Re: RC: caused enough trouble, yet?!

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

Rides 2 Far wrote:
> 
> but I would > rather> compete on a sound horse who does well in 50's than
> a marginal horse > in100's and maybe potentially ask him to compete
> beyond his capability > and
> > injure him.  My little guy means a lot to me....horses are not
> > "disposable".
> 
> Jim,
> I've had at least as many problems taking care of my horse in a fast 50
> as in a reasonable 100.  To me blasting down hills and going too fast on
> hard surfaces to top 5 in a 50 is far more likely to hurt my guy...who is
> certainly not disposable...than doing a sane 100 mile pace.  Don't ever
> assume that a 100 is twice as bad as a 50.

Again I say...I don't ride against other riders...I ride against the
TRAIL...you're implying that I "try" to Top Ten 50's.  That's not the
case.  I ride my BEST ride for THAT day, depending on my horse's
attitude, the trail conditions, the weather, etc. I look at where I am
at the last Vet Check.....and go from there.  If my horse is doing well,
I may try to catch someone...or hold my position.  If I'm 94th, then so
be it. I have NEVER been pulled for anything except Sunny's "front foot"
problem. He's never been even close to metabolic stress or "pulled"
anything...other than a shoe.  I never knew what place I was at the NCR
until after the ride was over. A 100 may not be "twice as bad" as a 50
overall, but it provides twice the opportunity for injury...and twice
the "wear and tear" on the horse. Check out the number of pulls at the
NCR in the 100.
> 
> I like 100's because they reward caution. I like them because pretty much
> everybody involved has "Gotten Religion" and realizes that neither they
> nor their horses are invincible. There's less "I'm going to beat you" and
> more, "let's help each other get through this".  You really hope everyone
> does well and try to get them through it...if for no other reason than
> the fact that they may be the only person left to ride with after
> dark.... which is a really cool thing and another reason I like 100's.
> I'm a cautious person so I place better in 100's than in 50's where
> taking chances is less likely to get you in trouble.  None of these
> reasons has anything to do with "feeling superior".

So do 50's. "Let's get through this" is not an attitude exclusive to the
100's. I have known you for many years...you certainly are not
"superior"... <EG>. (At least that's what Danny said) However, Kaboot is
a better horse than Sunny...no question....and you are a better rider
than me...no question.  I don't have a problem with that. Sunny's all I
got....and I do the very best I can...but I wouldn't trade Sunny for
Kaboot. I do have a problem with "attitude".  I don't like being treated
like a "2nd class citizen" just because I like to do 50's....or Limited
Distance....or don't have "x" Zillion miles...which is what Cindy
implied, whether she meant it that way or not.
> 
> I hope to do OD, at least.....and maybe Tevis if I can afford
> > it....but only if I feel I can do it on a sound horse.
> 
> Not to pick on you here...but this bothers me.  I see it a lot.  Why on
> earth would anyone *only* try the toughest darned 100's in the world?  If
> you are going to do a 100 with your horse...start out at the Longleaf in
> Mississippi and let him get the idea that he's going to be out there for
> awhile before you throw Sherman's Gap at him.  Bragging rights aren't
> worth that.

Because it's a "one time" thing. I'm not a "newbie" here. Sunny's done a
75. I will prepare the very best I can. I train in the mountains...not
unlike OD terrain. I will ride the same "time out there" required for a
100. I will condition Sunny to the "best he can be". He never did a 25.
I KNEW he could do a 50 long before we ever did one.  I will KNOW he can
do a 100 long before we ever do one. Then...I will TRY it. If ANYTHING
goes wrong..ANYTHING...I will instantly pull... but I can say I've BEEN
there.  I will LEARN from the experience.  Finishing is irrelevant in
this case. I finished the 50 at OD in 11 Hours and 47 minutes...but I
finished.  Ask Jerry Fruth if he cared what his time was at Tevis.  He
FINISHED....and we are proud of him.  He has a "Championship"
horse...because he DID finish.
> 
> >Heather's > horse> Red "smoked 'em" at the PAN AM...but didn't do all
> that well at the> NCR.  Some horses are great on a "flat track", but just
> can't handle > thehills.  The rider is also a factor. If you can get off
> and run with > your
> > horse, or tail him up a hill, etc....all are contributing factors.
> 
> Hey...Heather's Red did BOTH rides...UP FRONT within 7 weeks!  That's an
> incredible accomplishment...and for gosh sakes don't insinuate *that*
> horse doesn't do hills!  (BC at Tevis ring a bell?...1st & BC at PAC with
> 14,000 ft. elevation gain)   Get the feeling looking at Heather that she
> could outrun most of us...but with a horse like that you'd be stupid to
> get off.  By the way...wasn't he third?  You call that "Not doing all
> that well?"

He didn't win...according to Cindy's criteria, that's failure.  In
addition, IMHO, 2 100 mile rides at this level in 7 weeks is marginally
over riding your horse...and it's NEVER stupid to get off your horse..at
least not MY horse.  He needs at least a month off after a 100. That's
not a complimentary statement. He wasn't "National Champion in that
crappy little ride in Kentucky". Based on how he did at PAN AM, he
should have been a shoo in at the NCR. The winner beat him by over an
hour! So who's "best" horse? Which is the best ride? PAN AM? ROC? NCR?
It's all relative.  "Third" ain't good enough from Cindy's perspective. 
You either "WIN" or you don't count. I don't agree with that.
> 
> I will be at the NC next year, Good Lord willin and the creek don't rise.
>  Cindy, you're welcome to stay over at my place too...and I promise not
> to mention the humidity. >g<

You may not mention it, but she will have to deal with it....along with
the rocks, mud, sand, rain, etc.  She might want to consider the
50....and Kaboot would probably clean her clock on that ride...assuming
you're not shepherding juniors! <grin>
> 
> Angie
> 

Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic