot at the rear of the Fairgrounds. I ran out and could see Jon riding in the back of the trailer with Spider. I jumped on the side of the trailer, looking in at Spider and Jon. The truck pulled as close as it could to the barn area and then stopped. I opened the trailer door and out jumped Spider, looking like he had been in a knife fight with straight razors. We walked Spider to the wash rack and washed his cuts and abrasions. He appeared to only have one (1) significant wound, a puncture wound to his left upper front leg. He was not lame and was eating up a storm! His right eye was somewhat swollen and he looked like a prize fighter, (the looser).
I got Bo and took him over to keep Spider company while we waited for the vet to show up to treat Spider. Jon told us of the rescue while we waited.
Jon said that he and two volunteers, and the vet, Jamie Kerr followed the path that Spider had taken off the trail of Cal 2 on his journey down towards the river, with Jon in the lead. He said that he got to a ledge about 50 feet above the river when he looked down and thought he saw Spider’s head lying with his mouth open on top of a giant boulder. Thankfully, what Jon saw turned out to be a piece of driftwood. Just as he decided it was not Spider, Jon heard a noise to his left. He looked and there was Spider, 30 feet away, standing with his hind feet on the up slope of the hill. Jon could not believe his eyes. Spider was trying to reach around and grab a little patch of grass that was nearby. Jon called out for the rest of the party and they came on down the hillside. Jon led Spider to a small clearing where the vet did a quick assessment of Spider’s condition and was given some medical treatment by Dr. Kerr. The volunteers cut some brush and small trees out of the way so that they could walk Spider down this steep section closer to the river.
Dr. Jamie Kerr stayed with Spider, letting him eat the green grasses alongside the river while Jon went downstream to see if they could get to Ford’s Bar. The other two volunteers went upstream but ended up coming right back down. By the time Jon had turned around, Dr. Kerr and the other two had decided that the best way out was the way that Jon had gone, downstream, so they started crossing the river. When Jon met up with Dr. Kerr, the vet was soaked from head to toe as Spider had stepped on his toe and down into the river he’d gone. Dr. Kerr led Spider out about four miles to the waiting trailer in Todd Valley; or the way Dr. Kerr tells it, Spider pulled him up the trail the whole four miles
After Jamie Kerr returned to the fairgrounds, he made a more comprehensive inspection of Spider and spent some time cleaning out the puncture wound. Spider was cleared to go home at about four in the afternoon. Being pretty tired myself, I loaded Bo and headed for home.
The drive home went quickly as I reviewed in my mind everything that had happened in the last 34 hours. I did that same review for the next two weeks and then some.
At about 10:00 the next morning Jon called and said that he was going back to Cal 2 to retrieve his saddle. I told him I wanted to go and met him in Todd Valley, along with my precious Honda Rancher quad. Jon and his wife rode on the quad they had brought and Peter, their son, rode with me. We parked the quads at the beginning of Cal 2 and started walking. Jon shot a video on the walk to where Spider took his spill. We walked the two switch backs, marking Spider’s path with trail ribbon. We found where he had flown over the last switch back, marked it, and then started the climb down. We went down about 100 feet and then decided to use the rope that Jon had brought (300 feet). We secured the rope to a tree and the four of us descended the rest of the way to the bottom. We ran out of rope for the last 100 feet but the mountainside angle had finally started to mellow a little. We are guessing that it is about a 50-degree angle on the hillside. We took a reading on Jon’s altitude watch at the top and then again at the bottom, 750 feet. During the climb down the hillside, backwards, holding onto the rope, we could see small trees and other large bushes that had been dislodged by Spider’s fall. Whole tree branches had been snapped off the trees that he had come close to. His path was very definite. If Spider had gone the extra 50 feet to the river he would of died, but this 750 feet should have killed him too, so who knows? If it’s not your time, its not your time. We spent a few minutes at the water’s edge and then started the trek back up the hillside. Jon had purchased a large quilted BBQ bag, one of those real nice covers that you put over your Weber BBQ. We stuffed his saddle into the bag, tied it off with the rope and within the hour we were up to the trail.
On Thursday of that week Jon invited my wife Nancy and I, along with Tracy and Eric, our outstanding crew, and with their respective significant others to dinner at his house. We arrived about 5 p.m. and went directly to see Spider who whinnied when I called to him and paced around his pen. Jon got him out and I hand-trotted him around to see how he was. He was good to go. Jon told me that Spider wanted to look all scarred up like Bo so that’s why he fell down the mountain. Jon and his wife gave us a gift, it was a Manx Kitten, with the name of Tevis, who thinks that she “is the Tevis God”.
Three weeks later Bo and Spider were racing on the wonderful trails at Point Reyes, The hard rocky terrain of the Tevis seemed so far away.
