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Re: [RC] 100s - Sluys Guys

Jody's article really spoke to me as to why I have fallen in love with 100s. I came to endurance riding looking for new adventures with my horse after riding competitive trail for many years. The 50 mile rides that I've done have been really fun but not as challenging as I had expected. I felt like it was easier to get a horse through a 50 than a 2 day open division ctr. After I learned my way around the sport with a few 50s I felt like I might want to try a 100 so I entered the Old Dominion this past summer. I figured that no matter how far I made it down the trail it would be a good learning experience and a great adventure. The experience was everything I was looking for, a true test of my horsemanship and my partnership and the riding at night part was just icing on the cake! That part I loved the most, when the sun went down our awareness of each other got so much sharper and our communication was through thoughts and with everything around us. It's hard to explain but magical is close. When it was all over I felt better than ever in my life that I can remember and it was not an impossible feat, it was totally doable, you just keep riding and listening to your horse and keep a pace that they are used to. Just to make sure that it wasn't a fluke I entered another 100 at Big South Fork a month ago and we completed once again. My adventure was completely different than the OD but the challenges were just as great, at the OD it was the terrain and the weather, at BSF it was riding the last 60 miles completely alone and convincing my horse that this was a good idea. Each experience taught me so much more about my self and my horse, I think we all have a well that most of the time goes untapped but there is a great reserve in there and it's a good feeling to find it.
Nancy & Blue (what next? Tevis??? That would be a big adventure!)

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