Mt Laguna 50 (long)

[Becky Hackworth <bechack@flash.net>]

   A PRSPECTIVE FROM THE REAR


Well, this is one of my favorite rides, especially since it is only 15
minutes from home and we often train here.  Well, it still turned into an
endurance event just to get there...

Slow to get around Friday morning, but managed to be within 1/2 hour of when
I wanted to get to camp to help out with anything I could.  Well, Marc had
different ideas....45 minutes I finally had his halter on :-(   This is not
typical for this horse.  He is usually too curious and is always over to see
me.  Now this!!! Sure hoped this was not the beginning of a bad weekend.

Once caught he was a doll.  Loaded right up, behaved in the trailer.  No
further problems...from him....

Camper door came open twice (with people honking to point this out) as we
roll down the road for a block....

Well, we got to basecamp without further difficulties...parked with friends
Teresa Bitondo and Maureen Sullivan.  These two went out on FOOT a week ago
and heaved rocks from that last section of trail!  Now I rode that trail
before they did that, and if you thought Saturday was bad, you should have
seen it before!!!!   And the creek crossings all used to be so full of rocks
and boulders they were not safe at all.  Those are all gone thanks to Terry
Wooley Howe and her many other volunteers that have given up riding time to
go work this trail!

Well, Heather and I (daughter #3) got settled in, got early vet in #'s, and
watched everyone else get into camp.  One other ridecamper...Alison
Ferrin...had a worse morning than I...the small rainstorm we had Thursday
night made here driveway a mudhole and she had to unhook the rig and pull
her trailer out with the tractor and re-hitch!   I am sure the truck dealers
can thank "El Nino' " with the massive increase in 4x4 sales here in sunny
California:-)

Marc is a homebred baby, that just turned 5.  I had planned to bring him
along a little slower, but due to his Mama being 18 and loosing "Jam" in
March, it was time to move him along.  I had considered using Mama Gina for
this ride, it's a hard ride.  But I guess it was time.  We also rode the 25
mile portion of this ride last week, just to test him on the worst sections
of trail.  He did well, so here we were.

Annie, Heather's horse has not been worked much lately, so we deffinitly
were going to be riding slowly :->

I slept like a log, ALL NIGHT, which I never do before a ride, and even
though we went to bed with a heavy cloud cover, we all awoke to a
spectacular crystal clear sky and temps in the 60's.  Now those of you that
haven't been following the ride season here in So Cal, this is the first
ride in this area in months that has not been rained out the night before or
cancelled outright due to trail damage from the rains this year!   I think
there was a collective sigh of releif just to get to start a ride!!!

We had planned to start after all of the "hot shoes" had gone, this was only
Marc's 2nd ride.  Well, we were delayed a bit longer than I had planned.  I
always walk out of camp on purpose, and Marc did a nice flat walk.  He has
inherited the best from his Mama...her fast walk....

The start goes 1/2 mile then another 1/2 mile on blacktop road, then you get
to trail!  That is where we finally begin to move out.  This is where we
lost the most time all day, and would pay for for the rest of the day!!!  By
the time we got to trail, it was after 6:30 already!  I looked at my watch
and couldn't beleive it!  Time to move out.  

ONE of the ride goodies were pictures taken again by Nicco Murphy and wife!
They are by far and away the best pictures I have gotten yet.  THANK YOU!!!  
I would love to send one to anyone, I am so proud!!!   The pictures were
taken at the top of a good climb in a small meadow.  Marc new this section
of trail, and was having a good time.  I am only using a training snaffle on
him and I never had to pull or fight with him.  A gentle reminder to slow or
pace was all I needed all day.  Horses would pass and no argument.  HE WAS
SO GOOD!  He also began to drink out of the streams around mile 7-8 and just
about every oportunity after that!!!  GOOD BOY...He would snatch grass along
the way.  We paused once in a while to let them graze.   I really wanted
this to be a good experience for him.  Well, it worked. :-)

Got into Vet # 1 and still not sure what to expect from my youngster...P/R
in 3 minutes!  GOOD BOY  Only minimum figiting with Vet thru.  Getting the
hang of this really well.  Then went straight to eating!!! and Drinking...!!!

Left right on time, did loop #2 in 2 hours, came back to Vet#1/2   again P/R
in 3 minutes!!!  This is looking very promising to a long career!!!.  Took
his bit off for the hour hold, and he really began to eat!  And drank
again..I was so impressed at how this youngster was CALMLY taking care of
himself....

Again off right on time for the dredded loop #3!  This loop done after lunch
is more out in the open and hotter, and just seems to go on forever.  Guess
I need to ride it more often !   We had a cutoff time at Vet #3 of 3:30!  We
got behind another couple of riders.  I would have made up a little time
when they didn't and then after crossing the road, they took off!  I didn't
want to move out that fast at all!!!  So we kept to our slow troting all the
way in to Vet #3...at 3:18....

Unfortunatly, Alison and son Chris on their first 50 attempt didn't make
this cutoff.  :-(  Now we were the LAST ONES TO LEAVE VET#3   Oops, got to
push a little.  Horses are getting tired.  A little less surefooted than in
the morning.  Still eager to go....put Heather in the front for a while
which did seem to reenergize Marc at about 45 miles....

We get to the "cookie stop" , a 5 minute hold (no P/R) at 45 miles...now
it's 5:05, and the last 2 miles is down rocky switchbacks :-(  Not sure if
my tiring baby has it in him to go quickly down this section safely and then
pick it up when we can....HE DOES,  and with gusto!  He knows this section
of trail from last week :-)   It shows!  

We are pushing as much as I think is safe.  We get to the road and are able
to slow trot the whole thing.  5:45 and about a mile to go!  Maybe,
maybe....trying to think well, the horse doesn't know how to tell time, he
just knows he just did 50 miles, credit or not...but to do this hard trail
and not get credit...

Stream crossing after the fence line...Marc just HAD to stop to drink!!!
How could I say no....:-(   Let him take his time too....5:48  Out of the
water with a blast all on his own...trotting...trotting....down the next
fence line, thru the last ditch and water crossing...up out of the
wash....BASECAMP in sight....trotting....trotting....now both horses pick up
a canter!!! after 50 hard miles!!!  I am so happy I give an indian whoop and
holler....and Marc shied for the first time all day!!  :-)))   I almost came
off.....and I did start to cry and hugged his neck so hard!!!  5:53!!!!

Back to the trailer and started to eat again!!!!  GOOD BOY.  I hate to say
it, but I think he is going to be better than my "Jam".  He takes care of
himself better.  He is calmer ALL THE TIME.  He doesn't spook on trail.  His
TOTAL recovery time for the ride was only 11 minutes!  He carries himself
well, collected, working from the rear.  Surefooted.  He doesn't forge!  If
only I can do right by him and keep him well!  

Again, Terry Wooley Howe did herself proud, and put on a firstclass ride.
All of the volunteers were more than helpful.  Hold your horse, fill your
water bottles, get you something to eat?  Never ending help... It is just
such a pleasure to ride at a "Terry" ride <VBG>

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, TERRY!!!

Becky Hackworth...565 LD miles (in 22 rides)
and 250 miles Endurance
Alpine, CA

Gina the wonder mare....560 miles
Tezmarc 50 miles and just beginning...