Thanks to all the good advice I got here on ridecamp, Lola got in the trailer & made it to the Piney Pig last weekend. She did pretty good considering I really didn't feel that I had enough conditioning miles on her. We finished just about last but made it through the vet check in time & she got mostly A's with a few B's. I'm not sure whether I like CTR or Endurance better, they both have their pros & cons, but it seems easier to win stuff at CTR. Conditions were hot but the trails were great, well marked & well maintained, lots of water stops that were constantly being refilled (too bad Lola hardly would drink until about 18 miles - she thought she needed the whole tub to herself but by the end she was thirsty enough to share.) We even did a few more miles yesterday - slow & easy just to loosen up & she didn't feel too bad. I think that with some more conditioning miles on her she'll do great!
Need advice on two more things now... how to teach her not to kick the vet (doesn't go over real well!) It started with the initial vet check, we were one of the first few & they were taking temps. Funny, they quit taking them after us... I guess I've been a bad mom, but having only owned her 8 months I've never had reason to take her temp - didn't realize she would kick. After the volunteer tried a few times I also unsuccesfully tried - we gave up with the vet's ok. When we went through both vet gates, she threatened to kick when the vet just checked her muscle tone on her butt - by then we'd also had one incident on the trail where someone didn't realize how far her reach was (told ya she's got those looong legs!). I'm still getting to know this mare & figured out that she just doesn't like anyone she doesn't know near her hiney, once she's 'introduced' she seems ok. (What a lady!)
Also, she does look like she dropped a little weight from the ride. She had all she wanted timothy hay the whole time & 1+ lb of wet sloppy beet pulp with her 1 lb of grain each feeding. Wonder if it would be preferable to up her feed/beet pulp a bit prior to a ride (hate to since she did have laminits last summer - I prefer to feed less grain & more hay) or add fat beginning a few weeks before?
Anyhow, I know I need to work on being able to take her temp at home, but am really not wanting to get kicked meself! As for touching her hind end, massaging, whatever, she's been fine with that at home. Need some advice on how to teach her that it's ok for others to touch her there - one friend suggested feeding her carrots while going through the exam. She is a carrot hog so that might help but I know I need to work on this at home as well. All suggestions on both questions are welcome!
Had a great time & now have to find another 25 that we can make... BTW, noticed many horses at this ride were pretty wild at the vet-ins, that had not been my experience at the 2 CTR's I've done... wonder why?
Bany (Lola MUST be feeling it 'cuz I'm sure sore...)
Lola (Can I PLEEZE have the day off today?)
Dinah (Is it finally my turn to get ridden?)