crew checks at tevis

["Susan Evans Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

I'm considering taking Cato to Tevis this summer, but I'm concerned about only having alfalfa and bran available at the no-crew vet checks.  I realize many horses have gotten by only eating alfalfa, but anybody that's been around me for five minutes or been to one of my lectures knows there are some pretty good physiological and metabolic reasons for not providing straight alfalfa during this sort of ride (no criticism intended towards WSTF).  I figure Tevis is hard enough without having one more card stacked against us, and I'll carry my own hay with me if necessary.  Obviously, I'd rather not have to do that.

 

Has anybody else tried to get around this problem?  Can you send out a crew bag ahead of time like at other rides?  Are the checks accessible the week before that we could bring in our own crew bags?  Does anyone carry feed with them between crew checks?  Drop it in by carrier pigeon?  Any suggestions (aside from "my horse just got alfalfa and he did fine")?

 

Susan G