Hat Ranch - finale

[mspirit@webtv.net (Lori Chandler)]

Hi all -

Completed the final Hat Ranch ride (non-sanctioned CTR), the 2 day 50
mile (25 mi. each day) this past weekend, so thought I would report &
finish up the series.

I now feel that I have been properly initiated into the world of
distance riding.  Had a very eventful weekend, full of challenges (I
have read on this list about some of these challenges - guess I thought
that alone would keep me exempt).

Sat. started out well enough, cruising along with another rider talking
about maybe going to tevis in 2000 (catchy phrase - tevis in 2000).
Start up a mountain & notice ribbons on the ground to the right & a
vague but possible trail.  Almost went, but remembered no such turn on
the map, so we keep on to the top.  At the top there are 3 ribbons off
to the left indicating another turn, but again we notice nothing like
this on our maps, so I ride a way down original trail & find another
ribbon (can't see it from the top).  We stay on track, however some
riders ahead of us did not & are now coming back (trail sabotage?).  Now
I get sandwiched in a bunch of horses on a single track going down a
mountain & my mare is unraveling (obviously need to practise lots of
crowd control).  Get down & into the vc still frazzled & cranky (get a
"poor manners" on my vet card : - ( but otherwise OK).  Eats & drinks
well & out we go.  Get passed & she gets upset again, loses a back shoe,
which I didn't know for a while till someone rides up & tells me.  

Some people get a truck stuck on the single track, as you carefully walk
by, the people are sitting above you in the trees holding back two big,
barking, lunging dogs - Yikes!

Last leg to camp along forest road & a group of screaming quads take off
in front of us & down the same trail (glad we were behind) just to add
some excitement as we finally got back under control.

Get back into camp, vet through ( a little more filling in fetlock &
tendon sheath all around - bouncing downhill is my guess ) & get our
shoe replaced.

Sun., I had decided to try to get out in front to avoid the crowd, &
this was fine until I missed a turn & had to catch back up.  So here we
go again.  I just either got off & lead (pretty much all the downhills
"you vill valk!") then extended trot (couldn't find that lower gear).
Talk about extremes.  Did get some new things accomplished - got tired
of just leading, so practised tailing up, tried jogging beside her until
I slipped & dinged my knee.

Got back in on time, vetted through OK - manners better - sound as a
dollar, but the filling still present.

Managed to win our weight class & breed again.  I was surprised - didn't
think we did that well (still don't), but just goes to show that you
don't know what is going on with the other guy.

Still loved this series, & Bazy Tankersley is talking about having this
plus maybe a 50 or a 3 day 100 (40,40,20) so plenty to look forward to
next year.

What I learned:  We need to work on crowd control.  Stick with your own
game plan as much a possible & don't over ride just because things
aren't going your way, things have a way of working out.  We need to
work on slower speeds within the trot - convinced that consistency in
speed is very much better than the fast - slow syndrome.  Pay better
attention to manners, it is so easy to excuse poor manners because of a
bad day  - there just isn't an excuse IMHO.

Had thought I would try our first 50 in Oct., but now am thinking I
should rest my mare.  She has successfully completed 5 - 25 mi. rides
(the last being consecutive days) since May.  Maybe this is enough for
her for a first season.  I have a back up horse that I have been
conditioning, so why not give him a try at a 25 miler instead. 

BTW the filling subsided Mon. & she is looking great, but I take the
additional filling along the tendon sheath as a warning that I should
back off.  So I will.

Lori & Sky
AZ