Ridecamp: [RC] Tired as a pull

In response to:
Maryben, I was wondering about Mike and Roc (I'm am Roc's former
owner- we met at the Schelleborne xp last summer).  Do you 
know what happened...why they pulled.  Are both ok?


****************************

I pulled Rroc at Michigan Bluff.  He was really strong the 
first part of the ride and both of us were enjoying 
ourselves.  But after Robinson when the heat of the day hit 
- along with the canyons - he started to get tired.  I went 
down Devils Thumb on foot leading him and tailed all the way 
up the other side to give him the lightest load I could.

But we were running a little short on time and had to push 
getting out of the next canyon to MB.  At the vet check - I 
got his pulse down quickly using water  for P&R - which I 
hadn't had to do all day(48 coming in at the ones before the 
canyons).  But it went back up when we went to see the vet. 
 More water and it was down again but it bothered me.

He passed all the criteria at the check and the vet said I 
"could" go on.  But he looked tired to both of us.  And I 
didn't like his pulse going back up so soon.

He was tired enough that he wasn't always picking up his 
feet and occasionally stumbling in the daylight.

While some horses will turn into fresh ones after dark - I 
wasn't certain that it would happen here.  And even though 
we had preridden the loop from Foresthill into Auburn - I 
was concerned about him being tired and taking a bad step
on the trail at night with the steep drop off..

I was the second rider after Kim C went down the slope at 
Elephants Trunk in the morning and could see first hand what 
a small slip can do.

So I took a Rider Option even though he could have gone on. 
 The vet and I agreed that "Tired" fit my reason but we had 
no idea that it would show up on the pull.  I talked to 
several other riders who pulled for similar reasons.

Perhaps he would have made it through just fine. One rider 
said - all the horses are tired at MB.

But I had to make a call and there's always another day if I 
take the RO.

It was fun riding Tevis again and it's one of the most 
difficult ones I've ever ridden.  I completed in 1999 on 
another horse but I didn't see the point in pushing this time.

I did a second check after getting trailered to FH and he 
looked fine there too. The rider was a litte tired too after 
Devils Thumb but that wasn't the reason...


Mike




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