Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> BTW if Becky or Merryben are reading Ridecamp, would be great to hear
> about Rio's first 50.  And I would bet Darla's Weslake's horse Muffy was
>  not easy
> to rate early in his career.  Heidi, do you know?
I do know that Muffy was never happy unless he was up front.  And that
didn't really change much until he was pretty much at the end of his
career.  There were many times that the Westlakes rode as a family group,
and Muffy was pretty happy running in a group with his stablemates, but
heaven forbid that another horse catch up!  I can remember a Muffy story
from Sunriver several years ago--Nathan was riding Muffy, and I think
Darla was probably on Rams Z, with Alex Ann on somebody, probably WS
Karamia.  We had a water set about a mile and a half from the finish--the
ride pretty much finished uphill.  From the water set, there was only a
short climb and then the last mile was a dirt road that was almost
level--only a little bit of elevation gain.  Anyway, the three of them
were at this waterset, tanking up nicely, out in the lead.  Another horse
came into view, and Muffy threw his head up, surveyed the situation, and
lit out for the finish.  And Nathan couldn't stop him!  Darla just
hollered at Alex Ann to keep up, and they took off after Muffy, so that
Nathan would still be "legal" with his sponsor within a minute of him. 
<g>

Muffy started running right up front his 5-year-old year.  I prophesied
that they would burn him up, going that fast, and said so several times. 
But I was wrong.  Boy howdy, was I wrong!  He just got better and better. 
(Of course, the Westlakes already had a history of doing their homework
well, so he was READY to run when he came on the scene, too.)

I don't recall Darla ever really having to FIGHT with Muffy to rate
him--but she also did have him fit enough to run up front where he was
happy.  But he was a super-horse, and sometimes those can get away with
stuff that the "mere mortals" that make up the rest of the pack can't. 
Although he missed the "perfect 10" category by only a few hundred miles,
I believe he still holds the all-time AERC record for the number of wins
and the number of BCs.  And he competed from the time he was 5 until into
his early 20s.  He ranks right up there with Kahlil and Rio, in my book...

OTOH, Muffy did retire to a short career as a Pony Club jumper--in his
20s.  And he had to be rated for THAT.  But he also was one of the most
intelligent horses I ever met (as was his mother, who I had the privilege
to own late in her life).  So I'm sure he knew the difference.

Speaking of Muffy's mother, Muferra--I have her last foal here, a daughter
by my stallion Abu Ben Surrabu.  SH Miss Muffet is one of the most
laid-back horses I have ever owned.  She has had two really dynamite
daughters for me, and perhaps one day I will start her under saddle and
ride her.  She is gaited, as was Muffy--no surprise, as both of Muffy's
grandsires were gaited, and Abu Ben Surrabu has a tendency to gait as
well.  And like her mother and maternal half-brother, our "Muffy" is a
very wise horse, not bothered by much.  Her dad is that way as well, and I
don't see how she could MISS being a 100-mile horse, if I ever have the
chance to give her the opportunity.

Heidi


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We are talking about all the tools we can use to keep our horses safe and
alive at the rides. Training/conditioning is one of the best tools
available. It makes us better horseman and women, it benefits our horses
and could quite possibly be the key to preventing most crashes.
~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm

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