Detours, Diversions and Transitions

Enduranceintrospection.com - Full Story

By Patti Stedman | September 19th, 2015

Life is a journey with almost limitless detours. (Ken Poirot)

This has been an unusual endurance season for me.

It started with a fairly abrupt end to any official involvement with the AERC organization. I dare you to find any non-profit, volunteer-driven organization that is without dysfunction, but the foibles and the characters within it were triggering my own shortcomings. I needed out.

This left me to focus on re-finding my mojo for 100-mile rides. I was just on the cusp of grasping, a ride in my sights, when my 100-mile horse, Ace, took a few wrong steps on a conditioning ride. Once, then again. Diagnostics. Ringbone. A month or two of clinging to the hope of a fairly simple fix, some shoeing changes, some joint support in the form of pharmaceuticals and a sad realization that it was not to be. It was too much to ask. I often spend a good deal of time worrying about imagined ‘off’ steps on perfectly sound horses; to ask one who might actually limp, whose retirement might be less comfortable, to carry me to some ego-induced goal? No. Just no.

My husband’s new horse was a bright and sparkly distraction from my disappointment. So much potential, some training and tack issues to resolve. Wynne and I kicked off Memorial Day weekend with a conditioning ride that started with me smugly “fixing” what I perceived as the holes in his training; it finished with a rough fall and a concussion when I pushed him past his tipping point.

Needless to say, I began to question my own competence...

Read more here:
http://enduranceintrospection.com/detours-diversions-and-transitions/

Lincoln Trail 2015

Shawneesunrisefarm.net - Full Story

by Keith Kibler
September 13 2015

The names of Endurance races/rides or whatever you feel compelled to call them, always make me tilt my head like a dog trying to figure out a tricky math problem.

Dead Dog Creek has a Creek but it is not “Dead Dog Creek” nor is a dog involved. “Barefoot Run” is decidedly not a good event to run barefoot. You get the idea.

“Lincoln Trail” used to be somewhere else but it moved to “Kinmundy” which is actually “Omega”, which is a beer sales one room package store (that also has great ice cream, about 12 residents and a dog that barks enough to entice campers to consider deadly force.) Actually, the nearest town is Salem Il. Illinois claims to be the “Land of Lincoln”, but Lincoln was actually from born in Kentucky. But, I digress, Lincoln Trail is in extreme Southern IL. It is on a trail, but Lincoln was never there.
It is also a fantastic ride and, I believe, a ride everyone needs to check out. Ruth Stewart has been putting it on since forever. The Mowrer family who have been hosting endurance rides for most re years than I know also help her.

To say they make you feel welcome would be an understatement. You can ride 50 miles, 30 miles, 100 miles, a novice 15 mile ride or do CTR. To say you have choices would be an understatement. Saturday night features a great potluck with wonderful deserts than Linda slaves over. Seriously, have you had a berry cobbler that is slow cooked in cast iron over a wood fire? The ride is worth going to for the desert alone. The trail is technical and almost always muddy in places. It is what it is. Slow down or you will wish you had.
I usually do the 100 here but my top mare, (Kate the twh really likes this course) is in foal. I sold my second 100 mile TWH, and I recently sold the standie, twh cross I had ready for this 100. So, I was out of 100 mile horses. My next in line horse was Southern Honey, a smokey black 6 year old twh mare. She had one 50 under her belt.

I really want to support this ride and have taken as many as 5 horses to it but this time I only competed one. I did take two others to play with so that my super crew (my friend David) could have something to ride after crewing. It has been about 90 degrees in southern IL but the night before the ride had the temperature drop to about 60.

My bride of 35 years was getting ready for a womens week of camping and riding in the Ozarks and she said that my taking the live aboard would leave her with a “less than clean” trailer. She coyly suggested I take the stock trailer and sleep in the truck. Yup, stock trailer time for me.

Southern Honey is a Pusher bred mare. I know these horses and have trained and competed three of them. They are, well, “emotional” and athletic. You can not bully one of them. If you fight with them you will both get tired and stuff will get broke and you might end up rolling around on the ground together. Seriously, you don’t need the wreck. But, if you can connect with their emotional side and win their trust, you end up with one super duper gaited endurance mount. I had BC’s with both the other ones I trained...

