XP crewing experiance

[guest@endurance.net]

Jonni (jonnij@ntws.net)
What a heck of a way to spend 8+ weeks...crewing and driving the rig on
the XP2001. When I volunteered for this, I really had know idea how this
event would truely get to me. Even not riding, just spending 8 weeks on
the road with all the wonderful folks participating has given me memories
I will have for life. We joked it was sort of a big gypsy camp, moving
across the nation with horses in tow. For those who were there, it is hard
to really put into words the whole experiance. It also gives most of us a
whole new outlook on one day rides, and endurance riding in general. After
the first week, we fell into a rather basic routine. My rider (Roxanne
Greene) had 3 horses along. Each morning the alarm went off at 4AM. I was
feeding a "breakfast" to the horse going that day, while she got her
riding clothes on. At 4:30 I saddled the horse for her. The saddle was set
to go, having water bottles, electrolytes, GPS etc. already there from the
previous day. We used the same bridle on each horse. A halter bridle, that
the bit hung from straps that snapped on the bridle. We would just unsnap
the bit and change to another if the horse required it. Less tack to have
hanging in limited space with just one headstall. At shortly before the
5AM start, we would head to the vet, trot out, mount up, and I would send
them down the trail. Amazing that it seemed to take more than an hour to
get ready in the past for rides. We got it to a routine that was like
getting ready to go for a pleasure ride at home. After she was out, I
would break camp. Another routine I got down to "simple". It usually took
me about 10 min. to be ready to leave. We tied to the trailer, so had no
corral panels to deal with. Buckets were all the same type, and stacked
nice in trailer. Had straps with snaps on side of trailer that I could
hang hay bags inside for hauling, or from same straps outside at night. I
kept up after basic camp items, to prevent clutter of things not being
used at that moment. Easy to pack and go! Horses not going that day had
hay bags in trailer to start on breakfast, and we would head out. If water
was not available in camp, we had to stop to fill contailers and tanks
someplace on the way to the next location. Many drivers had to go meet
riders at lunch, but we had a drop bag going, so I could head to the next
camp. Oh, of course when available, stopping for an egg McMuffin on the
way, or maybe Walmart was a must. (grin) When arriving at the next camp,
horses were unloaded, fed and watered. After traveling on the many dirt
roads, I found they drank a LOT when they arrived. Setting up camp was as
simple as breaking it. Look for a place with the best footing...least
rocks, sagebrush, ant hills etc.and as flat as possible, and a bonus would
be to park for shade to be on the sides of the trailer, as to front and
back. Sometime during the day I would do any treatment for sores, cuts,
scrapes or whatever. We had one horse get cut and need stitches, and
scratches on one. Otherwise we did pretty good. Using cotton ropes saved
us from the one potintial rope burn. (horse scratching ear with rear foot)
We varied our feed. Bought hay along the way, and did not worry about feed
changes. Were able to buy Purina feed the whole way, and fed Strategy,
some Alfalfa pellets, Oats, beet pulp, bran and hay. If the horse rejected
one feed, we would offer something else. Horses that are used to constent
feed changes seem to do better with changes than those who are not use to
feed changes. It worked for us, while it might not have worked for others.
We had beed doing some feed changes before the event to prep the horses.
No problem buying hay along the way. End of the day, Roxanne would get in,
and again, a fairly simple routine. Bran mash ready to go, clean up horse,
untack, clean tack and saddle pad as needed for next day, check supplies
in drop bag, and saddle bags, change GPS batteries, and she was ready for
the next day.

It is interesting that someone was tweeked over what they saw when walking
through camp after the last day. After being on the road for 8 weeks with
these people and animals, I feel they were often better cared for, than
horses who come home after a one day ride. We LIVE with these horses night
and day. We know right away if they are off feed, not feeling as good as
normal, a little sore, wounded, or just not "right". How many horses are
brought home from a one day ride, and tossed in a pasture and not looked
at closely for days. A complaint was made that someone was using bute on
the horse. Probabaly. Bute is pretty common, and I bet most everyone on
this list has some in the barn. A horse given Bute, does not mean it was
being RIDDEN on the ride on bute. We had one get kicked and go lame and
had to bute her until she got a trailer ride home. Many horses had rubs,
sores etc. from tack. Riders were aware, and treated them as needed. The
most common rub area was from wearing a halter day in and day out. Hair
loss on the face was very common.

 Take any other 40 rides from the AERC calender in a years time, combine
them, and see if you can have such a great record for lack of "problems".
We had outstanding completion rates each day, with horses going on the
next day...again and again. I believe only one horses was treated at the
end of a day, and it seems it was maybe from some bad water it drank, and
not stress. I can only think of one rider injury that prevented the rider
from riding on. I think just two horses had to be stitched up from cuts.
When you put together the number of horses, number of trail miles, number
of travel miles with the rigs, this was one heck of an achievment. (of
course someone will still try to find SOMETHING bad to say about it)

I am so glad to have been a part of this grand adventure. This type of
event is not for everyone. If you are not a self motivated person, and
need everything spelled out to you, you will not have as much fun. It is
endurance riding as it used to be. No frills. Just a great trail, and some
great people to join you along the way. Everyone helping each other get
the job done.

Looking forward to the possible cross country ride in a few years. I am
hooked....but next time, I RIDE it! YeeHaw!!!

Jonni, glad to be home in Texas
jonnij@ntws.net