Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

continued from pt 1.

Tanna was drinking well. He drank some around mile 5 and then mile 15
and continued to drink well for the remainder of the ride. I did not
have to bug him to drink as he drank willingly and regularly. This is a
very positive improvement for Tanna!

Tanna and I came into the 1st vet check earlier than anticipated. About
30 minutes earlier. Luckily, Daniel arrived about the same time I did,
so I had all my things. I was a little antsy about having come into the
first vet check in 3 hours 30 minutes. But Tanna felt and looked great.
We stripped his tack and took him to the vet. Tanna was hungry! And
thirsty. He ate leftover hay bits laying on the ground. He drank long
at the water trough before going to get his pulse. After vetting in, we
returned to our area and he ate hay while I mixed his beet pulp mash.
Then he ate most of that during the hold, as well as some more hay.
This may not sound exciting, but for this horse, most excellent!

The second loop was a killer loop with lots of hills. I was constantly
off walking up and down hills. When I was mounted, we tried to make up
time with some good trotting and some cantering when appropriate. Tanna
continued to nibble grass and drink. I'm not sure how we made such good
time, but we finished that loop in 2 hours.

The second vet check was a repeat of the first with Tanna eating and
drinking well. I was still at the tail end of the ride, so the vet
check personnel was thinning quite noticeably.

Off on my 3rd and last loop back towards camp. Tanna was eager to
return and seemed happy to be back on familiar trails. We walked,
trotted, and walked some more. The day was warm, but not overly hot. We
got out on the road headed for the 160 crossing, and the sun was
shining down. I decided to trot the road to get back into the woods
quicker. After walking up the steepest part of the next hill, Tanna
picked up a good trot and trotted on a loose rein. He was on a mission.
He must have smelled somebody ahead. Soon we saw another rider on a
mule. We passed politely and kept on. Must be somebody else ahead as
Tanna didn't even ask to walk with the mule. After several more
minutes, we did spot another rider. And another ahead. Two riders. We
caught up with them and discovered it was Mike and Ken. Ken is the ride
manager for Hoosier Daddy and Mike is Mike. :-) I decided it might be
nice to have company for the remainder of the ride (maybe 10 miles
left), so Tanna and I fell in with the guys. After a good spook
(Tanna's) at an unburied culvert, we got onto the last road stretch and
walked a mile down to the woods. We were overtaken by Elizabeth and
Ana. Tanna didn't want to go with them. He seemed content to stay with
Mike and Ken, so we did. The rest of the ride was pleasant. Oh, except
for that last KILLER HILL. Agh. At the end of a 55 miler. That's just
CRUEL!!!

We walked into camp and I got my finish time. We did the ride in about
9 hours 25 minutes. A bit faster than my planned 10 hours. Then to my
trailer for cleanup and tack removal before going to the vet.
Unfortunately, Tanna developed a bit of a cramp in his right butt
muscles. We received a completion, but I decided immediately that we
would not attempt the Sunday 50. Our hill work was less than stellar
prior to the 55 miler and after Tanna cramping up a bit, I didn't want
to push it, so on the way back to the trailer, I stopped at the
"office" and withdrew my name from the Sunday start list.

When I got back to the trailer, I blanketed Tanna (which I SHOULD have
done as soon as I untacked) and left him to doze in the sun for a bit
while I changed and dozed. Then I got up and walked him around. He was
still a little gimpy. I massaged his muscles for a few minutes and went
to the ride meeting/awards. After the ride meeting, I took Tanna out
again for a walk before bedtime. He was sound at the walk and showed no
more signs of pain. I didn't ask him to trot, being happy with the
fluid, easy walk.

I left feed and hay and went to bed. Again, in the middle of the night,
I walked him around. Still no pain, still an easy, fluid walk. And he
had eated hay, too. :-)

In the morning, we packed up and drove home. Tanna even ate some hay in
the trailer during the last hour. Pleased me to no end! When I released
him in the pasture with his buddy, he trotted off sound. Absolutely no
problems. So we might have been good to go on Sunday, but he also had
two tiny withers sores (have to investigate that) and I just didn't
want to push my luck. Next season, I will be sure start hill work
earlier in our reconditioning program and in the future, I will make
sure his butt is covered if there is even the hint of a chill in the
air.

32 riders started the 55. 31 finished. Pretty good stats if you ask me. :-)

Great ride. Great weather. Great. Great. Great. Amy and Bill really do
a great (did I say great?) job with this ride. I'll be back next year
to try 2 50s! Thanks to all the volunteers and the vets.

April
Nashville, TN