Read more here:
http://shawneesunrisefarm.net/wordpress/?p=425

2015 Canada NAETC - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.us - Full Story

Sunday, 30 August 2015

After Tevis we rested up for about a week at the Shackelford's house. During this week we also made a trip to the Tamberbey Winery in Calistoga to visit Barry and Jennifer Waitte. We had a very fun time seeing the beautiful winery and getting the full walk through of how things work. Amazing wine and great friends. We stayed in Yountville at the Waitte's house. It was a very enjoyable time. The next morning we had breakfast with one of my other moms, Jacqueline. It was fun catching up and visiting. The cameo visit from my highschool friend, Alethea was also amazing! We hadn't seen each other in over 20 years and we picked up right where we had left off.

After doing all of the paperwork for the Canadian border crossing with the horses and dogs and doing all of the summer planning it felt odd to be pulling out of CA. We had an excellent summer staying with Mike and Janet. We also made and stregthened some incredible friendships, old and new.

Onwards... we left in the early evening on Wednesday as the weather through the NV desert is brutal this time of year. Jeremy is an amazing driver and drove all through the night. In the early AM as the sun was rising I took the wheel. Our layover spot was Nebraska, we arrived there around 3 pm. The four horses were really happy to get out and relax. The horse hotel was queit and clean and run by a very nice lady. We stripped the trailer out, refilled mangers and took care of the horses. When all was done we unhooked the truck and drove to "The Restaurant". It was alright. We were seriously zoning out by this point. We went back to our trailer and crashed. Sleep was instant.

We got out of there for another long day to Iowa to stop at the Olson's for the weekend. We arrived on Friday. It was great to get out of the truck for a few days. The horses were happy too...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/519/canada_naetc

2015 Tevis - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.us - Full Story

Sunday, 30 August 2015

Tevis was great up until when it wasn't. My day started off perfectly with King behaving himself very well. He trotted along. King doesn't have a very fast trot as he is more of a cantering horse. The trot pace in general for the morning was around 10 mph, King is really comfortable around 8.5. My choices were trot faster than he goes naturally or canter bouncing around on a horse that was worried he was being left. I opted for the trot. I didn't feel the trot was so big that I was risking a strain or anything like that but it was bigger than ideal for King.

I was lucky that when I got to Granite Cheif I was in front of my group so I got to take my time through this section. King was a perfect gentleman. I did cause a bit of traffic by the end of it as many people were choosing to go faster through that rough section than I wanted to go. Just after the Wilderness area the trail opens up and the Cavalry charged on past us. It turned in to total mayhem for several miles. People were passing by galloping down steep, REALLY rocky sections. Impressive...not in a good way.

King trotted on like a professional. We reached the cabin trot-by and we had gone from somewhere in the top ten to somewhere around 30th I'd guess, after the stampede:)...

Read more here:
http://reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/518/tevis

Crewing Tevis 2015: It Ain’t Over til It’s Over

Redheadedendurance.com - Full Story

AUGUST 3, 2015 / REDHEADED ENDURANCE

This was my fourth year crewing Tevis and as ever there was much to see, plenty to learn, and lots of strategic waiting to do. The weather also threw a nice curveball, as Tevis is always hot but this year it was literally raining en route to Robie, as well at Robinson Flat on Tevis morning. Eventually the sun came out and upped the humidity factor nicely, too. If it wasn’t a big tasty bowl of challenges it wouldn’t be Tevis, right!

This year there were 10 Rushcreeks vetted into Tevis on Friday, here’s a fun group picture. Also interesting to note, 50% completed, in accordance with overall Tevis completion average.

I did my usual gathering of crew bags (including Dr. Lydon’s this year), dialing in of rider wishes (what do you want specifically met with, tack/clothes changes, highlighting small details not to be overlooked), and met my crew buddy. It was still impressively cool and grey as I headed back down to Auburn to my old friend Motel 6–aaand promptly proceeded to lock my keys in the truck while shuffling gear. Fortunately I’d just devoured a #2 Animal Style from In n Out so I was chuckling instead of raging when I called AAA. That was sorted out easily enough and before I knew it the alarm was pinging in the wee hours and it was time to head for Robinson Flat!...

