food, wide gait, dogs

[toriandsteve@juno.com (Victoria A Thompson)]

Hey, gang

I've been sick as a dog for two weeks now and have been spending the last
two days getting caught up on all my email.  Not having any contact with
anyone except my husband for a week now I feel compelled to reach out and
touch....lucky you!!

Re ride food - eat at rides what you eat at home.  Nothing will upset
your stomach more than wolfing down a power bar or Gu if you've never
eaten one before.  If you eat eggs for breakfast everyday don't switch to
oatmeal the morning of a ride.  If you eat peanut butter sandwiches (God
forbid) at lunch have one packed and waiting at the vet check.  As for
snacks while you're riding ... if you don't normally snack (I don't, but
you'd never believe it if you saw me) get your body used to it a week or
so before a ride.  Nuts are a very good energy food and the salt they
provide helps on those hot days, just make sure you have plenty of water
with you.  I suffer from heat exhaustion very easily and have learned to
grab a handful of trail mix whenever I go out on long rides or hikes.  

Re wide hind end - I'm in trouble.  Taffy is so wide in the hind end she
steps off into oblivion when we go on skinny trails.  I'm hoping she'll
wise up.  She used to step off with the front feet too, but she's learned
that walking off cliffs head first gets Mama very upset.  Now we're
working on "Mama gets upset when either end goes off the cliff".  

Re dogs - I vote for leaving them at home, but if you do bring them be
forewarned Taffy kills dogs.  She especially hates black ones.  Black
dogs that come over to say hi to me are highest on her list of "Things to
Destroy".  She's cleaned all the neighborhood dogs clocks.  One of my
barnmates insists on bringing her Golden with her and ties the poor thing
to the stall door opposite from Taffy.  Taffy hangs her head over her
door, pins her ears back and clacks her teeth together, and this poor dog
cowers back and whines.  Taffy is greatly amused by this and clacks her
teeth even louder.  I must say that there is a good 12 feet between the
two, so don't go thinking Taffy can actually reach the dog.  Anyway, the
louder Taffy clacks her teeth the louder the dog whines and the more
amused Taffy gets.  Taffy will start answering the dogs whine with a
squeal and the barn really gets vibrating with noise.  Meanwhile I'm
sitting back enjoying the show and the dogs owner is totaling ignoring
the whole thing.  The only dog I've ever seen Taffy ignore is a little
miniature wienerschnitzel dog.  The thing is so tiny I think Taffy feels
it isn't worth her time.

Now that I'm totally exhausted I'm going back to the couch and my Nyquil.

Tori