ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Manzanita

Re: Manzanita

AliFarr@aol.com
Mon, 29 Sep 1997 18:44:50 -0400 (EDT)

Hard to add much to Nick and Lynn's posts, except to agree wholeheartedly.
Thanks Terry for another great ride! My son and I did the 25. This was our
second ride and we both had a wonderful time. Our horses walked quietly up
to the controlled start at about 7:30 AM which was a miracle in itself as
they are both young, green and as inexperienced at this as we are. It didn't
last, as 200 yards down the trail, while we are SUPPOSED to be walking, Caer
Donn suddenly decides that there are way too many horses in front of him and
we should be proceeding at a dead run. The difference of opinion caused us
to go down the trail at a canter, buck, stop, whirl, trot, trot, canter buck
stop.....which finally settled into a very hump backed trot, which lasted
about a mile. Then he settled and the next 24 miles were a breeze! BTW,
this is the reason this horse wears a tie down. When he is having a stupid
fit, the tiedown keeps his ears out of my nose. The tiedown came off at the
first water stop (mile 6) and was not needed the rest of the day. The
scenery and the trail were beautiful, the weather was perfect and we came
into vet check 1 about 20 minutes behind my intended 7mph pace. Horses were
at criteria within 2 minutes as usual and attempted to eat and drink whatever
was offered. We had the nicest "P" person. She checked our horses, then
held them while we took a break and somehow managed to imply that we were the
most important thing in the world to her at that point in time. Neat lady!
Out of the vet check and around the short loop - when it leveled off, son
Kris was in the lead (I usually ride first) and having the canter of his
life. We quickly found ourselves at the viewpoint, and had to stop for a
minute to identify all the mountain ranges and valleys we could see on the
map. Water for the horses was right after this. Both horses walked down the
row of 4 barrels, getting a drink from each one. Off again, the horses do
not seem at all tired. The last mile into camp is a gentle downhill. Kris
yells from behind me "Canter mom, I hate trotting downhill." So I ask Caer
Donn for a canter just as we come upon this little spring off on the side of
the trail. Instead of forward canter , I get eight foot shy to the left,
almost into the barbed wire fence. All I can think of (trying desperately
not to fall off ON the barbs) is the ignominy of going 24.75 miles and THEN
having my horse come in without me! Fortunately, I stayed on (not quite in
the saddle, but on) and the last quarter mile was uneventful. The awards
ceremony was hilarious. Kris and I pooled our funds to buy 1 raffle ticket
and he was tickled pink when they drew his name. He was even more tickled
when he ended up with $60.00! Kudos to Terry for another great weekend.

Anyone have any thoughts on my gelding moving up to the 50 at Manzanita next
year? He will be 5.5 years old and will have 18+ months of solid LSD base.
Is this too soon to move a young horse up? Our goal will be simply to
finish (I was going to say obviously - but maybe its not.) Manzanita has
very little elevation gain and loss and we train at home over much steeper
terrain. He also has the eating and drinking routine down pat - drinks at
every water stop, even the first and shovels in hay at checks like he hasn't
eaten all week.

Alison Farrin
and the Princes Gydion and Caer Donn ("Are we done already?")

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