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... OK, I'll let you read it!
:) - kat
in No. Cal with Magnum the TB ex-racer
************************
"I believe that it went something like this (but I could be wrong):
>> 1. Kathy Thompson (who got 2nd at Tevis)
>> 2. some young gal who was riding Jason Wonders horse
>> 3. Heather Bergantz
>> 4. Becky Glasier
>> 5.?
>> 6. Barbara Sanchez
>> 7. ?
>> 8. ?
>> 9. Judith Ogus
>> 10.Kirsten Bernstein (or was it vice versa?)
>> 11. ?
>> 12. Gertrude Walker
>> 13. Kathy Ruiz
>> 14. Steve Webb
>> 15. Nancy Elliot
>> 16. ?
>> 17. ?
>> 18. Jill?
>> 19. Dominique Freeman
>> 20. ?
>> 21. ?
>>
>> There were supposed to be 35 riders and 5 teams of ride and tiers, but
>> 6 riders backed out. So, there were only 29 riders and 5 teams of
>> R&Ters.
>>
>> Friday afternoon I headed to Davenport. Met Gertie along the way
>> and we caravaned down there. It only takes about 50 minutes. Once
>> there set up camp. Kind of weird being there again, since the last
>> time was at Castle Rock (same camp) and there must have been about
>> 200 rigs. Swanton is much smaller (I like that). They had 5 ride and
>> tie teams doing a 100 mile R&T and they originally had 35 riders
>> signed
>> up for the 100 mile endurance ride, but a few backed out at the last
>> minute, so they ended up with 29.
>>
>> After vetting in, I saddled up Alaarm and just walked him around camp
>> while Gertie and Nancy hand walked their horses (I like to do a tack
>> check). We stopped and talked to Barbara McCrary and all of a sudden
>> yellow jackets started stinging another girls (Megan) horse and
>> Alaarm.
>> They didn't get Alaarm too bad but it was like a rodeo!
>>
>> That night I went to bed around 10:00. We woke up around 11:00 to some
>> pigs walking right through our corrals spooking the horses. We went
>> back to bed and woke up around 4:00 (5:30 start).
>>
>> We were on the horses by 5:15 and walked them around until the start.
>> Boy, was it dark! I got behind Gertie's horse Eddie (I could at
>> least see his butt) and we were off. I was sooo glad I had easyboots
>> on his feet (just the front) as the first section was hard packed and
>> you could see sparks from the horses shoes. Next there was a section
>> of
>> rock. Then slab--he had good traction though. The knee knockers
>> section
>> wasn't as
>> bad as I thought, it was actually the section right before it that
>> a group of us decided should be called head/knee knockers. We all got
>> wacked there.
>>
>> About mile 25 he must have sensed he was
>> heading home (his real home--the first vet check is 1/2 mile down from
>> his home). He really wanted to go, but I held him in a steady pace.
>> Into
>> the first vet check at 9:45 (mile 34). Garry (my husband) and Lynn
>> Jackson
>> (thank you, Lynn!) were waiting for us. He P&Red right away and the
>> vet
>> commented how great he looked and eager he wanted to go. Garry told
>> him
>> that he lives right down the road.
>>
>> Boy that hour went by fast. I quickly popped his easy boots off,
>> changed
>> his vet wrap, Lynn cleaned the boots off and we put them back on (I
>> decided
>> not to use the foam) I hadn't used it before and didn't want to try
>> something
>> for the first time on a 100 miler (specially our first). Off we were
>> down
>> Wurr Road (where we live). We went by Rocket and Tam. Rocket looked
>> huge!
>> Rocket is my 20 year old Quarter horse. He was all puffed up and
>> didn't
>> know whether to whinny or not. Tam just looked pissed. :^) Alaarm just
>> looked over and kept going.
>>
>> Then down to Pescadero creek and up this steep switch back. There
>> was a nice catch spot with some water half way up the hill. Alaarm
>> took a nice long drink and then we were off again into Big Creek
>> (logging
>> roads). This is our training area, so Alaarm knows the terrain well.
