Lethargic Horse - not really!!!!

["Annette Gordon" <agordon@worldofwonder.net>]

Hi ridecampers

Some of you were kind enough to reply to my worry over Spot being too pooped
to do a 30. Well I can safely tell you he went like a train on Sunday - there
was nothing lethargic about this horse. 

Well having spent far too much time worrying about whether Spot was ok or not
and pulling out of another ride and having blood tests done. I spent 4 hours
and 20 minutes at Wiltshire Droves trying to slow him down and restrain him
from galloping the whole way round. Our average speed was just under 7.5 mph -
the fastest speed and the longest distance we've ever done. Unlike Goodwood
last year, where we failed to get our Bronze Buckle Final, this time he
galloped and pulled and trotted and pulled and reached the finish line very
perky and jogging!

We vetted in at 36 which seems to be about right for him now. At the final
vetting he was 48/44. I was amazed. I was expecting to be in the 50's with all
that prancing and pulling but no it actually went down after the trot up. 

Possibly better still he was 0 on the pinch test for dehydration - now that is
a first. In the past he's been 2 or 1. He didn't drink a drop all the way
round either. However I did load him up with electrolytes a couple of days
before and made sure he had a massive bucket of water to drink every night.
Rick, my boyfriend, did great work crewing me and all the frequent slosh stops
must have helped keep him cool and prevent him from losing more fluids. 

I was very lucky with the weather. It was beautiful sunshine to start and then
cloudy towards the end. After about 45 minutes after we arrived back it rained
really hard and at one point even started to hail. I felt very grateful to be
back at the venue. 

Memories of the ride itself? I can't really remember much it was all a fast
blur. I don't remember appreciating the scenery that much either. There were a
lot of gates but all easy except one which was weighted. I was so so lucky to
have caught up with two elderly ladies and a small child on a white pony. Of
course the small child was pressed into action. She resignedly stepped off her
pony and did the gate for the crowd that had now gathered and which included
Jo Trego, Captain of the British International Team at Dubai. Bless that
child! Getting on and off Spot is hazardous, I'm short and he's almost 16
hands and he does not wait for you to get on board properly. 

Apart from the crewing points and the bit where Spot saw our White Landrover
speeding to the next crew point, the other memorable points were the
spectacular trot Spot did after checkpoint one. I had gulped down a quantity
of isotonic drink and he was keen to catch up with the others. We both felt
fab at that point. He trotted like a demon, a really long fast trot that
covered the ground. It must have been at least two miles long. We caught
everyone up fairly easily. 

The other memorable point was the ford which was lovely. Spot plunged into it
and tanked his way straight out to the other side. The water came up to my
boots! It was great! The last time I forded a river like that on horseback was
in Colorado. But at this ford there was quite an audience of crew cars
including Rick. Apparently shortly after Spot and I crossed one woman fell off
her horse right in the river. Her horse panicked and dumped her and then ran
off. This makes me shudder because if I'd been riding Kitty, my other horse, I
know that woman would have been me. 

I was in a panic after the ford, with brain very addled, I thought I was out
of time and I sort of re-lived the closing stages of our doomed Goodwood BBF.
Ghastly thoughts of failing to complete loomed large and I kept thinking why
am I doing this to myself and this poor horse if we're going to keep running
out of time. Are we forever destined to attempt BBF's and never get them?
Silly me. We made it back with about 40 minutes to spare. 

On arrival home, Kitty actually whinied at the sight of Spot and myself
walking round the corner to Spot's stable, so she must quite like us after
all. Spot didn't drink any water until he was back in his stable, nor had he
eaten much all day either. I was very glad I'd given him an evening and late
evening feed the night before the ride. 

What can I say?!!! This horse is a master of disguise. He really had me
fooled. Naturally my shoulder muscles ache this morning from trying to slow
him up, but he finished that ride in great shape and he could have gone
further which is the aim after all. Not sure I could have gone much further
though so really we should be worrying about me. No doubt Spot has been
analysing my performance, wondering whether I'm up to the job! 

Thanks to all who posted me back about his lethargy. Another lesson learned.
He'll now not compete again for another month and then it will be 25 miles.
We're really in our first season so we may make it to a 40 miler by the end of
the year. 

Bye 

Annette


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=