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Ride Recap

I saddled up Thursday morning in the rain. Daniel was very helpful
from the very beginning, helping to get the saddle straight and the
girth tight enough (but not too tight). I mounted up and Tanna was a
good boy. No hunching or threatening to buck. A very good start to the
day.

We walked to the front of the property where other riders were
starting to gather. I gave my number (101) to Nancy Gooch, the
legendary Southeast timer. I picked Joe and Kit out of the horses
pretty quickly as Joe was on the ground walking and had his headlamp
set to red. I followed suit and turned my headlamp on red as well. I
kept Tanna walking to keep his mind engaged and his muscles warming
up. His rump rug was securely over his hindquarters, keeping them warm
and dry.

After Joe mounted, the two of us walked around together and Joe found
Laura and her mare, Mo. Our little group was complete. Now to wait for
the controlled start.

When Nancy called out the trail was open, the 44 horses slowly began
making their way to the end of Bill Wilson's property and down the
short stretch of pavement to the trails. Joe, Laura and I tucked in
near the back and followed.

Once the horses were safely on trail and off pavement, the speed
increased as the horses began to trot. I kept Tanna down to a dull
roar. The darkness certainly helped his brain as he couldn't see all
the other horses, just the ones right in front of him. I still had a
good fight on my hands to keep him off those horses. I settled into
the front position of our little group.

My little 14 year old grade Arab had no idea what I would ask of him
in the next 24 hours. Not only would I ask him to go 100 miles, almost
twice as far as we'd ever been before, but I would ask him to carry me
up and down all the hills. Normally, I dismount and give him breaks on
the steeper hills, but with my ankle only 3.5 months from being broken
and the pins and plates still in place, that would not be happening on
this ride.

After about 2 miles, we popped out on more pavement and I insisted on
a walk. The best I got was a slow trot. He could have walked faster.
Goofy boy. I did not want him or the other two horses slipping on the
wet pavement. Shortly after reaching the pavement, a rider blazed past
at a faster than safe (imo) speed. Right in the middle of our little
group without a single word to any of us. Lovely trail manners (read
the sarcasm).

When we reached good trail again, we again moved out at about a 9 or
10 mph trot. Soon we dropped off the ridge and down in the valleys for
hills and climbs and single track trail. Somehow we all three
separated here. Laura moved on out ahead, I hung out in the middle and
Joe came along behind. Playing to the horses's strengths. Tanna was
very strong and very insistent that he could go much faster than I was
allowing.

After we popped back on the ridge, I paused to electrolyte Tanna.
Sometime last season, I thought it would be fun to teach Tanna to
electrolyte from the saddle. I only dose about 10 cc of LyteNow at a
time. LyteNow is a thick paste and such a small amount is easy to
syringe from the saddle and keep it in his mouth. I did it for fun
before, but at this ride, I was so thankful that I didn't have to get
off or bother Joe to get off and electrolyte my horse for me. I always
follow up the electrolytes with a homemade concoction of Neigh-lox and
Fastrack in an applesauce base. This last thing Tanna thinks is a
treat and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I give it to him.

Back on the move, I kept Tanna to an 8 - 9 mph trot. Very hard with an
open trail and an eager horse. But I know this horse and I knew he
could not go as fast as he thought he could and still finish. We
dropped down off the ridge again to follow the trails out to the new
horsecamp. We fought a lot. My leg was bothering me quite a bit as
Tanna fought and pitched a fit down a hill. Down hill is the worst for
my injured leg. I was unhappy and in pain and spinning Tanna down the
trail in an effort to get his brain back. At this point, Joe and Kit
appeared behind us.

Somehow it was better with company. Joe was having issues getting Kit
to settle down, too. At least I wasn't the only one!! We had both
hoped the boys would settle down together, but no luck. They seemed to
egg each other on and try to out-do each other.

We came in for the first vet check in last place just after 10 AM.
Exactly where we wanted to be. My motto is "get out back early and
stay there all day."

I walked Tanna over to our vet check area and carefully dismounted
using the mounting block. Daniel immediately began unsaddling Tanna.
It was cold and we were wet from the rain. Seems the rain had let up
by this point, but I was still wet and cold. As soon as the saddle was
off, I put a wool blanket over Tanna. I hobbled after Daniel to the
pulse line and the vets. Tanna vetted in fine. The grass was slick and
Tanna slid at the far end of the trot out. I caught my breath, but he
was ok. He vetted in ok and back to our area for the 40 minute hold
time.