For more information on Bo and his rise to being a real endurance horse see my story “Eight weeks to Tevis” This story actually happened for the most part before Tevis 2002 and takes you through the conditioning process from a pasture potato to his 8 weeks of training and the completion of the 2002 and 2003 Tevis rides.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
JD's Chilly Carolina Ride - Deb Ambrose
Hello all,
This was our first LD a year ago, and now our 3rd 50. Lippy, my Ara-Appy and I drove down Friday in 68 degree weather, light rain, and rising wind. We set up camp in the damp, waited out the rainstorm to vet in inside the covered arena, and the show was on. Just before out trot out, 2 pickups pulled in the side entrance, parked in the middle, and began unloading drums, cymbals and amps for the musical entertainment to come. 6 more horses came in to line the complete perimeter of the arena. Normally Lippy is pretty silly on our first vetting in, slinging his head and passing me by. I took a deep breath, and off we went between trucks and horses, past the open side door to the far end. He stretched out and kept his head by my shoulder, ears up, floating quietly on that soft footing. Down and back, good boy!
Storm passed by, sun went down, wind came up, and BRRRR! It didn't freeze overnight, but the wind was still there in the morning as I tacked up. I tried to join the last of the 50s as we went down the farm alleys toward the 1/2 mile open field at the start. Yes, it was thrilling. Someone had hounds in a kennel nearby, and their baying added to the excitement as we zipped across into the rising sun. Lip was less silly than the last few times, and we managed to link up pretty quickly with Sue Corr-Jackson, whose beautiful chestnut had the steadiest trot.
This ride has a good bit of road shoulder in the first loop, and we have no safe place to practice this at home, so thank goodness the ride mentality kept him thinking "trot down the road, don't worry about the odd vehicle zipping by".
Off the road, into the woods, out of the wind for a while, and around we went. We took turns leading, although Sue did the greater share, and got along great. Cold it was, occasionally we were simultaneously out of the wind and in the sun. My chin, forehead, and drippy nose suffered the most. Solved the, ahem, chafing problem with 2 pairs of cheap Wal-Mart tights.
The only casualty was my poor non-horsey husband crewing, who began to wonder why I was so happy trotting along at a moderate pace, when most everyone else was done earlier. We finished in about 7:30; he preferred the nearly out-of-control Hallelujah Ride time of 5:55. I was glad Lippy was able to relax, eat well and be ridden on a loose rein apart from the first hectic mile or two.
We'd love to try a couple of days of the Gator Run, but if Spouse cannot be persuaded, the Sandhills in March will probably be next, all things in order. Big thanks to Tim and Lara Worden for all their encouragement every time we meet at these SC rides. If you ever camp next to them, you'll be glad you did.
Deb Ambrose and Lippy, 150 miles!
This was our first LD a year ago, and now our 3rd 50. Lippy, my Ara-Appy and I drove down Friday in 68 degree weather, light rain, and rising wind. We set up camp in the damp, waited out the rainstorm to vet in inside the covered arena, and the show was on. Just before out trot out, 2 pickups pulled in the side entrance, parked in the middle, and began unloading drums, cymbals and amps for the musical entertainment to come. 6 more horses came in to line the complete perimeter of the arena. Normally Lippy is pretty silly on our first vetting in, slinging his head and passing me by. I took a deep breath, and off we went between trucks and horses, past the open side door to the far end. He stretched out and kept his head by my shoulder, ears up, floating quietly on that soft footing. Down and back, good boy!
Storm passed by, sun went down, wind came up, and BRRRR! It didn't freeze overnight, but the wind was still there in the morning as I tacked up. I tried to join the last of the 50s as we went down the farm alleys toward the 1/2 mile open field at the start. Yes, it was thrilling. Someone had hounds in a kennel nearby, and their baying added to the excitement as we zipped across into the rising sun. Lip was less silly than the last few times, and we managed to link up pretty quickly with Sue Corr-Jackson, whose beautiful chestnut had the steadiest trot.
This ride has a good bit of road shoulder in the first loop, and we have no safe place to practice this at home, so thank goodness the ride mentality kept him thinking "trot down the road, don't worry about the odd vehicle zipping by".
Off the road, into the woods, out of the wind for a while, and around we went. We took turns leading, although Sue did the greater share, and got along great. Cold it was, occasionally we were simultaneously out of the wind and in the sun. My chin, forehead, and drippy nose suffered the most. Solved the, ahem, chafing problem with 2 pairs of cheap Wal-Mart tights.
The only casualty was my poor non-horsey husband crewing, who began to wonder why I was so happy trotting along at a moderate pace, when most everyone else was done earlier. We finished in about 7:30; he preferred the nearly out-of-control Hallelujah Ride time of 5:55. I was glad Lippy was able to relax, eat well and be ridden on a loose rein apart from the first hectic mile or two.
We'd love to try a couple of days of the Gator Run, but if Spouse cannot be persuaded, the Sandhills in March will probably be next, all things in order. Big thanks to Tim and Lara Worden for all their encouragement every time we meet at these SC rides. If you ever camp next to them, you'll be glad you did.
Deb Ambrose and Lippy, 150 miles!
