[RC] part 3: Cindy's Longstreet's Charge 50 - Cindy Collins
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Friday at noon we met Angie and Josie (Bill & Angie’s youngest daughter and the first recipient of the AERC college scholarship) back at the ride site.I was able to meet “7.”What a sweet, honest, kind horse he is!Josie and Angie helped me adjust the saddle leathers!That was the big fear…that they wouldn’t be able to let out long enough!Now, you need to picture that Angie’s older Orthoflex saddle has a 14.5” seat and I have, at least, a 17-18” seat attached to my body!I’m 5’7” and Angie is….well, let’s just say horizontally challenged.Josie warned me that the saddle’s seat was REALLY hard and she wasn’t kidding.Angie has a full sheepskin cover for this saddle.But, as we looked at my bottom and at the seat on this saddle, the consensus was that we shouldn’t take up any extra space with sheepskin LJosie agreed to lead me out on a short ride.Angie continued with ride management duties and my husband went with Bill to mow grass and do other ride chores.Angie’s friend, Lynda Webber, also saddled up and went out with us for the test ride.The trail starts up a short, steep single track and onto a fire road.We walked, trotted and cantered.“7” seemed perfectly fine carrying an extra 20 lbs and was a very good boy.He doesn’t have the lateral movement I’m used to, but he also is very willing to do whatever his rider asked…once he figured it out.He may be one of the most sure-footed horses I’ve ever ridden!So, the test ride was a huge success and I was excited about the next day’s adventure.
My goal was always to complete in the middle of the pack.I was in a borrowed saddle, on a borrowed horse, in unfamiliar terrain and a climate I’m not used to anymore.I think the biggest fear for me when I ride someone else’s horse is the thought of hurting someone’s horse.We all know that bad things can happen in this sport even when you are doing everything right…so, I planned to start moderately and try to maintain a pretty even pace all day.
I really lucked out on the weather…it stayed in the high 70s and drizzled a little bit on and off, but it never rained enough for me to even put on my rain jacket.The humidity was very high and I was always “damp.”Even Josie said the humidity was high!However, it was not 90 degrees w/humidity!
There were 43 riders in the 50 miler and 43 in the 25 miler.
The start was faster than I would have liked and “7” and I had to have several serious discussions for the first 5 miles!Overall, I’d say that the riders on this trail went way faster than I would on gravel and fire roads and a bit slower than I would on single tracks.The trail is mostly tight single track, some fire roads, and a small amount of gravel.Almost everything is either up or down, very little flat trail and I really liked it.There are waterfalls, caves, tunnels, and every kind of tree, rock or plant that southern forests offer.“7” is awesome on the tight rocky trails.He made time in those sections.It was a blast to fly through the trees and over rocks and roots with such a sure-footed horse.I was never afraid of him tripping or falling.I rode most of the day with Chris Littlefield from Florida.She was great company.There was a short section where she got really sick and I thought she might have to drop back and walk in, but she kept going and felt much better after the 2nd vet check.Our horses paced well together.She led on the fire roads and we usually led on the single tracks.Nelia Rueter joined us for the final 9 miles in and we all came in together around 4:30 in the afternoon with a ride time of 7:37.I can’t tell you how happy I was to finish with a happy, sound horse.“7” came in to each check, including the final one, with his PRs at criteria.BTW, there were a little electrolytes available to him in one of the two feed tubs, but other than that, he didn’t get any elytes all day.Angie has never given him any orally.Angie, Bill, and Keith (my husband) crewed for me at every stop.Angie took care of “7” and just let me be a bum!