Read more here:
http://redheadedendurance.com/2015/08/03/crewing-tevis-2015-it-aint-over-til-its-over/

My Tevis Ride by Dace Sainsbury

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

by Pamela Burton
09/08/2015

Would you jump at the chance to ride the Tevis 100-mile trail in California, with the previous year’s winner as your mount?

Dace’s story:

“I first met Hillorie Bachmann whilst racing in Abu Dhabi for Emaar stables. I had been with this stables for only half of the season in the UAE so was really getting to know the people, horses and the track. Emaar looked after me so well in the races and I put a lot of trust in the trainers, grooms and the horses, which was invaluable for a newcomer. Hillorie gave me sound advice and supported me throughout the races, and our friendship soon grew to outside the endurance scene. I had never met such a strong, smart and still beautiful woman and I admired her in every aspect. She is my role model.

Hillorie and I had talked about me coming to the USA, but work and my own endurance commitments made it difficult. Early in 2015 however, Hillorie sent me an entry form via the web with my name and French Open as an entry for the Tevis Cup. This was 2014’s winning horse and this was the world renowned Tevis Cup challenge. I was going to make sure that I would be there...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2015/08/09/my-tevis-ride-by-dace-sainsbury/

My Chief Joe Experience - Karen Bumgarner

Karenshorsetales Blog - Full Story

July 26 2015
Karen Bumgarner

I have always wanted to ride the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. This is a special ride retracing the route of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce people after defying orders to move to the reservation in 1877. Sadly, we all know that it didn't end well. After the Nez Perce people faced the hardships of miles, starvation, illness, battles and death, it all ended at Bear Paw when Chief Joseph surrendered.The atrocities of what the U.S. government did to the Indians in those days should not be forgotten. Especially in todays political world where so much is rapidly changing. The heart of the Nez Perce and all American Native tribes are strong and amazing. They have endured a great deal and are tough beyond words.


There are different ways to experience the historic route of 1300+ miles. There is an auto route, a back roads route, or you can hop on an Appaloosa horse and participate through the Appaloosa Horse Club as they complete a segment of trail each year. The ride was launched in 1965 by the late George Hatley who has done so much for the Appaloosa for many years! These riders love the horse, the history and they return year after year! Jim and Anne Mischel have never missed an event! Unfortunately Jim was taken into the hospital at Billings and then went home. Anne has ridden it 47 times and now comes to just enjoy it and her extended Chief Joe family!...

Read more here:
http://karenshorsetales.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-chief-joe-experience.html

Lake Almanor/ Camp Far West - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.us - Full Article

Sunday, 05 July 2015

The Lake Almanor ride was cancelled at the last minute and then in a mad dash, scramble it was re-established at a new location, the Camp Far West venue. Jeremy and I are staying near the Camp Far West camp so we volunteered to help mark trail so that it would eleviate some of the work load from the generous volunteers that had agreed to help host the ride.

We met up with Shawn Bowling and his friend John on the first day of marking. It was HOT and dry. We did 22 miles of the long loop and had some fun with it. When we were done we enjoyed a yummy spread of food and drinks provided by Shawn's wife, Lisa. Very much appreciated.

The next day I went without Jeremy, as he had to do a long run in preparation for his Vermont 100 mile run that is happening on July 18th. Shawn came and picked up my horse and I again. This time Nicole Chappel and I marked one loop while Jeremy Precopio and Shawn morked a different loop.

When we were done we had another Lisa meal:) Then we went over to the base camp to mark out where the FEI and AERC parking were. There were several rigs already in camp. Both days of marking trail were long, hot ones. I got home after 10 pm...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/515/lake_almanor__camp_far_west

My First Official Endurance Ride - Liz Brown

Horse-canada.com - Full Story

by Liz brown
Desk to Derby | June 23, 2015

I’ve been riding every day for almost three weeks in Moab. Surely, I thought, I’m now fit enough to attempt two 50 mile (80 kilometre) endurance races in one weekend.

So we packed up the trailer and drove nearly five hours to the Strawberry Fields Endurance Ride near the Strawberry Reservoir in Utah. Dubbed the “most scenically beautiful ride in the mountain region,” the ride takes you up mountains, through creeks, winds in and out of dense forest and through lush meadows of pretty yellow flowers.