I sat down, removed my shoe and brace and propped up my leg with an
ice bag while Daniel settled Tanna with hay and feed. After about 15
minutes he ran back to the trailer and returned with a wind breaker
for Tanna and another wool blanket for me. While on trail, I wasn't
that cold, but stopping, boy, was I freezing!! I dutifully ate the
meal I had planned for this check. An egg, a yogurt and a cheese
stick. Protein, fat and carbs.

Before I knew it, Tamra, Joe's wife, crew and keeper of the time,
called out the 10 minute warning and we moved to prepare to go back on
trail. I replaced my brace and my shoe while Daniel began resaddling.
I stopped by the porta potty, mounted up and headed out after Joe on
our second loop for 16.5 miles. Laura had left out earlier since she
had made it into the check earlier than us.

This was our pattern in the vet checks. Tamra was very good about
keeping an eye on the time all day long. Anytime I called out "time
check" she would respond how long we had left in the hold. Very handy
when trying to determine if Daniel had time to run here or there to do
this or that.

This time, the horses were moving along nicely. Still asking to move
faster, but behaving themselves for the most part. We were on a ridge
for about 2 miles and after a walking warm-up down a short stretch of
pavement, we allowed the pace to be quick at 10 - 11 mph. Soon enough,
we'd drop off the ridge and slow up. Both Joe and I commented on how
well the horses were working together. We made good time, even after
dropping down the ridge. We caught up with Laura and her mare and the
three of us continued on together into the away vet check a bit after
1 PM.

When we came into that check, the sun was out and it was pleasant
although not what I would call warm. There was lots to look at though,
and Tanna's heart rate was not down to 64 bpm by the time we got the
saddle off. Tamra graciously helped check his HR while Daniel held
Tanna and I sponged his neck and cleaned his legs to get him to relax.
Doug Sandlin and Roger Barrett (crewing for Ed who was out on trail)
were helping Joe get Kit down to criteria. Finally down and to the
vet. Tanna vetted in well and we returned to our crewing area. Kit
also was vetted in and back.

Unfortunately, Laura pulled her mare at this check. Just wasn't their
trail or their day.

A third of our ride over already! I ate the Subway sandwich Daniel had
retrieved for me from the lunch table and a couple of cookies baked by
Nina Barnett (yummy!). Tamra and I discussed the upcoming loop. It was
a tough loop. 15.5 miles and lots of hills. It would be a slow loop.
Tamra stressed not getting complacent, but to move out when we could
to make time. I told her and Daniel to expect us in 3 hours. We would
do our best to keep to that time frame.

Off we went on our tough loop. We were truly the turtles, moving at a
slow, steady pace. I know management was concerned that we would be
too slow, but we had a good plan and were so far working to the plan.
Our goal was slow and steady all day and all night until the job was
done.

The 3rd loop was pleasant. Some of the tough hills I was expecting
were not in the actual loop! I was happy to discover a whole section
of switchbacks were by-passed. Whew! And some of the tough hills on
the Shaw Lake loop were broken up by the Wildlife loop in the middle.
I had never ridden the wildlife loop and quite enjoyed it. Mike
Caudill met us on that loop with some water and then met us again on
the way out of the Shaw Lake loop. Thanks, Mike!!

Headed back to the vet check, we passed by the way to the switchbacks
that were not in the loop. Those switchbacks led to the other horse
camp which is often used as an away vet check for Chicken Chase (the
spring ride run from Bill's place). Tanna wanted to head to that horse
camp for our next away check. He was unhappy with me and convinced I
was steering him wrong to send him past and back toward Wilcox Lake
and the actual vet check. It took at least 1/2 mile to convince him
before he settled down and moved out properly.

We came in from the 3rd loop at 4:30. We'd done that loop in 2 1/2
hours. Yay!! Our toughest loop down in good time, half the ride over
and our horses in good shape. Our plan was working.

To Be Continued...

April
Nashville, TN
http://endurancerider.blogspot.com

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