Mclear Ride(first ride of our season)

["Arikaras" <arikaras@iafrica.com>]

Hi to all,
Have just returned from our first endurance ride of the season.We left on
Friday morning with two stallions loaded in my horsebox,one a Arab stallion
(belonging to Greg Miles) and my almost 16 hand Appaloosa stallion Maluti
Southern Pride commonly known as Spotz.Took us about six hours to get to
Mclear which is in the Drakensburg mountain region.Our groom had to stay in
the box with the stallions(just in case of problems).
We arrived there at about 3 pm,settled ourselves and the horses in,waited
for the vets to arrive,vetted both stallions in without any problems.
Robert was riding ,I was to be crew for a change(not to sure about this crew
thing after being the one riding for the last 9 years)We were all awake at
4:30 am to get ready to leave at 5:30 am.It was misty and overcast.Rob left
on Spotz,had to hold him back for the entire ride,he is still young and we
did not want him to go to fast(only 6 years old)The first leg was 33 km,the
scenery was beautiful,riding through the forests.Rob came in,his horse
looking wonderful,vetted through easily.Set off on the second leg,hard going
and as hot as blazes at this stage and humid as well.Took it carefully and
sort of slowly.Came back we literally poured water over the horses to cool
them dowm,Spotz also decided that he hates town water far to much chlorine
in it,it was a grey colour YUCK!Luckily he had beed drinking on the ride.No
sign of dehydration at all.Vetted through with a pulse of 48,which is not
bad considering the heat and the humidity.
The last leg was 20 km,they flew in this leg,doing a lovely canter for the
20 kms.Rob reckons he just cruised through this leg,totally effortlessly and
he was still holding him back.Spotz has loads of potential and we plan on
taking him slowly for the whole year with Rob riding him,he is a heavyweight
rider weighing in at 96 kgs.Next year I will ride him,so Rob is building him
up,the right way.
Spots finished second Heavyweight,and was in contention for BC,he missed
doing National Qualifying time by twelve minutes.
I am awfully proud of my husband and his spotted horse,his finishing time
was 4 hours 50 minutes,which is a good time for this very tough ride in the
heat and humidity.
This is only Robs third endurance ride that he has done, only a 50 miler but
he is already dreaming of his first 100 miler ride.
After the ride we all had a sheep on a barbecue,which was wonderful,then it
hailed like I have not seen for a long time,the hail was the size of golf
balls,all and sundry fled to shelter in various places.We had left Spotz in
a paddock,he was fine,had a thick blanket on,when we checked on him he was
grazing away as if there had been no hail at all.
So what else can I say except that I am proud of my husband and his
horse!Well done husband of mine,next time I will join you and ride with you!
Regards
Kathy in South Africa

Arikara Safaris
http://www.bigfoot.com/~arikaras
Rob Dobrowsky
PO Box 200
Stutterheim
4930
South Africa