I’ve been told it’s all very lovely and tranquil and I’m sure it is – if you aren’t preoccupied with preventing your horse from bucking you off, worrying about your hydration pack chafing a festering wound in your neck and gritting your teeth because your knees are about to explode from absorbing the shock of hours of trotting...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/desk-to-derby/my-first-official-endurance-ride/

An Old Wife’s Tale — OD 100 - Patti Stedman

Enduranceintrospection Blog - Full Story

By Patti Stedman | June 16th, 2015

[Disclaimer: As I write this post, I do so knowing that my husband may veto its publication. While he grudgingly tolerates my it-sounds-over-the-top-to-say “public” persona, he’s a pretty private guy, and while I might be okay sharing with the world where I peed behind a bush in Vermont, being the subject of a blog post might cause a nay vote. We’ll see.]

My close personal friend Oprah says that everyone has a story.

Without question everyone who rides a horse 100 miles in one day, on what is arguably the toughest 100-mile endurance course in the world, the Old Dominion 100, renowned for its rocks, its heat, its humidity, and its unrelenting climbs and descents — they have a tale to tell.

It was not Richard’s idea to ride the OD 100. It was mine.

He loves the Vermont ride, and rode his first 100 there on Sarge last year.

But over the course of the now eleven years that the two have been competing, I’ve always believed the OD course was right up Sarge’s alley. He’s a mountain goat of a horse, able to climb nimbly over rocks and boulders without slowing, undaunted by huge climbs, able to make time on hard pack with his Amish road buggy trot, and possessed of a work ethic I’ve frankly never encountered in a horse. In short, and I say it repeatedly, Sarge is a rock star.

I’d suggested the OD 100 to Richard, I don’t know, perhaps 47 times and this year he said ‘yes.’ With an important out. As long as it wasn’t too hot. (A prophetic man might have said ‘as long as it isn’t too humid...’)

Read more here:
http://enduranceintrospection.com/an-old-wifes-tale-od-100/

Biltmore 100...Razz and Me

by Mike Everett
May 7 2015

"The time is now!" Those are the words I used to motivate myself to get Razz and me ready to do my first one day 100 mile race. Razz was approaching his 21st birthday and I was bearing down on turning 61 on April 1st 2015. It was time for Razz and me to have our own special time together.

I first saw Razz when he was less than 24 hours old and knew he was for me. He was an impressive Anglo/Arab baby. I finally bought him when he was four years old from his breeders Claude and Marion Brewer. He was Marion's baby. When I bought him she cried as I pulled off. Marion was concerned I would ride him hard and use him up.

Razz was my first round draft pick and my plans were to make him the best possible athlete I could without compromising his wellbeing and long term comfort. He would define my skills as a coach. To everybody's surprise I turned him out for two years to mature.

We started conditioning him at six years old and he has had a stellar career.

I have always been on the cusp through the years of doing a 100 mile race myself but have deferred to Ruth Anne riding and me crewing because it was best for the performance of the horse. Plus, I can't express enough how much satisfaction I get watching Ruth Anne riding and enjoying her time competing.

But, "The Time Is Now!"It was time for Razz and me to do our 100 together. We owed it to each other at this point. So I committed and set a realistic goal to do Biltmore and keep it a priority.

I consulted my neurosurgeon and we made a plan to time my spinal stenosis therapies with the training and ride schedules Razz and I needed to accomplish our goal at Biltmore. Everything went as planned for the most part; almost perfect, really.

The most comforting aspect came into play when Ruth Anne stepped up a couple of weeks before the ride and told me she was going to crew for me. Then Elise Rogers agreed to crew too. We were set. I was confident with the crew in place. I was getting extremely excited to accomplish my goal with Razz.

Razz and I could complete The Biltmore 100 if I rode smart. It was all on me! He was ready and needed me to lead.
The ride began and Nancy Sluys and Zanie and Razz and I started in the rear at a controlled pace. Our horses really paced out well together and came into the first check well. Razz did not drink at all on the trail or in the hold. He is always that way at the first check. Makes me worry but I know he will be fine after a few more miles and he was. He started drinking like a fish and eating everything in sight. He looked stronger as the day went on. He and Zanie became girlfriend and boyfriend. It was fun.

After about 35 miles, in camp I was asked if I was having a good time and I said it was the best time I have ever had at a ride. They said, "yeah but you have only been about 35 miles."I said, "Yes, that is true but it is the first time I have ever been 35 miles on my way to 100 miles." I was so pumped to have this challenge before me.

