ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Silver State Point to Point (& eating)
[endurance] Silver State Point to Point (& eating)
WarholNW (WarholNW@ccmail.apldbio.com)
Tue, 28 Nov 95 16:53:24 PDT
Hi all-
We just returned from the Silver State 3 day 150 (or 50 each day) held
near Las Vegas. It was a long and exciting trip, but a lot of fun.
The weather was hot for November, and there were a bunch of woolly
horses sweating a bunch. I don't have many details, other than Suzi
Kelly won the first two days, and got BC on at least the first. There
were about 82 riders total, with about 20 attempting the 3 day 150.
The course was all desert, and rocky! We dont get sandwashes like
that in Northern California! It was like riding in a deep sand arena
for 5 miles at a whack! Tons of dust for the first few miles- yuck.
Four horses escaped into the desert the night before the ride, but
were cought by a rider who went out after them. We saw wild horses
and some big horn sheep out in the desert- neat!
Judy and Warpaint finished 23rd on day 1, and I took 24th on my new
horse Shatta. (his first multi-day) WP was in a big hurry as always,
and Shatta was superb the whole day. The second day was not so good,
as Shatta sort of pooped out at mile 35 or so. He was going along
well, but at the lunch stop just did not recover like he normally
does. I was a little worried when he did not trot out for the vet
with his normal bounce, but the vet said sure, he looks a little
tired, just take it easy. I saddled him back up after the hour hold,
and his pulse was still 64. NOpe, time to stop. We took a trailer
ride down the dirt road from hell to the finish, while Judy and WP
took 12th this day. Both Judy, myself, and our crew person Susan were
sick as a dog, and Warpaint was a little off at the end of day two, so
we called it a trip after 2 days. Shatta was fine when we got back to
camp, and his pulse was back to its normal 40 or so that I have seen
at vet checks.
What I noticed about Shatta is interesting, and I have a question for
everyone. He did not really eat much the entire 11 hours of the
trailer ride to LAs Vegas, and continued to not eat much through the
week. Warpaint inhales all food, all the time, but Shatta was sort of
nibbling at his hay and grain. He completed the first day of the
ride very well, and very strongly. I noticed he was not really eating
after day 1, and he did not finish his hay before day 2. His gut
sounds were reduced, but there were some still evident. We rode a
nice consistant slow pace on day 2, and he kept his energy up until
the lunch stop.
Did my horse just "bonk"? (thats a bicycle term for running out of
energy by not replentishing energy stores with carbohydrate) Does
anyone have any advice for horses who are finicky eaters when away
from home? He eats fine there, and holds his weight well during
conditioning. Even in the turnout at the ride managers house (where
he spent a day recovering from the trailer ride) he did not eat all
his hay. Does he just need a few multi day rides to figure out he has
to eat to keep going? He drank fine throughout the rides, and we used
plenty of electrolytes, but just did not show much interest in his
food. We got home, and he begins eating again. We had his normal hay
on the trip- Oat, wheat, and alfalfa. He would not even eat his mash
with crimped oats- a favorite at home.
Any suggestions, or similliar experiences?
Nick Warhol
PS: Special thanks to Fred and Clair Toomey, the ride managers. They
put us up at their ranch for a couple of days, and would not think of
taking any payment. Clair said "Oh no, you are endurance riders. No
problem. I'm sure you would do the same for us someday". What
wonderful people.