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At the next water stop, a puddle with a really steep
edge about 10 minutes from the last one, again Sinatra
didn?t want to drink.  This kind of concerned me since
he had now refused water twice in a row, and that was
VERY unlike him.  I have a feeling this one was more
of a location refusal though, since he?s still working
on the whole ?puddle crossing? issue and he would have
had to step in the water to get a drink at this stop
(sigh).  So I hung out there a little longer than most
people and Connie?s group moved off.  It was at this
point (maybe 15 miles in) that Ted came along.  He
waited for me while I tried to coerce Sinatra to drink
and even let me borrow his scoop to see if he would
drink out of that (he didn?t).  So we continued on, up
another mountain and back down into a fun little
twisty single-track trail at the bottom of a canyon. 
A group of three riders, one on a green horse, and one
a green rider joined us, we took turns
leading/following and our little group progressed very
well.  This trail lead us out to Jumbo Grade where
there were water troughs waiting at the point where
this loop intersected with the last 10 mile loop. 
Sinatra drank really well here and we elyted the
horses.  From this water stop, it was only about 5
miles or so back to camp.  Once back in the park, we
followed a fun little trail that twists and turns
through the sagebrush.  We would take this trail (2
miles or so total) all three times today as we looped
back into camp.  About ½ mile from camp, we got off
and walked the horses in.  We came in from our first
25 miles at 11:28 am and Sinatra pulsed right in at
42.  Good Boy!  =)
At this point, we had an hour hold so I went back to
the trailer, pulled tack, and gave Sinatra his mash. 
He happily dove into his mash and slurped up every
last bit.  When he was done eating and I was about
halfway through my tuna sandwich, we went over to vet
through.  Kevin Lazarchef was the head vet; he is a
REALLY nice guy that I have gotten to know from
attending several rides this year.  He has a daughter
just a few months younger than my son, who just turned
one the weekend before.  He always asks me how Taren
(my son) is doing and knew that I was going for my
first 50-mile completion.  He checked Sinatra over,
gave him a G for ?Gross? on those mashy mucous
membranes (actually an A) and had me trot him out.  As
I came back from the trot out, he looked me dead in
the eye and told me ?He?s pretty lame, we?re going to
have to pull you.?  I gasped and exclaimed that I had
JUST trotted him to the vetcheck from the trailer and
he had looked just fine!  Kevin started laughing and
said that he was just kidding, he looked great, A?s
for impulsion and gait and that we were cleared to go.
BRAT!  =)  So we went back to the trailer for a
little more lunch for both of us (Sinatra = eat, eat,
eat) then tacked up, met up with Ted, and headed back
out.
This loop (15 miles) took us west out of camp towards
the beach.  It was very pleasant riding along the
water?s edge with the breeze.  We rode the entire
length of the lake, maybe 5 miles, probably less (I?m
a horrible judge of distances).  Due to the sand,
which could be fairly deep, we walked almost this
entire stretch.  From there we cut over to a dirt road
for an ?out and back.?  Sinatra had fun spooking and
looking at the other horses and farm equipment that
lived along the road.  At the end of the road was a
clipboard that you had to sign with your name and
rider number.  We both signed-in and then headed back
out.  Honestly, this was the only point in the trail
where I wish there was some more water.  Due to the
low water level at the lake, we hadn?t braved what
looked to be some pretty boggy mud/sand to get a drink
there.  After we had returned from the ?out and back,?
we were able to get the horses a drink at a water
trough in a little parking lot.  They both drank well
and we soaked them down.  I also soaked myself, which
felt absolutely wonderful!  From here, it was back
into the park for a quick jaunt back to the twisty
trail into camp.  I think it was around 3:30 or so as
we got back into camp, Sinatra pulsed in at 48 and
again had all A?s and B?s at his vetcheck (well,
actually another G for ?Gross? on those mucous
membranes due to an apple and some carrots this
time!).  This was only a 15-minute hold, tack on, so
it wasn?t long before we were headed back out for our
last 10 miles!

(to be continued)

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