Nancy Sluys and Zanie and Razz and I came in to the 86 mile vet check. On that loop we had come up on a rider on his final leg of the 75 and a lady on her last loop of the 100. It was a rather slow pace but fun in the dark as Nancy started singing one of her favorite endurance songs. Full moon, dark woods and Nancy Sluys singing. How sweet it was!

Razz vetted through with all As and only 14 miles to go with an out time of 12:44 AM. I was pumped and I felt really good. Home stretch...baby!!!!

Then BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! Zanie was tight in the rear and Nancy pulled! I had lost my prescription glasses and Nancy led us the whole previous loop because I could hardly read the signs. I was not sure I could follow the trail and was talking about pulling. Everybody was rallying around me and telling me I could do it. I was contemplating a rider option but when I said it, I felt soooooo empty. I felt really good and Razz felt really good. As everybody kept cheering me on, I processed the loop in my mind's eye. Pam said, "Trust Razz". Sudi said, "Razz knows the trail now". Elise said, "There is no reason to stop". A turning point was when my lovely and calm wife looked at me and said, "Dad you can do this". Debate over! We tacked up Razz and he trotted out of camp. We were going to complete.

Razz and I trotted about a half mile out and when we got to where our horse trailer was parked he stopped dead cold. When Razz stops.......Razz stops! He would not go. So I got off and hand walked him while he continuously jerked back for almost three miles before I got in the saddle to continue.

Little did I know Stagg Newman had a plan to see me through. All through that loop Stagg, Ruth Anne and Pam Burrows were at different points to cheer me on and let me know how far it was to the finish. This loop was the most fun loop of the whole race. I really was confident and comfortable at this point. God's full moon was shining in the partly cloudy sky and it silhouetted the big trees with definition. Deep in the woods it was magical. I felt like I was following the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz. I was waiting on the trees to throw apples and start shouting at me. Ha, Ha!

Finally we passed the big sheep pen where the big dog had been and then on past the cows to the top of a hill overlooking the Biltmore House on the left. Spectacular place. I reached in my pommel bag and got a container of Razz's sire's cremated ashes and sprinkled them from the top of the hill. The gray ashes sparkled in the moonlight as they drifted to the ground. The moment was so moving to me to be with Razz, my first draft pick, on The Biltmore Estate at 4:00 am spreading his Daddy's ashes.

I have always understood the definition of the AERC motto "To Finish Is To Win" and thought it was just ok. On this magical morning, I felt it's meaning. Razz brought me on in for the win

2015 Biltmore - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.us - Full Story

by Heather Reynolds

May 7 2015

This year the Biltmore was absolutely beautiful. We (Jeremy) booted all four of our horses with the Easyboot Glue ons (we always use them for races) earlier in the week, before we made our drive. This year we would be taking 2 horses each so we could ride both days. Jeremy would be riding Fiddlin on the first day on his first 2* 75 mile race and Honor on the second day for another 2* 75. I would ride Errow on his first 1* 55 miler and King on his first 3* 100 miler.

We pulled out of our driveway at 7 am on Wednesday and roughly 9:30 uneventful hours later we arrived at the stunning landscapes of the Biltmore Estate. Every time we pull into this venue it amazes me how beautiful the grounds are.

We unloaded and took care of the horses. All four had traveled well and it really helped that it was pretty cold out compared to Florida! The low was calling for 37 degrees and in Florida the low had been mid 60's. After all of the horses were cared for we drove into town and had dinner with Lynn Kenelly, Sarah Engsberg and Emmett Ross. We went to a great Greek restaurant. It was a fun evening.

The next day we set up our crew area that Melody Blittersdorf had saved for us. It was perfect, Thanks Mel!! Then we spent the day in the usual, day before race fashion scurrying about. Jeremy was doing hooves for people and we also pre rode all 4 horses and checked in, vetted in and weighed in. Our friends Lynn and Mark Ashby came in that day as well as Amy Hall. The day ended with the ride briefing and off to bed.

The 2* race at the Biltmore on Friday was the Pan American and Young Riders time trial for riders wanting to make the teams. There was a great turnout for this. Our new Chef, Mark Dial and new team veterinarian Ann Christopherson were there at full attention as well...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/513/biltmore_2015

Nevada Derby I, 50 miles. Flying On The Ground.

