25 to 50

[Anastasia Hurley <ahurley@cncx.com>]

Hi Cheryl


Things I learned the hard way on my first fifty...your mileage may vary
as someone on the list says.

These items may sound preachy - I don't mean them that way. Everything
here was learned by the stick in the eye method - not recommended!

Make sure that you sleep the night before the ride. Your horse has been
sleeping by himself for a long time just fine by himself. Put out hay
and water, set the alarm and go to sleep! This is more important on the
50s as you will be more tired and will have to get up earlier.

Put clogs or easy to put on shoes just outside the tent door. Sleep in
something that you wouldn't be embarassed to have to chase a horse in -
shorts and a tee shirt works for me.

Put on your saddle early the next morning so that you have time to
fiddle with the heart monitor, bags, saddle blanket

Bring food for you, electrolytes for the horse - everything that you
really, really need on the ride with you so that if your crew doesn't
make it to the vet check you are not panicked.  The stuff I bring with
me  - I am a heavy packer - aspirin for me, sinus tabs, travel
sunscreen, lip block, kleenex, leatherman, spare clip, $2 in change, ID,
vet card, cookies, bagel and cream cheese, package fritos, electrolyte
for the horse, electrolyte for me, mouth syringe, small apple sauce
package. Water in a camelback for me, 2 water bottles for horse for neck
pouring. 

Pay attention to the ribbons. Staying on and looking for ribbons are
your jobs.  My horse was very disgusting with me after I lost the way a
couple of times on my first fifty. I don't blame him. 

You may experience  despair (maybe or maybe not related to how the horse
is doing)at some point during the ride - it happens to me at vet checks
as I look forward to getting there and then I'm there, but I'm not done.
This is when my crew gets me a chair in the shade and an iced tea. I
have a "virtual" chair and iced tea if I have no crew. The trick is to
realize the low point is temporary. If your horse is ok and you are ok
- go! If it happens to you on the trail - get off and run, change pace,
have a raisin, sing (my horse hates when I sing) try to think of
something funny. 

Let your horse rest at vet checks esp the hour checks. Do the vet check
and get water, hay, mash, serve it up and relax. Keep fussing over him
to a minimum. My horse likes to nap and it doesn't help if I am buzzing
around him.

I didn't find my first fifty to be twice as hard as a 25. It was harder,
but not terrible given that I had done a 25 and all the training
involved with the 25 and the 50. I think that you almost zone out more
in a way so that time and the miles pass quickly as you get into a
rhythm. My second fifty was even better. 

Refill your water any chance you get. Take care of your horse and
yourself. Know your horse. (Insert Cliché here)

Good luck!

I will be asking this question soon only for 50' s to 100's. 

Stasia 

Elvis (you want to do a hundred this year??) connemara
Bingo (3 miles is a long way for a little guy)