Ridecamp: [RC] Trying out horse

This is a combination "how I bought Lex" and NASTR ride report.  I sent this
report to Joanne Gibson, breeder and Laurie Bohannon, former owner of "LEX",
who just carried me, at age 69, through my first endurance ride.  Lex is age
11 and this was his first endurance ride.

    Sometimes a person just has to trust the advice of experienced people.
Thank you Laurie for telling me that Lex had endurance potential...you
remember I didn't even see him trot until I got him to CA.

    We arrived in Bishop on May 3, and got a new set of shoes on May 6.  The
farrier did the best he could and I know the next set will be an
improvement.  During the following month I was out of town for a week.

    I started Lex slowly and have probably done fifteen (15) sessions,
including a decisive ride on June 6, with my son Tom Reid riding Lex.  Tom,
years ago did a lot of Three-Day Events and more recently finished a few
50's.  Tom is now deeply wrapped up in long-distance bicycling.

    June 6 while doing a slow 15-mile conditioning ride Tom suggested that I
go with Dick Dawson and Don Harris, to NASTR (Palomino Valley, NV) and do a
slow 25.  I hurried to get things together for an early Friday departure
with Dick.  With just a bit of encouragement and Dick's promise to ride
slowly, I decided to do a 50, and to finish at 11:55 time.

      We lined up at the start at 5:58 am, turned and walked back to camp
allowing the controlled start to get a half mile ahead as we slowly returned
to start line and proceeded to walk slowly for a mile.  It was a cool
morning and Lex was slow-walking on a loose rein, having to trot
occasionally to keep up with 17-year old Jake, who has finished Tevis four
times and will be there again this year. About 15 miles out we were
overtaken by two very experienced riders, but they declined to pass and we
moved out to about 3/4 miles spacing.

      We came into the lunch one-hour break, after 28 miles, at 12:34 at HRM
68, Lex dropped his nose in the water tank, HRM dropped to 62, I moved to
the PR person for a 52 reading and to vet for nearly all A's and one B+.  We
were out at 1:34 for a 17 mile loop which we completed at 4:05, and another
vet of A's and one B+.

      We were out at 4:19, with five people behind us for a so-called 5
mile, which was very generous, as we completed at 5:03 pm, with maybe 6
behind us.  Came in at HRM 67, dropped his nose in water tank, HRM 62,
pulled saddle, chilly wind so tossed on a light blanket and went directly to
vet.  Great CRI of 48, clean and willing.

      Laurie, I really would like for you to describe his actual training
record.  We trotted mile 48.5 to 49, on a contact rein with neck in a
classic English Pleasure attitude, well tucked under and moving in perfect
balance.  I was riding with egg-butt snaffle and in my 25# Slim Fallis
Balanced Ride western saddle.  Our ride weight was 186#.

      Thank you for breeding and training such nice horses.            Floyd 


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