EasternSierraRider Blog - Full Story

April 9 2015
by Jennifer Langlo Sheldon

Peter, Rio, Hana and I arrived at ride camp at Washoe Lake, NV. on Friday, April 4th in the late afternoon. Rio and I would be riding the 50 mile endurance race the next day. After setting up our nice camp site, taking Rio through his pre-ride vet check as well as taking him and Hana on a few walks, then going to the ride meeting, I went to bed early and fell asleep instantly.

The 50 mile race would be starting at 7 a.m. I set my alarm to wake up at 5:30, but I had such a great night sleep that I woke up at 5. After dressing and putting water on for coffee, I went out to give Rio his breakfast. Although I had gone to bed with a bright full moon, it was pitch black at 5 a.m. A lunar eclipse was happening. Beautiful! I was happy to see that Rio had ate all his dinner and drank quite a lot. I fed him his breakfast of grass hay, and then went inside to get ready.

In the last two endurance rides/races that we have completed this year, Rio has proven to me that his fitness level is to the point of finishing his last 10 miles as fast, or faster, than his first 10 miles. I feel that I am doing him justice and allowing him to be the exceptional athlete that he is by going a faster pace now that he has proven himself. He is either pulsed down upon arriving at a vet check, or within 4 minutes. He takes good care of himself, and his attitude is great!

For me, racing Rio to be in the top ten depends on a combination of things, including the pace of other riders, and how Rio is doing that day...

Read more here:
http://easternsierrarider.blogspot.com/

Eastern Mojave Scenic XP 2015: Sweet and Sour

RedHeadedEndurance Blog - Full Story

by Aurora Lily Grohman

Sunday, February 15, 2015
Eastern Mojave Scenic XP 2015: Sweet and Sour
Let me tell you a story. It's a winding tale of ups and downs of a horse and rider who have spent the last year and a half ironing out their game, and fortunately it's all mostly already been told. From the first AERC ride together after purchase and back soreness at Gold Country 2013 to the first RO at Chamberlain Creek, to the first 50 completion with back soreness at Derby 2014 and on to the RO at Gold Rush Shuffle 2014 for poor behavior (but no back soreness!). Not featured so prominently in those blogs because I really only care about my horse and have been battling it forever, are my migraine/heat issues that take me down at or after nearly every single ride. Endurance is called what it is for a reason, certainly.

So now we come to Scrappy and I merrily setting off for Eastern Mojave XP, 4 days of riding that I hoped would calm down the race brain exhibited at Gold Rush Shuffle. It was a 12 hour haul and quite interesting to pull into unknown desert ride camp in the dark, alone, and find a spot and pitch my tent, but it was done quite handily if I do say so myself...

Read more here:
http://redheadedendurance.blogspot.com/2015/02/eastern-mojave-scenic-xp-2015-sweet-and.html

2015 Seasons first ride ~ Blackbutt 80km - Mindy Nguyen

ToCompleteIsToWin Blog - Full Story

2/2/2015

30 January 2015 I got up at the crack of dawn to ride Azzaro at home. He wasn’t doing a ride for a few weeks but I was starting to leg him up slowly in preparation for a 40km sometime in the coming weeks. We rode up into the hills where we watched the sun rise over the Surfers Paradise high rises and filter across the long stretch of Gold Coast beaches. Then we climbed even higher into mountain goat country. I jumped off and climbed up the steepest sections to get some fitness for myself. Azzaro wasn’t training for the Quilty so it wasn’t necessary to make him carry me up but this climb was the perfect way for me to prepare my own fitness for Teddy. Azzaro did well and I was feeling great!

Afterwards about lunch time I packed up my car and headed to my best friend Monique’s place to pick her up. We were on our way to the season’s first ride at Blackbutt, north of Toowoomba. Monique is now expecting… a very proud mummy to-be of a little girl so she wasn’t riding but was coming along to have some fun in the atmosphere she missed so much. She always looked after me so well and I often called her my “wifey” as she even knows me better than I do sometimes and we tend to fuss over each other a lot especially when our husbands aren’t around to do the fussing.

At Blackbutt we would meet up and camp with Karen and Mick. They were bringing Teddy down so that I could do the 80km ride in an attempt to get him qualified as “Open” in preparation for the Tom Quilty in June. Karen was also collecting her new horse Pumpkin from the ride and doing her first 20km. We were all bubbling with excitement with so much to look forward to.

