Biltmore Challenge

Name: Kathy Brunjes
Weight: AERC FW (of course, I ride at 165 lb in FEI division)
Home: Bethel, Maine
Background info: 24 completed 100s; 4710 lifetime recorded endurance miles (plus another 4,000 miles Competitive Trail)

Background with horses: grew up on dairy farm, have had horses all my life - first remember riding at age 4 on a little white pony called Dolly - it's been downhill ever since ...4-H horse club member and then became a 4-H leader in my early 30's; belonged to my University (of Maine) horse club; rode saddle-seat equitation until I turned 20, along with trail riding (on the side) - my mother has been a ride manager for competitive trail rides since 1964 (that's right - 1964....I rode in my first 3-day 100 when I was 14) - I moved from saddle seat equitation to dressage in my late teens-early 20s, riding under Thomas and Michael (and their brother William) Poulin for many years.
Unless I buy a horse already under saddle, I have put all the horses I have ridden under saddle myself -
Profession: Medical Librarian


Horse's name: Theatric
Owner: me
Age: 9
Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines: Asgard Arabian; Russian/Crabbet breeding
Sex: gelding
Height: 16h
Wt: just a tad under 1,000 lb
shoes: flat steel, no pads, no clips, shoes will be approx 1 week old on the day of the ride
Shoe size: 1 Easy Boot size: 1
Miles: 960 endurance miles recorded; 50 LD miles; 350 CTR miles
Year Competing: 3 years endurance; 4 years CTR
Type of saddle: I use two saddles: Sports Saddle (treeless) and Valerie Kanavy saddle (heavier for the FEI rides)
Type of pad: Wool Back and Cool Back for the Kanavy - Skitto for the Sports Saddle
Bridle and bit: Kimberwicke snaffle, with curb; I use two types of bridles (depends on the day): Zilco red/white/blue biothane OR Taylored Tack PrymTym model in caramel beta biothane with Santa Fe overlay (you asked!)
Crupper: No
Breastcollar: yes (again, Zilco padded for the Zilco set; Taylor Made padded for the Taylor Made set)
Girth: good grief...it's fleece and I buy them from Teddy - I don't know the brand! I use both 28 and 30 inch girths - depends on the time of year/season and what he weighs
Heart Monitor: yes
GPS: probably (sometimes I use it, sometimes not...I'm not too gadget oriented...)

Background info on horse: he likes to go alone...he's better alone - he doesn't mind company/other horses, he just likes to do his own thing. He's very competitive - I always know when there are horses behind me and in front of me....and the ones in front don't stay there too long.. He does NOT take care of himself...he's too busy at holds gawking around to see who may be leaving...he is very dependent upon me to take care of him - he was started under saddle late in life (5 - he came out of a herd at 4 ½ years, so was a little late in getting started - physically he's mature, mentally he's still a tad behind the curve) - he does not want to be fussed with at holds...just leave him alone - on trail, he prefers to be a "come from behind" horse - he needs time to settle and get his mind wrapped around the day before I let him move out
Goal: my goal is always to get around the safest way possible, with a successful outcome. This year, we have had a late start (due to poor weather conditions) so I expect not to be "fast" - we always WANT to be top ten...he's done this ride before so we know the course - I've completed this course 5 times. I've done this course in as little as 10 hours, and as long as 16 hours - the Biltmore always depends upon the weather conditions (and you had better pretty well pay attention to the temps/humidity and plan your time accordingly)

Electrolytes: I use a concoction based on terrain, temps, humidity, speed, etc: Perform n Win, EnduraMax, supplemental Potassium and LyteNow on trail -

Feed: concoction (again) - he gets what he'll eat at rides...I will bring 4 types of grain with me, two types of hay plus alfalfa and peanut hay - because it's anyone's guess what he'll want to eat on any given day. Plus wet beetpulp (that's the only thing I know he'll eat anytime, anyday) and plain oats -

Theatric will mainly want just grass and hay - he rarely eats grain at holds...he'll eat apples but not carrots...he'll eat horse treats but not grain...it's always an interesting first hold to determine what he'll want for that day - and it won't matter if he is standing beside another horse who is eating -
ok, now I'm depressed about how much work he is - thanks, Angie
Kathy