Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Congrats to Valerie and King Ali Gold! WhooHoo! My heart goes out to 
Christina Phillips for having come in 2nd at another 100 miler, only to 
get pulled at the finish line for a second time. I FEEL your pain, as 
the same thing happened to me at this years Swanton Pacific 100. I ride 
a Paso Fino and we came across the finish line in 6th place. Though he 
pulsed right down, passed the vet check at the finish and reached CRI, 
he immediately stiffened up in the chilly night and we didn't get a 
completion. "Not Fit to Continue". My heart was on the ground. I am so 
proud of that pony. Though I have only done 12 rides and am a newbie to 
the sport, 4 of those rides have been pretty tough 100's. (Main Divide 
100 in 4th place, Tevis Cup in 88th place, the Big Horn 100 in 9th 
place, then the Swanton 100, crossing the finish line in 6th but not 
being able to get a completion) I understand the elation to have ridden 
those 100 miles with your best friend and partner, trying to take care 
of each other, trying to read all his moves and signs and hoping you are 
reading him right and not pushing him beyond his ability for that day. I 
was sooo excited to cross that finish line but when Cabo stiffened up 
like a board, there were so many emotions rushing in. I had never seen 
him stiffen up, have never had a sick horse, I have never seen a horse 
with colic or tied up or seriously lame. So when I watched him cramp up 
before my eyes, I was horrified, scared for him, ashamed and 
embarrassed, thinking that I must have missed something, some sign that 
Cabo might have given me but I missed in my own excitement. Should I 
have gone slower? Had I asked too much of him after such a long trailer 
ride from Colorado and after only three weeks rest since the Big Horn? 
We had ridden from the last vet check with Debby Lyon and her great 
horse Arcade.  Cabo was the inspiration on the downhills and Arcade was 
the inspiration on the uphills. Had I mistaken his willingness to make 
that last climb right along with Arcade as "still a lot of horse", 
instead of him just not wanting to get left by his horse buddy? (by the 
way, that last climb at Swanton is ridiculously long, steep, and seems 
like it goes on for a bazillion miles as it happens in the last three or 
four miles of the ride.Though Debby prepped me, it still felt like we 
were gonna come out of that climb and be somewhere up in Canada!) Cabo 
gaited across the line and it sure felt like I still had a lot of horse, 
he immediately ate, drank and peed nice and yellow and then Wham! Holy 
$#!%!...He was suddenly stiff as a board. Had I possibly injured my best 
friend?! OMG, oh please, oh please, oh please NO. Damn, I almost always 
ride without a crew and SHOULD have had a rump rug or blanket to throw 
over his rear end immediately as we were waiting to vet  in at the 
finish. Did I electrolyte him enough? As I continued to take him for 
little walks throughout the camp that night to loosen him up, I felt 
like crawling under a rock and was sure that all eyes were watching his 
stiff walk and saying "See that horse? she over rode him". No one could 
possibly make me feel worse or question that more than I did myself. 
Much to my relief, Cabo was back to normal in the morning and spunky 
enough to untie himself from the trailer with his lips and go for a 
stroll out of camp. Only then  was I able to rekindle that unbelievable 
glow inside that you get as you remember every one of those 100 miles on 
the trail together with your best friend and partner. I learn a little 
bit more with every ride and become more aware with each mile, of what 
it exactly IS to "ride your own ride", and what my horses strong points 
and weak areas are. Will I be doing more 100 milers? YOU BETCHA! Why? 
It's hard to explain it to anyone who thinks ten miles in the saddle in 
one day is insane, but to some it's addictive. With all the ridecamp 
banter over whether 25's, 50's, muti day XP's, or one day 100 milers 
should all be truly considered "Endurance", you only have to do one hard 
100 and you'll forever KNOW there is a difference. Riders like Melissa 
and Robert Ribley are what I can only marvel at  (121 completions out of 
137 one hundred mile rides between them.) They're machines! You know 
when you see a horse and rider show for BC and look like they just 
stepped out of the trailer getting ready to START the ride, not having 
already finished 100 miles, to know what an elite athletic team is, and 
how special 100 milers are. Congratulations again to all those 
competitors at the Nationals. There are many who are basking in the glow 
of completion and some that are wishing they had done better, or it just 
wasn't their day. Be proud that you even tried, give your horse a hug, 
promise to take care of each other on the trail and NEVER think that you 
don't have more to learn with each ride. Farzad Faryadi who just took BC 
at Nationals thanked all the vets who had ever pulled him at a ride for 
the lessons he learned. Absolutely. Dr Bruce was the head vet at Swanton 
who sadly pulled me. I thank him. I still don't know why exactly Cabo 
stiffened up for sure, maybe it was legitimate leg weariness, or that 
last hill, or I pushed him just over the edge, but I will forever be 
listening just a little bit more for those signs that you might be 
pushing the envelope for that day, especially in 100 milers where we get 
so tired. Thanks to all those vets who are looking out for our ponies at 
these rides and teaching us what it takes for us to do our best. Know 
that a ride well done is an inspiration for others who may only dream to 
one day give it a try.

Melissa Margetts
Telluride Colorado



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