Multi-day rides

[cberto@juno.com]

Hi Kris -- I can understand your trepidation about doing back-to-back
50's but,  don't let yourself get psyched out!    I've done about a dozen
five-day ride series, mostly XP but also Outlaw and Lost Wagon Train. 
Here's what I'd suggest:
1.  Ride so you have some reserve left (I'm sure you know this anyway) so
that your horse arrives back in camp on day 1 with ears still pricked and
eye still bright
2.  Let your horse rest a bit, check it through, and then give it an
extra good grooming, a bath with warmed water if you can,  with plenty of
towel massage on the large muscles.  Talk to him in soothing tone, even
if it's swear words spoken in a croon!
3.  If you've been going over alkaline soils, wash his lower legs with a
white vinegar/warm water solution -- it guards against scratches -- dry
well
4.  Give him lots to eat!  Hay to the point of refusal, all night long! 
Concentrates when he is thoroughly cooled out and settled down.   Blanket
him appropriately.
5.  I always present my horse with two 5-gal. buckets of water.  One is
plain.  The other has electrolytes mixed as per instructions (My horse
likes electro-dex).  Time after time I've seen Billy drain the
electrolyte water down, ignoring the plain water.  Then when he's had
enough salts, it's back to the plain.  It's his call.  If you give
electrolytes via syringe, make sure he is adequately re-hydrated before
you shoot in the salts or you may be compounding an already-dried out
situation
6.  As for supplies, take two of everything if you can.  I alternated
saddles, bridles, just to have some different "wear spots."  Clean saddle
pads, of course!   Be good to yourself too--eat well, rehydrate yourself,
stoke your furnace too.
7.  Have fun!  Aim for a five-day ride series next.  Now, *that's* what
cross-country riding is all about!!   Cheers (;-), Connie B   (Calif.)

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