Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The old adage goes "if at first you do not succeed, try try again", or
words along those lines.  My first attempt at 50 miles was Fort Valley
earlier this year, and due to no fault of Summertime we failed to 
make the distance. By the time we got back to Maine he was romping
around, full of energy and ready to give it another go, so I set our
sights on the Mustang Memorial in New Jersey.  My mentors (Irving, Tom,
Kathy, and a host of others) all said the Mustang was a very doable course
and so the Mustang it was to be.  
I guess I forgot to tell Summertime or maybe I did tell him and he decided
otherwise, however he chose to play it, he managed to get kicked in the 
stifle and came up a little lame--gotta' hand it to that horse he is quite the
actor!  So no Mustang for Summertime, but standing quietly beside him was
my trusty Mickey B, who nodded his head and said, I'll go with you!
For those of you that do not know Mickey, a little background.  He is a 
leopard spotted Appaloosa (one of those who is your mama, who is
your papa, when were you born, where were you born) guys.  Big
black spots and one on his left rear shaped like a Mickey Mouse head. 
He is the toughest horse I know, never gets upset, just goes along and
does his job, but 50 miles hmm.  Of course it is the end of the season,
and he had done a bunch of CTR's, a LD, and 46 of the 50 miles at
Vermont with my wife, so he was in the best shape of the year.  And the 
course was designed for such a horse, lots of long soft roads with nary a
hill to be found and the weather was going to cooperate.
So early Thursday morning Mickey loaded up and off down the interstate
we went.  Our first task was to join up with Kathy R. and Shadow, the 
wonder Morgan.
Now for those elsewhere, Thursday's weather called for wind, and they 
were not kidding.  It was blowing about 50-60 miles per hour and the gas
milage reflected that fact!
Our trailers shook all the way to New Jersey and upon arrival we noticed
the trees were bent in half, so we circled the wagons to make a wind 
block and set up camp.
Friday continued to blow a gale but the horses were anxious to move
so we saddled up and headed out into the Piney Woods.  Deep among
the trees the wind was blocked and the riding was fine, so all boded well
for Saturday's ride.
At the vet check in, Mickey did very well and showed off his spots to 
everyone.  His trot out was the same as always, basically his belief is
no rider, no trot, but after a lot of effort he trotted down and back.
The head vet turned to me and said, "he sure won't win any speed
contests"!  But he is sound and good to go!
After a big dinner Friday night (thanks to Bud and Jill and the Kowboy
Korral crew) and setting up our hold, we fed the boys again and turned in.
Surprisingly I slept like a log and woke refreshed and ready to ride.
Mickey had a good breakfast and we saddled up and headed to the check
in area.
Now the RD (Donna) had said everyone would be done well before dark
and the head vet wanted to catch a football game at 3:30 but I warned them
I had my trusty LED flashlight and Mickey was not a speed demon.  They 
laughed, I think they thought I was kidding!
Off we went at the back of the pack, Shadow was leaping, bucking and 
prancing all over--how Kathy stays on is beyond me (a newbie).  Mickey
said yeah whatever and trotted on down the trail.  The first loop was 
20 miles approximately and we made good time--well relatively good time
and finished in 2 hours and 40 minutes.  Of course the leaders were finishing
the second loop by that time.
All A's except for impulsion and off we went out onto loop 2.
It was 15.2 miles and we trotted, cantered and just enjoyed the woods.
Mickey was having a blast and really loved going along. Of course the day
was passing and many of the other 50 milers were done when we finished this
loop.
Again good vet check and our friends Tom and Kathy and Janet were in camp
to encourage Kathy R and me.  Our horses ate like little pigs and off we went.
It was now 2:30 in the afternoon and even the biggest doubters began to realize
that we were burning daylight, but hey, I had my little glow bug flashlight :-)
The last loop rambled on.  Kathy R and Shadow (two very experienced 
endurance types) were a little bored but to their credit they stayed with us.
Mickey and I were enthralled the whole time.  When everything is new it all
seems glorious and in actuality is glorious!  We trotted, we talked, we noticed
it was getting dark and we were still on trail. Heck I paid for 12 hours 
afterall.
Now Shadow began to realize that maybe he ought to step it up a notch, after
all supper waited!  Mickey (who is ruled by his stomach) agreed.  On came the
glow bug (gotta love those LED's) and down the trail we went.  Soon we came
to the big water crossing and then we knew it was a mile to go.  Way down the
trail we began to see lights and hear noise--ahhh the end arrives, the 
proverbial
light at the end of the tunnel and this time is wasn't a train!
Now since Kathy has a couple of turtles, I insisted she go first :-)
Finally the finish line (all too soon to my way of thinking) and home.  The 
great vets and ride managers were waiting and we sailed right through the 
completion!  
We did it or more correctly Mickey B did it, I was his grateful cohort but it 
was
his little stubby cow pony legs that carried us through!
He got lots of carrots and food right after and was quite happy and proud
of his work, but mostly he was happy about the carrots!
The trip back to Maine was as long as the ride but home safe and sound and
Mickey is back and happy.  Summertime is a little ticked he didn't get to go,
but there is always next year.
Sorry to be so long, but I also wanted to mention the wonderful people at
Mustang and the other great riders I read so much about.  Mary and Hawk
(as Mickey would say ugh another Morgan--he lives with two of them and they
are jealous of his spots), Deb, Kathy D., Cori, Connie, her daughter, Tom, 
Kathy,
Irving (there in spirit) and a host of others too numerous to name.  But 
special thanks
to my wife (who kindly allows me to ride with her) and who keeps me straight.
What a great sport, the horses and the people make this what it is.
See you out there next year!
Bill, Mickey B and Summertime--settling in for a long winters sleep in Maine


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