Ridecamp: Re: [RC] ] Newbies

I think that it's good to tell things like don't dunk 
the sponge in a water trough, vet check procedure and 
electrolytes for first time riders.  One of the gals 
didn't have a clue about electrolyting until I showed 
her the syringe and how to mix it up.  This is the day 
before the ride after we arrived in ridecamp.  She's 
going to do Tevis this year (no - I didn't give 
her "advice" on Tevis.... she's doing this one on her 
own!)  

Another one of my friends who was a ride and tie person 
was soundly reprimanded by the vet for riding too fast 
on her 1st LD and not electrolyting - resulting in a 
thumping horse.  She just didn't know; and she could 
have been saved some embarassment about the poor horse's 
condition if someone had clued her in.  She did learn 
though and is a very conscientious rider now.

The last newbie I took to the ride spent a lot of time 
talking about her excitement and anxiety and wanting to 
know all the details about going to a ride.  It helped 
that I spent the time talking to her.  A couple of us 
(the other person has over 8,000 miles and rides FEI) at 
the barn convinced her to skip LD and go to straight to 
a 50 with this particular horse.  We wouldn't say that 
to just anyone.  Her first endurance ride was a 
difficult 50 with a horse finishing in good condition 
and a big smile on her face.  The horse was a little 
tired, which was the rider's goal was to have her 
hyperactive horse a little tired!  I think that this 
rider/horse combination is real talented and in great 
condition.  She just needs someone to listen to her 
anxieties about doing the right thing. At this point we 
just spend time comparing notes about thisa and a thata, 
two rides later for her and she's definitely more of a 
peer.  Just another endurance junkie who will probably 
surpass me as an endurance rider!

I still have a lot to learn, but each experience builds 
knowledge.  I probably don't electrolyte my horse 
enough, even though he gets a full dose of electrolytes 
every vet check. He thumped at the 3rd VC at Wine 
Country and if I didn't already have experience with 
this we might have slipped thru the VC.  I had to tell 
the vet to look for it and it took her a long time with 
a stethoscope to confirm it. She commented that I really 
knew my horse well to pick up on this.

I received some very good encouragement and advice from 
a friend (you know who you are MM) about thumps - oh 
gawd - a year and a half ago.  Unfortunately, I 
backburnered the advice which resulted in this last pull 
and has Beau in a non-alfalfa paddock after being told 
by two separate ride vets "get him off of alfalfa".  
Which is actually easier for me to dose him with his 
Gastrogard.

I still want to do 100's with this thumping, gastric 
ulcerated horse with a tweeky stifle, high-low heel 
syndrome that wants to run until he's drops.  I'll be a 
newbie all over again doing my 1st 100, hopefully 
Swanton, Barbara Mc.!  We are doing some tough training 
rides while he's still on the Gastrogard so once he's 
done with the treatment he should be good to go.  (Well, 
maybe I should think about the 75....)

K.
> We never know how our advice, encouragement or discouragement may affect
> someone.  3 newbies from my spring clinic are going to their first "real"
> ride this weekend and I am so nervous wondering if what I said or did will
> help them or hinder them.  :)
> Maggie
> 

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