Tevis (yet another round)

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Char Antuzzi char_antuzzi@hp.com
Thank you to all the people that e-mailed me with all the advice
on riding my first Tevis, as expected I was also slammed a bit 
but that was to be expected. I want to clear some things..
First of all I have been in the training business for 30 plus years and have conducted many clinics, I have been a carded judge for 10 plus years and have judged all over both western and english and have been a breeding manager at a very large TB racing outfit so horses are NOT NEW to me. I wanted some advise 
pertaining to Tevis and I will take all I can get from the riders
that HAVE rode Tevis, I will listen to those that have not riden it but I feel the information is better from those that did go 
through Tevis. I am not out to hurt myself or my horse as some of you have suggested, nor am I riding the Tevis for the ego trip as I have heard. I am riding it for my own goal and the ride is in my back door step. I have riden the trail for many years, I have crewed for two years and I am riding a couple of 50s and a 70 before Tevis. Motivated yes, new to endurance yes, stupid NOT! My horse ( and yes stud is a stallion for all those confused) is worth more to me than a Tevis buckle and I can tell what kind of day he's having and have the mind set to pull him if I need to BEFORE anything bad can happen to him. Thanks to all those that gave me encouragment, this is a great sport with alot of very nice people in it that are willing to go out of there way to help a newbie with high goals.