I really love rides that are close to my home town of Toowoomba. Any chance I get to go that way I love to drop in and see family. So Monique and I went via my Grandparents where we had lunch and spent some time with them. Then we collected some Splendacrest riders who were going to be riding for Nicholas on two of his horses in the 80km. It was a long but fun drive along picturesque roads, good music and in great company...

Read more here:
http://www.tocompleteistowin.com/mindys-blog/2015-seasons-first-ride-blackbutt-80km

On The Edge Day 2 - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.us - Full Story

by Heather Reynolds
25 January 2015

This past weekend we did the "On The Edge" ride at Black Prong. On Thursday afternoon we loaded up Sudden, Errow and Jetta to go vet in for the following days 50. I would ride Sudden (of course, he's one of my favorite horses!), Jeremy would ride Errow and Cynthia Peticulous would ride her horse Jetta (that we have at our house, in training). We put the horses in our small 4 horse to have a trailer to haul home and back during the weekend. It was calling for rain both Friday and Saturday so we also took our LQ so that while it was raining we would have a place to hang out during our holds. Lucky for us the race is only a 20 min drive.

Just before we went over to the ride we realized that for the ump-teenth time our trailer wasn't charged. It had been plugged in but everything was dead... very depressing as we have recently had it in the shop several times for this very issue. We got the tractor and jumped the batteries so that we could operate the jack legs and put in the slide outs. We were taking this trailer come hell or high water!

After the circus of getting both trailers road worthy we headed over to the ride. Cynthia met us over there and Jetta went to her rig for the night. I went and got our paperwork and then we vetted in Sudden and Errow. This was Sudden's second time at this venue and he seemed like he knew what was going on this time, he was so much more relaxed. Errow was cool as usual. They both vetted great.

We had to use our smaller rig to jump the LQ batteries so that we could put out our slides on the LQ, oh what fun!...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/510/on_the_edge_2_day

Kevin Myers and Far, Tevis 2009

Tevis Ride Stories Blog

Quoting Julie Suhr: How Will You Know How Far You Can Go Until You’ve Gone Too Far?

Far and I took on the ultimate challenge last weekend and I daresay we are both stronger beings as a result of it, and I have yet to find my own answer to Julie Suhr’s question. . .

Far: who could resist?

I have felt drawn back to the Tevis trail since riding it two years ago on a wonderful horse lent to me by a generous friend. There is not a more challenging trail and there may only be a few trails on earth more beautiful and more liberating than the Western States Trail. I have yet to find them. I rode in Easyboot Glue-On boots this year, and the difference from riding in steel shoes was quite remarkable.

Far is one of those horses you know will only cross your path once in your life. I am fascinated in his curious mind and by a fire that burns in him very deeply. He grew up in the large open spaces of the mountains in the interior of British Columbia and he loves life...

Read more here:
http://tevisride.blogspot.com/2015/01/kevin-myers-and-far-tevis-2009.html

Dubai Wrap Up - Heather Reynolds

ReynoldsRacing.us - Heather's Blog

Wednesday, 14 January 2015
by Heather Reynolds

Pictured above: Riverwatch on his 3rd loop

We went to the race venue on Friday afternoon. We walked around briefly and then had lunch there. The venue was beautiful. The permanent vet check makes it very nice and established.

The hold area is landscaped. You arrive off of the trail on a track with gaurdrails. You go through something that looks like a ticket window counter. There is a walkway/bridge to get from the one side of the venue to the other, above the ticket counter window/walk throughs (kind of like you are entering a castle). There are about 6 or so arrival walk throughs. There is also a tower on both sides of the bridge for the announcer to view the race from.

