Derby Ditch

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Kimberly Ross johnbright@email.msn.com
The last time I did Derby Ditch was 2 years ago and my memories of the ride are that it was very warm, I wore only a t-shirt and riding tights, and riding boots, I got sunburned, drank a lot of water, but finished.  This year was very different.  This would be my 6 yr. old (Roxy) 2nd 50.  The first 50 was the end of our last season being Gardnerville Gallop in Gardnerville, NV.  As usual she was very nervous from the moment we unloaded her until we started the ride the next morning.  When we vetted in she was constantly snorting, kicking out, prancing in circles around me, etc...  When we were asked to trot out I don't think she even touched the ground.  Her head tall, nose down, feet above the ground and impulsion slightly ahead of mine.  Eventhough it may seem slightly out of control to someone who doesn't own an arabian I'm always proud of the spirit it shows in this breed.  As the evening wore on I heard everything from it may snow to wear a tank top!  I live in Lake Tahoe so eventhough I'm used to the cold I didn't think it would snow down in Fernley.  Boy was I wrong.  After enduring Gardnerville Gallop with major hale/rain storms causing flash flooding that looked like a picture of Rescue 911 I knew enough regardless of what we knew about the weather to pack rain gear just in case.  The next morning came, the weather seemed ok, I wore a t-shirt with a fleece pullover and light jacket.  As we headed out of course I had to fight Roxy who refuses to be behind another horse for most of the 14 miles to Hazen.  Nothing seems to faze this horse but a steep incline and even at that it seems just a challenge.  By the time we got to Hazen there was a black cloud above us and my friend Sandy says you may want to grab your oil coat.  I was so cold at that point I put the coat on (our crew was cheerfully waiting), and my hands were so frozen I could barely bend them to put Roxy's splint boots back on.  Luckily, living in Tahoe and Skiing quite frequently I happened to have my ski gloves in my truck, yippee!  I couldn't believe I was riding in ski gloves.  It began snowing at Hazen and as we left Sandy said to me " we need to go as fast as we can and get out of here".  Off we went.  It got worse and worse and even worse.  I thanked my dad for the oil coat(it saved my life) however as we pushed forward into the storm everything on me froze, even my eyelashes.
The winds at one point were so strong the thought that we might get blown over occured to me.  The snow was hitting the right side of our bodies so hard that I thought my right cheek had frost bite so I just rode with my hand covering that part of my face.  I closed my eyes for many strides at a time and it reminded me of Tevis at night.  My incredible horse galloped most of the way into the storm.  Her hair froze, her bridle was covered in ice, her eyelashes froze, her rear flanks were covered in ice.  All I could think was how bad I felt that when we stop these hot muscles are going to be freezing and probably hurt.  We had no choice but to continue.  I was in so much pain, emotionally I started to break down.  I love endurance however these conditions make me feel like an extreme sports enthusiast and I don't claim to be that.  When I read someone quoting a dictionary definition stating: to endure without yielding, it makes sense all over again and I regain the pride of the sport that I have.  When I really don't want to go on I keep hearing what my friend Sandy always says "I'll never quit my horse unless he quits me"  Well, I have to say, the one who has never failed me, who is strong when I feel weak and endures without yielding is always my horse Roxy.  In the end we all survived and I just hope that Roxy doesn't think I'm trying to kill her since her only 2 endurance rides have had weather from hell!



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