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[RC] Bar H "Booger" - We did it! (long) - Jena WilliamsWe did it! Ok, we were overtime, but we did it just the same.
It was the first ride for all of us: Temba and I, and my friend Lynda on my husbands horse Sancho. Both are auction horses. When we got them Temba was an unbroke Arab who was afraid of everything, and Sancho is a mutt of unknown parentage with a bad case of little dog syndrome.
We were so proud of the horses. We have never camped with them, unless you count evacuating during the fires. They both settled in much better than we expected, and Temba even had dirt spots from laying down at night. Not bad for his first camping trip and being tied to a trailer all night! He also got lots of exposure to his scariest monsters: heavy equipement (i.e. earthmovers, tractors, etc.) Boy has he come a long way!
What did we learn? Temba pulses down quickly, Sancho does not. But don't wait too long for him to take him back to P&R, you waste valuable time. Speaking of time, get ready at a more efficient pace. We started 15 minutes or so behind the pack. And watch for the ribbons! We were enjoying the road and trotting along we missed the first turn!
The trail was wonderful. Because it was new I rode too conservatively in the beginning and we didn't leave nough time for the hards part in the second loop. But I certainly did not want to get thrown when Temba spooked at some scary bush, or BIG hole in the ground. By the time I wanted to canter Temba was set in a big trot and told me, in his own way, to kiss off when I asked for a canter.
BTW, there are no "Hills of Signifigance", but there is "A HILL OF SIGNIFIGANCE". Temba and I reached it first:Sancho had pooped out on the the way to it and was walking a bit back. I asked Temba to go on and he took one look at that hill and told me to "F**K OFF!" It is quite clear: He pins his ears, tosses his head and swishes his tail. He was tired, that hill was a heck of a climb, and Sancho was no where around. So we waited for them to catch up.
Once they did catch up, Sancho had about the same reaction, so we got off. I could not climb in my ariats. My feet kept slipping out from under me. Lynda went ahead and Temba followed with me tailing up. Thank you Temba. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I though I was going to pass out and I couldn't walk very well when we got to the top, so I drank the last drops of water we had and I had to get back on. I would not let this ride defeat me. My husband couldn't be here to do this ride. He is on his 2nd deployment in Iraq. I was wearing his USMC "Pain is weakness leaving the body" shirt. He wouldn't give up, so I wasn't.
I ate a granola bar and a protien bar as the horse drank at the water trough and we felt better. I can not imagine doing that hill as a part of a course and not having water up there. I don't really remember much about the rest of the ride except crossing the road and being told we were close.
So, we went overtime coming in at 2:18. But WE DID IT! The horses were tired but healthy at the end, and that is what matters the most. Thank you Temba, Thank you Sancho. I am so proud of you both.
Jena
Poway, CA FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar ? get it now! ============================================================ REAL endurance is sleeping in the tack compartment of your trailer w/the door open, and your horse snorts/snots on your forehead every 30 min! ~ Heidi Sowards ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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