The horse wears a GPS tracking system which is on a headstall that is put on by the vet staff when you vet in. It stays on for the whole event. This system is the system that registers your arrival time. When the horse passes through the arrival gate (ticket window) it registers to a computer system. Then you proceed across the cooling area. This is a wide area with many, many garbage cans full of water to cool the horses from. In this section, whoever designed it had great foresight. The whole ground is covered with rubber mats and there is a drainage system to recycle the water. If you have ever done mass crewing with a lot of water, you would appreciate the fact that you won't be in a swamp of crazy mud by the middle of the race. From the cooling area you proceed through another electronic time gate for your pulse. Once the horses crosses over that line your recovery time is recorded. Then the vet takes your heart rate with a hand held heart rate monitor and the pulse displays on a big digital read out so anyone watching can see the pulse. This area is very nice, green grass. Then you proceed to the trot out lanes, again being very nice green grass. You stand for vetting as usual and then, when ready, you trot down and back on the manicured grass lane for the vet...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/509/dubai_wrap_up

Greenway Gallivant - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing Blog - Full Story

January 5 2015

This past weekend we did the Greenway Gallivant 2 day ride. It was really fun. The camp had changed locations from years past and with that there were entirely new trails. The best part was that we had an FEI ride in OUR town!!!

Nicki and Andy came up, so it was fun to see them as well:) When they arrived we loaded up our four horses and drove over to the ride site, a whopping 25 mins. Part way over to the ride we got a text from a young rider who needed her horse's feet done. Jeremy got out of the truck and he and Andy doubled back to get the size Easy shoe that was needed for her horse while Nicki and I continued on.

We got the four horses all settled. King and Rictik would do day 1 so they stood on one side of the trailer, while Sam and Fiddlin were doing day 2 and they were on the other side. After getting all of them hay and water I went and got the paperwork taken care of and then Jeremy was there and we vetted in King and Rictik.

Nicki was going to ride Ellen Olson's horse, Scarlett on the 2* for day 1. I would ride King on the 2* and Rictik and Jeremy Reynolds would do the 1*...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/505/greenway_gallivant

The “C” Word - Kat Irvine

from Kat’s adventures in Abu Dhabi for the Al Maktoum Cup

January 6, 2015 - It was quiet at the barn this morning. We put our last ride before the race on the horses with bending and stretching exercises and turned them out for the day with fly sheets and masks without having getting the sweated up. The barn inside was quiet with horses getting last minute, feel good treatments and there was even a saddle being cleaned. This would be the last quiet moments because when the crews got there, the pandemonium would start.

In those moments, before the distraction would start I had to approach Jess with a subject that is sensitive between us. She rolls her eyes when I dare to use the "c" word. Camel market.

The camel market and the village is the center of the camel racing culture. As we come into the village there are miles of race tracks and not unusual to see a trainer with half a dozen or so camels of all ages as they exercise along the track. The all have racing silks of sorts, matching blankets on them and some have the colourful crocheted muzzles.

I had made no secret to Jess I wanted a muzzle. Besides, it was time to pick up fresh alfalfa. And given that our vet Dr. GlenN, who is known far and wide for his advocacy of date syrup, would love to have some of the local produce, Jess agreed that it would be okay if we went "just this once".

I love the camel market. I love the little stores filled with all kinds of things- rainbow stacks of feed tubs and buckets, carpets, robot jockeys, hay, etc. Just to be clear, this is not a tourist place. There is dust on everything, the store owners don't speak English, and why would anyone want a robot jockey anyway?

Camel racing is one of the UAE's traditional sports and an important part of the region's heritage. However, there was vigorous international criticism of the use of young children to ride camels during long and hazardous races. Many of they children are said to be have been kidnapped and trafficked from South Asia.

Robotic jockeys were invented to take the place of small children in order to lower the level of child labor as well as the risk attached with the lives of those young children.

I didn't want a robot jockey, I wanted a camel muzzle.

"Why do you want a camel muzzle?" Asked Jess.
"Because not everyone has one." Was my reply.
There is no arguing with that kind of logic.

So off we went the first thing we did is pick up our fresh alfalfa or "grass" as our driver, Madhu, has learned to call it. He, as usual does the dealing and wouldn't you know it our bundles are getting cheaper all the time!

Then off to find the camel muzzles. Our first store owner was uncooperative. After we (Yep, she got into the spirit) had gotten all excited about picking out our colours and tying our fastening strings in, Madhu said, "leave it".

We carried on and in a few steps we came across our date vendor. That's all he had to sell, dates and date syrup in 2 litre pails and little containers that look like they hold about a litre. Great, the horses and we will have our power boost.

Next store we had better luck with the camel muzzles and got a really them at a good price.

Follow the rest of Kat’s adventures at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2015MaktoumCup/