Re: RC: Malik's first 50 (or 40)

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Thanks, Heidi.  I am so surprised that I feel so good about a pull!  It was
a great 40 miles though and I learned soooooo much about my horse (and
myself...).  It was hard for Jenny to admit she should pull her horse.  The
vet would have let her go on and I am sure we could have found a sponsor
for her.  She was disappointed but talking about it the next day, I was
surprised at how much insight she gained from it. I told her that I will
not always be with her forever as a sponsor and someday she may have to
make the decision to pull herself.  What is it Spock said?  Sometimes, the
needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.  Something like that. 
Always, we must put our horse's well being ahead of our own desires (top
ten or first or whatever!).  I think Jenny is learning....one fellow made a
great comment!  He said there are really only two classes of riders, those
who have been pulled and those who haven't been pulled yet! 


Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
10601 S. Richards Rd.
McBain, Michigan 49657
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
mmieske@netonecom.net

----------
> From: heidi sowards <ribbitttreefrog@yahoo.com>
> To: Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>
> Subject: Re: RC:  Malik's first 50 (or 40)
> Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 12:20 PM
> 
> Congratulations Maggie, and way to listen to your horse!!
> Malik sounds like a really good boy! It sure makes it easy
> when they "talk" so clear doesn't it?
> 
> heidi
> 
> 
> 
> --- Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net> wrote:
> > The day of Malik's first 50 was forecast as hot and humid
> > earlier in the
> > week and so it was.  I prepared all week long for that
> > possibility and it
> > paid off!  We set off with the middle of the pack and
> > stayed there.  Malik
> > would have preferred FRONT of the pack but they don't
> > make seat belts for
> > Big Horns!  Even with Max, his buddy,  with us, Malik
> > knew right off what
> > this ride was about!  In spite of trying to pull my arms
> > out of their
> > sockets, we managed a controlled lope for the first 15
> > miles until we
> > arrived back in camp for the first check.  He pulsed down
> > within a couple 
> > of minutes.  We spent a LOT of time sponging and using a
> > sprayer on him. 
> > It was SOOO humid!   He looked GREAT but hadn't been
> > interested in drinking
> > much when Nelson pitted us and when we crossed a little
> > stream.  He
> > wouldn't eat his beet pulp mush...he ate hay and grass
> > though and sipped
> > water so I tried to chill out.  Vet said he was good to
> > go.  The next 10
> > mile loop went pretty fast...he was having a ball.  Even
> > taking the lead
> > from Max and just LOVING what he was doing.  No more
> > pulling, even
> > switching leads on his own once in awhile.  At the second
> > check, he pulsed
> > down quickly again and we spent lots more time with water
> > and scraping and
> > spraying (those little 1 gallon pump up sprayers...we
> > bought it more to
> > hose him in his "delicate" parts because we knew there
> > was a lot of
> > sand...came in very handy spraying his neck and legs,
> > too) but his gut
> > sounds were a C. (The vet said a lot of people were
> > having scores like this
> > due to the heat and humidity).   I was pretty concerned
> > but we spent this
> > 50 minute hold letting him eat more grass and dosed him
> > with pro bi and
> > lytes. He nibbled on his mush and ate some carrots and an
> > apple.  He was
> > drinking much better now.  He and Max had rolled at both
> > checks and we had
> > to spend considerable time cleaning the dirt off of them.
> >  Didn't want
> > anything irritating their skin under their saddle and
> > tack. Gut sounds
> > definitely improved after this hold so started out for
> > the 15 mile loop
> > again.  By now, the trail is chewed to hell!  The first
> > time around wasn't
> > bad but now the sand was even deeper and trickier.  Malik
> > was a little
> > stiff in his rear so we started out walking until he
> > loosened up a bit.  He
> > was much calmer by now.  But still willing and able to
> > keep going.  We went
> > much slower this loop and it was a little more fun than
> > the first time
> > though I was worried about the sand and Malik's rear
> > being sore.  We leap
> > frogged positions for awhile with 3 other riders...Nelson
> > discovered at
> > some point that we were actually running 9th and 10th and
> > with switching
> > back and forth, wobbled between that and 12th and 13th. 
> > I was amazed but
> > really didn't hold out hope for top ten...I wasn't going
> > to push Malik at
> > this point or any other.  They drank well on this loop
> > and we walked into
> > the 3rd vet check.  Recovered great again.  All As and a
> > B (gut sounds). 
> > To make a long story short, Max popped his packing on
> > this loop on his RF
> > pad and ended up somewhat footsore.  Easily remedied when
> > your crew is a
> > farrier.  But Malik was definitely quite sore in his LH. 
> > We walked him and
> > massaged him a bit (it seemed to be high inside of his
> > thigh) and sometimes
> > it looked fine and then it was noticeable again.  So
> > after talking it over
> > with Rae Birr, we mutually decided to pull them both. 
> > Malik and Max both
> > had a great ride...their scores IMPROVED all day in spite
> > of the heat and
> > humidity.  My tanking up strategy during the week and
> > especially Thursday
> > and Friday (thanks to Susan's article in EN) made the
> > difference, I think. 
> > I added some extra salt those days, too and monitored
> > their water intake
> > and they drank alot before we ever got to the ride! 
> > Their skin tenting was
> > always an A, juglular and cap refill....all that stuff
> > that is so important
> > to hydration.  Malik is holding his weight better this
> > time than with the
> > last ride (when we did 2 25s, a comp and an LD back to
> > back) and doesn't
> > look gaunt or tucked up at all.   I am pleased with his
> > progression and I
> > think we are looking at doing another 25 LD before our
> > next 50...there is
> > an easy one coming up in July that is fairly flat with
> > not so much sand. 
> > The bio scan lady is coming to treat those areas on the
> > inside of his
> > thighs that seemed to get sore.  I guess we'll work some
> > more hills after
> > he has a few more days off and try to build that muscling
> > up.  He is still
> > growing, too so have to keep that in mind as well. 
> > So...even though I
> > thought I would be greatly disappointed, I think we had a
> > great ride and
> > pulling our horses was the thing to do.  There are
> > occasional 35 and 40
> > mile CTRs offered at Michigan rides so maybe doing some
> > of them wouldn't be
> > a dumb idea either.  
> > 
> > Maggie Mieske
> > Mieske's Silver Lining
> > 10601 S. Richards Rd.
> > McBain, Michigan 49657
> > http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
> > mmieske@netonecom.net
> > 
> > 
> >
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