Bought Hank in 2002 as a halter broke 4 1/2 year
old. Well built, nice size,wide, good legs and feet, nice big mover. 15.1
Arab gelding. In 2003 he went along to Bryce Canyon XP and hung out, but not
ridden. In 2004 he was along on the XP from Nevada to Nebraska. He had done one
1 day NATRC ride, 15 miles. I did a couple 25 mile days, but he gave me some
troubles, so I asked Dave Rabe to take him 50 miles. So, he did a 50, the next
week another 50, and the following week, one more 50, all with Dave Rabe. He
took excellent care of him, and the horse even got BC one day. Looked great. He
had never gone further than 25 miles before that trip. Beginning of 2005, I
start prepping him for Tevis. We did a slow 8+ hour 50 in February( 5.75mph
pace), a little tougher 50 in March in the same time frame, and a 55 miler
with some mountains in Oklahoma about 5 - 6 weeks later. Same slow pace, of
between 5.5 and 6 mph PACE. June we headed to CA to finish training. Texas has
no mountains, he needed some. Did a tougher 2 day NATRC ride 4 days after
arrival, and then just did 10-15 mile training rides slowly in the So. CA
mountains until Tevis. So, going in to Tevis, he had done 6 50 mile rides, and a
couple NATRC rides. You can look at his record. The were all pretty slow. (he
looks good, like we were fast with tope to finishes, but not many in some of
those rides) His name is MARQUISESMISCHIEF. (you would want to cut and past
that. LOL) Anyway,Yes, we finished Tevis, and he looked better than I could have
imagined Sunday afternoon. But, I had worked with a friend who has 20 Tevis
buckles, have pre ridden the last part of the trail a few times. Oh, we did pre
ride 4 weeks before the ride, so Hank saw the last part of the trail. And, I had
2 previous attempts at the trail. Once in 1988, and again on a different horse
in 2004. I knew the mistakes many make, and tried not to make them myself. One
of the problems is too many 50's in the months leading up to Tevis, and too
fast.
So yes, the right horse can be taken through that
ride without a lot of previous rides, if the rider does their homework. I'd do
it again in a heartbeat. Beautiful ride. But, a long ways from Texas to head out
every year.
