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Nancy,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

You did well by your horse, and it sounds like you brought a horse ready to 
do the trail, kept a consistent pace, did right by him in the vet checks and 
in my opinion, CAME HOME A WINNER!!

Great job!

Ranelle Rubin
R.Rubin Consulting

raneller@xxxxxxx

916-663-4140 home office
916-718-2427 cellular
916-848-3662 fax




> From: Sluys Guys <minglewood@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [RC]   50 finally!!
> Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:25:07 -0500
>
> OK just like in Angie's book I get back from finishing my 1st 50 (actually 
> 55) and am met with blank stares from my non horsey friends & family. It 
> just doesn't sink in what an accomplishment this is to me! So........ if 
> you'll bear with me I need to brag a little!
> After over 2000 NATRC miles on my horse, Indigo Blue, I decided to try my 
> hand at endurance. We did a 30 4 years ago to get started and did great 
> then 3 years ago we started the 50 at the Biltmore he tied up in the 1st 5 
> miles, trailer ride back to the treatment area! After a couple of years of 
> life's complications (family deaths and such) I tried to get back to it at 
> the Skymont 50 mile ride last fall but once again about 8 miles into the 
> ride we met with disaster, this time in the form of a stick that jumped up 
> and impaled Blue in between his back legs about 4 inches with blood 
> everywhere. Ride over once again without making the 1st vet check.
> OK... back to a 30 miler at JD's last fall. Blue did great finishing 10 
> place.
> So a new year and I'm determined to finish a 50 but a little gun shy so I 
> figured that maybe doing a 55 would get us out of that string of bad luck 
> so we headed for the Sand Hills ride in South Carolina. Being St Patrick's 
> day and all I hoped for the luck of the Irish to help us along. Well, it 
> was our day! I got started easy and amazingly got a pocket by myself for 2 
> whole loops. Blue is big and had a big stride so he was just going along at 
> his own pace, his big trot with some cantering and walking through the deep 
> sand. We passed a few riders along the way but still never got into a pack 
> which was good because I got to feel what his natural pace was at speed 
> without the competition of other horses. By the time we got to the 2nd vet 
> check Blue had done more mileage in one day then he ever had so he gave me 
> a bit of a dirty look when I saddled him up for the 3rd loop but when I got 
> out of camp and on the trail he picked up a nice trot and felt fresh as 
> ever. I did hook up with Alison Bailey and Tasar for the last part of the 
> ride and the 2 were pacing well together. Before I knew it the ride was 
> over and we had passed the vet check and our 1st official endurance ride 
> was under our belt! He ended up placing 15th which was a surprise since I 
> wasn't keeping track at all, just wanting to complete. Gosh, if I ever 
> decide to race the big boy he might be a force to be reckoned with. All 
> good things in all good time, though, we still have a lot to learn! As they 
> say, to finish is to win and this weekend we won!
> See you on the trail,
> Nancy & Blue
>
> "Happy trails to you, until we meet again!"
>              (Roy Rogers & Dale Evans)
>                                            _\/
>                                         O O
>
>               ,--/
>         _ ___/ /\|      Nancy & Bill Sluys
>     ,;`( )__, )  ~      Westfield, NC
>    //  //   '--;        http://www.bobvillemusic.com
>    '   \     |           http://www.myspace/nancysluys
>                      http://www.myspace/pilotmountainbobcats
>
>
>
>
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