>> There
>> was a couple with buckets of water, a hose and some hay. The horses
>> took a
>> nice long drink and ate (I ate a banana). Off again up to a steep
>> trail.
>> Eddie and Alaarm power walked this hill. Then up to the air strip to
>> a vet check (no crews) and a 15 minute hold. Someone gave us blankets
>> to put on the horses butts. It was cool up here. They P&Red right away
>> and ate and drank real well (this was 50 miles). Off again. Up to
>> another hill
>> where they had water and carrots. Alaarm drank well and ate a lot of
>> carrots. I gave him some electrolytes. Well, here he must have gotten
>> a piece of carrot and a chunk of electrolytes stuck behind his bit.
>> We headed down this long wide trail and he kept sticking his head out
>> like something was bothering him. I got real worried. The woman next
>> to me (Megan) said he was foaming at the mouth and had been doing that
>> since we left that last spot. I stopped him, took my water bottle out
>> and he turned and drank half the bottle. Then he was totally
>> fine--thank
>> goodness.
>>
>> Off again and to the pavement. Glad I had those easy boots on. We
>> trotted
>> most of this and walked some. At the end there were crews waiting (no
>> vet
>> check, though). Well, we didn't have our crew here. But, Becky came up
>> to me
>> with hay and Jennifer Layman (Thanks, Jennifer!) had some leftover
>> grain
>> from crewing for Valerie Weizer and gave it to Alaarm. (Becky was
>> crewing for two women from Virginia, Kathy and Loney who flew out to
>> do
>> the ride and tie on Rio). [And they finished!]
>>
>> Off again. Alaarm felt a tad tired and confused. (this was 60 miles,
>> the
>> farthest he has ever gone). So I got off and we trotted down this
>> gentle
>> slope. Then he picked up again. And we rode parallel to the ocean and
>> into the next vet check (mile 69). He P&Red down right away and looked
>> great (the vet said). I ate well here and so did Alaarm. Off again up
>> a terrificly long hill on shale. It was pretty up here. And down a
>> steep
>> narrow trail (I got off here and made Alaarm stay behind me, which is
>> no easy feat as he is a very fast walker). This trail went up
>> occasionally
>> too and Gertie said, have you ever tailed him. Well, I hadn't and
>> decided
>> to go ahead and try. He was a pro. I was so proud of him. On the down
>> hills he would stay behind me and the up part I'd let him go in front.
>> I got back on about 3/4 of the way down. He was happy and ready to
>> go. We crossed two creeks and they drank well. Then into Big Basin and
>> into the next vet check at the lumber mill (mile 83) and 1/2 hour
>> hold.
>> This went well, too. Becky came over and said how great he looked.
>>
>> Off again. It was about 8:20 and getting darker. The moon was
>> beautiful.
>> We went through some cattle ranches and had just breath taking views
>> of
>> the ocean and the moon. Then into the last vet check (94 miles) and 15
>> minute hold. It was 9:40 here. It was very dark. Off for our last 6
>> miles. Then up and up Power house grade. Barbara, why did you put this
>> hill here?! The horses did well and power walked up it. I was getting
>> very hungry! But we made it in at 11:15! I guess we did well on that
>> last section (had plenty of horse) because, as we crossed the finish
>> line
>> 9th, 10th, and 11th had come in 5 minutes prior to us and were
>> weighing in.
>> 6th place had come in at 11:00. Not bad! I felt great and so did
>> Alaarm.
>>
>> There were 21 who finished. Three ride and tie teams finished. The
>> last
>> person on the endurance ride came in at 4:00 a.m.
>>
>> Kirsten and Kid (is that right?) looked great!
>>
>> Alaarm looks great now. He lost a little weight, but is eatting very
>> well. He gets some time off and then we'll do a little dressage.
>>
>> Kathy "
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