[RC] Crewing BSF - rides2farBack from BSF. Looked like it was GREAT from the vet check view, which was all I got. Gives you a whole different perspective of what to appreciate. Can't tell you a thing about the markings or trail, but can say that Don Kasemayer hauled enough water to fill a lake. There were several huge tanks and they were always full & clean. The day got hot and around 1:30 PM I had 2 horses I was crewing for that had excellent parameters in every way except they were HOT. I'd sponge them till their pulse dropped, but the second I stopped to head for the vet check they were right back up to 80. They were fine at all the other checks before and after but getting them cool to the core after that kicker of a 3rd loop Sat. took a lot of water and he sure had it there for us when we needed it. If everybody used as much as I did I'd love to know how much water we went through. Way to go Don! I was originally going to ride my neice's horse I've been conditioning to sell when she married this fall but at the wedding I couldn't resist whispering to her that we'd be doing BSF and it was within driving distance of her new home and I'd be happy to bring him up for her to do one last ride on. Kind of mean of me since she'd barely been on him at all this year but she's pretty game and took me up on it. Bekki Crippen was looking forward to riding Graystoke, and I figure that since Josie had a volleyball tournament I'd just ride her horse Ben. Thursday evening was loading the trailer and noticed Ben had scratches! :-(( He's never really had them before but this looked like a nasty case and I was afraid the sand at BSF would be painful. Had talked to Dave Bennett and found out he wasn't going to get to go because he had nobody to keep his 2? year old son Jeb so I just decided to leave Ben at home and tell Dave I'd keep up with Jeb during the ride. Turned out to be a fun weekend. Boy, talk about a good little endurance kid. He entertained himself hiding under horse blankets, poked dead salamanders with a stick, "fished" with a stick in a waterbucket and played with surveyer flagging all day. Never *one* ill tempered moment. Taught him to yell "slow down" at trucks as they drove by and I don't think he missed one all day. :-) I said, "Jeb, you're a cool kid" and he said, "I'm an ANGEL". >G< Ashley did a great job with Rock and he chalked up another completion. He's coming back nicely from standing around the last couple of years. 2 completions this fall and his recoveries are gradually coming back to his old level. I was hoping to take him to Biltmore in a couple of weeks but all the talk around camp was that Biltmore is under a LOT of water right now (they said it's out the front gate and all the way to McDonalds!) May have to get a darned health certificate and got to KY instead. >g< Made a new friend, Roxanne Copp from KY. She parked next to us and Bekki Crippen hooked up with her and her horse Steady Eddie and had a great ride in the 30. Bekki was smiling from ear to ear all the way home. When she came into the first check I said, "You doing OK?" and she said, "My knee hurts". I said, "Do you think we need to move your stirrups *up* or *down*?" and she replied, "I hit a tree". >g< A woman of few words. Eric Reuter & the Knoxville Arabian Horse Club did a GREAT job. He looked a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing but no more overwhelmed that many experienced managers I know who are only running a *one* day ride. Being in charge of a 2 day ride with different trails both days is quite the initiation into management but it looked like he did a super job from what I saw. Otis' "surprise guest" was a HIT. I *do* hope Endurance News will print Genie Stewart-Spear's photos of it so everyone can see. If for no other reason I'll never forget this ride because I saw something I've never seen in 17 years of going to rides. OTIS trotted out a horse...and he did it quite well (practices what he preaches). On the "never give up on a nutcase" note...Cara Drisbow's horse (Gooby?) that ran away at the start of City Slickers and was lost for 10hrs. that day went top 5 both days at BSF finishing 3rd Fri. & 4th. Sat...but I think I'll let *her* ride him a few more years before I offer to get on him. >g< Speaking of nutcases >eg< word was that Bud Davidson was galloping down the trail with his bridle in his hand after it broke & fell off. No big deal since Bud isn't known for trying to slow one down anyway. :-) I'll let somebody else post placings since I was busy making sure my feet stayed wet all day and didn't watch the front much. Good job management! Angie Not the quarry but the chase. Not the trophy but the race. ________________________________________________________________ Get your name as your email address. Includes spam protection, 1GB storage, no ads and more Only $1.99/ month - visit http://www.mysite.com/name today! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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