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Re: [RC] [RC] Little Manistee part three - Laurie Durgin

I wonder if the "panting" means he had gone anaeorobic(sp), temporarily.Laurie /RAscl


From: "Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [RC]   Little Manistee part three
Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 07:52:52 -0400

I'd also like to mention that 5 riders braved this quirky Michigan weather and rode out in grey skies and gusty winds for the 25 mile Limited Distance ride on Sunday. Tom Peterson was first to pulse down and won Best Condition. A brand new rider (this is his first endurance format ride and second distance ride) named Scott something or other was 2nd. I made sure he got a GLDRA newsletter and schedule and some other distance riding information. Apparently SOMEBODY had been talking about me at Brighton because he already knew who I was (hmmm, who might that be, JEANIE MILLER????). But it's always fun meeting new riders and helping get them all fired up! I apologize that I can't for the life of me remember the other riders though I remember that Lauri Williams was 5th...the other two riders were juniors.

I LEARNED a lot at this ride...the panting scared me and I knew Malik had to pee. But he was not tired or overstressed and there is a difference. Had it been a vet I didn't know, I might have questioned my vet scores. But Steve has vetted Malik at rides every year since we started and even when we voiced concern and he double checked, Malik was fine and looked great. Steve doesn't tell you your horse is doing great if he isn't. I learned to also trust my own instinct and to let my horse guide me. I read a lot of ride stories and I know there are a lot of riders and horses out there with major issues to overcome both for themselves and their horses and I feel lucky to have Malik. We have a long journey ahead of us and boy, do I look forward to enjoying every minute!!

Speaking of journeys and life and all...Jenny did not ride this weekend. It was prom night. She could have gone out with friends and done typical teen activities for prom weekend but she actually SAID she would rather be there helping out. She volunteered as time keeper at the outcheck. She got dressed and ate a little bit at our potluck and we took pictures and oohed and aahed over her dress and her corsage...she cleans up pretty good!! :) The neat thing about it all was that she wasn't all caught up in looking perfect ("if they don't like how I look, they can kiss my ***" is what she said) and so though she was beautiful in her prom dress, her confidence and self assurance was what shone through and added the most to her beauty. I attribute a lot of that to this sport, her horse and the people she has come to know through it. And she was home by midnight, too.

Many thanks to the folks who came out and helped including Jenny, my sister, Mary and Nelson and Ridecamper KAREN Casemier who has never even done a ride yet but took a whole weekend and came out and put up with all of us...I, of course, in fine form, nodded when she introduced herself (thinking all along this is the new vet that one of our clients had told us about and realized I recognized the name from somewhere but not which person it should belong to!!) and basically, was I embarrassed later when I got it all figured out. And I kept trying to call her Susan. Duh! DIMR, right??? I hate to claim Distance Induced Mental Retardation, especially BEFORE the ride, but it's the only excuse I have!!! In any case, Becke Grams was very pleased with the volunteer help this year. She almost cancelled the ride but the volunteers saved the day!

We also welcomed out of state riders Wendy Mancini and Pat Oliva. I think they are BOTH ridecampers. It was a pleasure to meet both of them!

It was also great to see Shannon Weston at the ride...she is the one of the former managers of the Bear River Ride and helped me immensely last year when I took over the Wolverine. Her help was invaluable. I know she has had some major life changes this year but I am so relieved and happy that distance riding did not get left out of the equation. I'm trying to convince her to ride a couple of fifties with me on Max, Jenny's horse. Even though Malik and I had a good ride, it just isn't the same riding alone (whine, whine). And Max and Malik are a special team. We brought Mykal, Malik's half brother this weekend so Nelson could show off his driving horse...Malik was NOT impressed at this unwelcome interloper. He tolerated his presence (with about 6 feet of space between their pens) and mostly just turned his back to him after giving him the "look" that said "I'll come over there and kick your butt if you don't behave!". Malik and Max usually spend time scratching each other's withers and nipping at each other's faces...their favorite activities when they're not on the trail! I think Malik really missed that. I know a horse should be able to "go it alone" but I don't feel there is any shame in riding as a team...if it's more fun for the people, it has to be more fun for the horses!

And so ride season seems to have begun in earnest for us here in Michigan and God willing and the creek don't rise, we are hoping to make it to Grand Island with definite plans to do 50 miles (and an occasional fleeting notion that I really could and should do the 100). Actually, it's not the creek I have to worry about but the TRUCK and transportation issues that plague us every year. :) We are still waiting for the diagnosis from our mechanic and this weekend borrowed a friend's truck to haul to LMMR as it's only 30 or 40 minutes away. It all worked out and we are especially determined this year. I really feel this is Malik's year to shine, actually the first of many years, I hope. Yee ha!!! Here's to miles of smiles for everyone!!

Maggie and the awesome Mashallah AlMalik


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