Good Friends, In Our Hearts Forever - Laura Hayes
Daily for almost 19 years I gazed out my window the first thing each morning to see her. I have a cherished picture of her taken many years ago - Freckles completely white and ghostlike, and her baby daughter in the mist by the pond - standing at attention, gazing off in the distance.
We laid her beside that pond on Sunday - her great heart still, her powerful floating trot and deep dark eyes only a memory now.
Before she slipped quietly away from me, with the help of modern medicine, I sat with her and we remembered all the years together. It started at the horse auction, a grey arab type mare standing on her hind legs, the look of defiance in her eyes. $400 outbid the meat buyers in 1985, and she was mine, or I was hers - we never really established that - but we were in each other's keeping for almost two decades.
We did several hundred miles of endurance in her late teens - she was almost always in the top five and won many BCs with me and other riders, until a chronic lung problem from an old illness forced her retirement. The races were always fun, but with Freckles the training was the high point. She met me at the gate every day, eager to go, happy to explore over the next hill. Unlike any other horse I have conditioned, Freckles and I went further and longer, never wanting to come home. The company was always so pleasurable and comfortable - just she and I.
She ferried my then small son around ride camps after rides, careful to not unseat her little charge sitting proudly on top of the big rangy mare - the competitive endurance horse who galloped to the finish took baby steps with her precious cargo and patiently went here and there at his whim.
We chased cows through my son's team penning days - the only arab type horse in the contest, and she did the breed proud- beating the cow horses to the end of the arena and cutting cattle like she had done it all her life. Maybe she had - her history was unknown- her breeding, though obviously arab, could have also been some TB or QH. Her training had been extensive at some point, but she never told, and I found out in serendipitous moments when she would perform some graceful move at the shifting of my weight or some unintentional cue. Her age was a mystery also, though she was fully an adult the day I outbid the meat buyers.
Our last ride together was two years ago. I took Freckles, or 'Mama' as I called her in later years, to a 'girls weekend' with several friends. I rode her bareback on the trails those two days and wondered why I ever rode any other horse - she was so sure footed and smooth and we fit together like an old married couple.
She wandered the pasture since then. I took her down to the home farm on the lake this summer where she had raised her daughter 10 years before, to enjoy the lush pasture there. She grew thinner and her teeth were almost gone - the NY winter would be difficult for her. On Sunday she was uncomfortable, and stretched out in the late fall sun - her gums white and tacky and a look of pain in her beautiful arab-mare eyes. I knew it was time.
I hope she enjoyed the life I shared with her. I know I did, and I'll never forget - she'll be in my heart forever.
Laura Hayes AERC#2741
We laid her beside that pond on Sunday - her great heart still, her powerful floating trot and deep dark eyes only a memory now.
Before she slipped quietly away from me, with the help of modern medicine, I sat with her and we remembered all the years together. It started at the horse auction, a grey arab type mare standing on her hind legs, the look of defiance in her eyes. $400 outbid the meat buyers in 1985, and she was mine, or I was hers - we never really established that - but we were in each other's keeping for almost two decades.
We did several hundred miles of endurance in her late teens - she was almost always in the top five and won many BCs with me and other riders, until a chronic lung problem from an old illness forced her retirement. The races were always fun, but with Freckles the training was the high point. She met me at the gate every day, eager to go, happy to explore over the next hill. Unlike any other horse I have conditioned, Freckles and I went further and longer, never wanting to come home. The company was always so pleasurable and comfortable - just she and I.
She ferried my then small son around ride camps after rides, careful to not unseat her little charge sitting proudly on top of the big rangy mare - the competitive endurance horse who galloped to the finish took baby steps with her precious cargo and patiently went here and there at his whim.
We chased cows through my son's team penning days - the only arab type horse in the contest, and she did the breed proud- beating the cow horses to the end of the arena and cutting cattle like she had done it all her life. Maybe she had - her history was unknown- her breeding, though obviously arab, could have also been some TB or QH. Her training had been extensive at some point, but she never told, and I found out in serendipitous moments when she would perform some graceful move at the shifting of my weight or some unintentional cue. Her age was a mystery also, though she was fully an adult the day I outbid the meat buyers.
Our last ride together was two years ago. I took Freckles, or 'Mama' as I called her in later years, to a 'girls weekend' with several friends. I rode her bareback on the trails those two days and wondered why I ever rode any other horse - she was so sure footed and smooth and we fit together like an old married couple.
She wandered the pasture since then. I took her down to the home farm on the lake this summer where she had raised her daughter 10 years before, to enjoy the lush pasture there. She grew thinner and her teeth were almost gone - the NY winter would be difficult for her. On Sunday she was uncomfortable, and stretched out in the late fall sun - her gums white and tacky and a look of pain in her beautiful arab-mare eyes. I knew it was time.
I hope she enjoyed the life I shared with her. I know I did, and I'll never forget - she'll be in my heart forever.
Laura Hayes AERC#2741
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