I want to thank Kat Swigart for taking on the challenge
of managing a 100 mile ride where the ride logistics were as difficult as the
trail course itself.There is
absolutely no doubt in my mind that this course would have been impossible to
complete if Kat had not provided the enormous amount of ride support in regards
to water drops, manned aid stations for horse/rider and a large vet check
volunteer staff.There is no doubt
that the logistics of getting to these aid stations and vet checks was more
difficult for the volunteers than the course was for the horses and riders.After the ride, I learned about all the
flat tires, broken transmissions, damaged trailers, etc that the volunteers and
crew had to endure to help give support to the riders. The horses definitely faired better
than the ride help/volunteers for this event.
This ride was probably the most difficult and challenging
ride I have ever completed.To me,
this kind of ride is what endurance is all about, the challenge of the
trail.There was no guarantee that
this course could be completed in 24 hours and 11 riders accepted the challenge
to find out if it was possible.Six
riders proved that it was possible.The interesting “facts” about this ride are that five out of the six
horses that finished were FIRST TIME 100 mile horses and four out of the six
riders were FIRST TIME 100 mile riders. One of these FIRST TIME 100 mile riders
on their FIRST TIME 100 mile horse was riding a NON ARAB.These FIRST TIME horses and riders were
able to complete a true 100 mile course with about 18,000 feet of elevation
change with footing that would not be considered ideal.I think that a ride like this and
statistics like this prove that using common sense, doing your homework, and
practicing good horsemanship will result in success.The team effort between the ride support
staff (including crews), great veterinarians, and riders who listened to the
advice of the vets definitely added to the high completion rate. All the horses, even the ones that pulled early,
looked great! Let this ride prove that being prepared, good
horsemanship, and a team effort between ride staff and the rider will overcome
many of the perceived obstacles that can keep riders away from 100 mile
rides.
You know, every rider that considers themselves an
“endurance” rider should accept a challenge like the one offered through Main
Divide every so often.You will
learn many things about yourself and your horse by riding a ride like this
whether you complete or pull early. The things that so many of us seem to value
in endurance rides todaylike # of
completions, mileage milestones, wins, placings, points, doable courses,
manicured trails or trimmed trails, awards, frills, courses that can be finished
in X # of hours, etc. just loose their significance when you ride a challenge
like this and are successful.It is really a neat feeling when the
“competition” is really the trail.It puts endurance riding/racing into perspective and redefines
accomplishment.
