Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

After 3 years of CTR's and mileage rides
I jumped into 50's last year, my horse is a Morgan and small ( barely 14.2
and petite) I worried and stressed that she wasn't very big and not an
Arab or even an Arab cross. We won the turtle award at our first two 50's(
on purpose I was terrified of hurting her)  and I decided to accept
 the fact that we would always be close to last and never win anything--
that is o.k.as my horse is my very best friend- and I was not trading her
in for an Arab so I could seriously compete. At our third 50 last year
( end of the season) my mare was being a @@##!! pulling and running away
on me on the first loop, eventually I though o.k. FINE run your butt into
the ground , we will just pull at one of the vet check's when you have
tired yourself out and learned that you cannot gallop/canter your way through
a 50 mile race- afterall you are tiny and not even an Arab. Well, Miss
T taught me that day that she COULD gallop and canter for 50 miles- she
came in eighth and yes was tired but not exhausted. This year she has done
one 50 and came in 8th again ( her HR's were down to 48 within two minutes
when coming in off of the loop, everytime )  and yes we plan to do
more!!:-) I have  decided to let her tell me what she can do and not
prejudge her. I recently read an article giving tips on doing a 100 miles-
one of the things that it said was that one should have an Arab or Arab-cross-
I am planning on doing a 100 this October on my little Morgan and after
reading that article started having doubts about whether we should as she
wasn't an Arab - then remembered that I wasn't going to do that anymore!!!!
<g>

To Jennifer and anyone else w/out an
Arab , if your horse is sound and likes this sport- go for it!!! 

It is waaaaaay better to come in last
with your best friend than first without her/him  anyway. :-) :-)


Chrystal ( and Miss T who is actually
the competitive one of the two of us  :-) )