One of the views from up top...Balarat is to the right of that flat thing in the background. (Photo by Terri Tinkham)Ok, so a few days behind in the update, that's new. It is hard to get motivate to write these things, though I DO like it, just not the blogger format, sighhh... and I get soooo distracted while writing too, LOL :) But onward....
So I had decided that I would either ride a 50 or an LD on day 3, depending on what the trails were...though leaning more towards the LD, as I kinda wasn't sure I wanted to venture out on a 50 without knowing how the boo-boo foot would hold up. It looked great, but then you don't know what miles will do. I went to the ride meeting, and the trail for the 50's looked to head over the Slate range to Panamaint Valley to lunch at the 'Charlie Manson Bus' (hmmm...bad juju if you ask me, to have lunch at a place like that!), then back over the Slates to camp. Hmmmm...not really an easy day AT ALL...a lot of climbing and a lot of being out in the middle of nowhere out of camp, and tromping through the rocky mountains... So I decided to do the LD instead. That alone would be a decently tough ride...We would have to haul over to the radar Station on the road to Ballarat, then ride to lunch, then up and over the Slates back to camp. A nice, 30 mile tromp over the mtn to warm Storm up after standing around all week, LOL... Hauling to Ballarat also turned out to be a quick panic to figure out how to get there... Our rig was totally not set up to go anywhere (hot fence hooked to it, pop-top camper up, etc), let alone that I didn't have a driver, since Terri was riding the 50..and during the meeting, Susan was contemplating just going for another 50! But then she changed her mind and said she could haul me... turns out though, there were only 4 of us that we knew of (at the meeting that night), that were riding the LD, and one of them happened to have a 4-horse rig with a driver :) She offered to haul all of us over...how handy was that?! Great! So we made plans to meet the next morning, tacked up and ready to go. I'd navigate, as I was the only one in the group who had done the ride before, and knew how to get to Ballarat.
I got up with Terri, and we got the ponies ready. It was great to be up and getting to RIDE this time:) By 7, we were over at the hauling rig. It was going to be me, Susan, Janet Tipton (on a cute as a button Mustang pony sized mare, and she was also our chauffeur that day...THANKS!), and Kara Henry riding Carla Richerson's backup horse on his second day of LDs here. We tossed in Janet's mare, Ladybug, in first, then the two geldings, then Storm got the last slot. Everyone loaded well and was well behaved on the 20 minute or so drive over the Mtns...it was fun to see the Slates from the truck, and ponder where we'd have to cross on the horses. Ride start was to be at 8am, but no one was around yet when we got to the radar station. All the horses were unloaded, tack checked, then we stood around and chatted, and walked the horses, while we waited for the starters. Soon the water truck arrived...still no Annie...then a caravan of rigs arrived! Three or four more horses were starting, that we didn't know about last night, and Annie was leading the rig pack. Sometime after 8, with everyone up and ready, we got the go-ahead to start and were off .
Susan and Cash...happy pony even on day three and looking good :) (Photo by Janet Tipton)Susan and I were trying to stick together, but Storm walks out much faster than Cash, and kept getting ahead...Kara and Janet were also with us, and the other riders were kinda getting out ahead, except for one gal on a wonderfully spotted Appy (Dalmotion was his name, we later found out...and he did look a bit like a Dalmatian!). After a few miles, we all started to string apart, as Susan and I wanted a nice, LONG warmup, and much of the trail was rocky road anyway and not very conducive to trotting/gaiting. Dalmotion and his rider (sorry, just can NOT remember your name...so I guess you'll be D's rider in the post now, LOL) stuck with us, as her guy was a)kinda bonding with us (didn't want to trot away, even with crop use, LOL) and b) totally barefoot...no boots! Hmmm, wonder how he'll do on rock heaven...not the sandiest desert around...But so far he looked fine, but of course she didn't want to run him on the rocks. She'd get ahead a little on the sandier parts, then we'd catch her again on the 'ok' parts, and we'd all walk the rocks. We hopscotched that way for some time, until we hit the edge of the dry lake bed (which actually had a shimmer of water in it this time...quicksand heaven I bet!) and had good footing.
Dalmotion...now isn't he cute?? Like a big dalmatian :) (photo by Janet Tipton)D's rider went on down the trail at a brisk trot, and Susan and I went between moving out some and walking, depending on how Cash was feeling (or really, what his heart rate monitor was saying, as HE was saying she should let him run the whole way back to camp, LOL). Storm was gaiting along decently and eventually we saw the vet check off in the distance. We walked in, then handwalked, the last 100 yards. Went to the waters and both drank, and Annie pulsed us in..both boys were down with no issues. Good :) The check was only 15minutes, as we were around 10 or so miles in...I love Duck rides...I hate going to rides that make LDs spend a whole hour in the VC (thus making you go faster on trail to make up time)...a 1/2 hour is good, and one CAN always stay longer if you want or your horses need. And we did..15mins was too short to get some food in them, AND in us (mmmm, Cup-O-Noodles for 'lunch', hot chocolate or coffee/poor man's mocha...good way to stay warm on a winter ride day!) and let the ponies rest up for the long trek over the hills back to camp. The other LDers mostly left on their 15 minutes, but that was their thing...and then one 50 was already!! into the VC...hmmm...didn't recognize him either (usually at Duck rides, there are always 3 or 4 ppl that are the 'usual suspects' for coming in the first few places, as the rest of us just meander along the trails at a more leisurely pace)... and at the time, didn't know he was a 50 either.
I watched the ponies while Susan got the human vitals for us. Storm and Cash were being really good, and practically eating out of the same dishes and bags. Of course they thought each others food was more interesting than their own! But they shared very nicely...love my boy :) And they were also sharing with Chris Heron's goofy looking Bulldog with the goofy name of 'Cornfed'...now who names their dog that?! Chris of course...LOL. He was also trying to share MY food too...noooo..MY soup! Go get your own! By around 25mins, we vetted through and then started packing up, and by about 35mins in, we were headed back out on the trail. Storm vetted through fine, and his foot looked good too. I had been desitining it at every 'stop'...water, pee, or tack rearrangement breaks. Then at the VC I cleaned it completely, looked it over, put more Bickmore's on it and then more Desitin. Then continue with slathering Des at other stops. Seems to have worked and got Storm through both days with no problems :) I also checked his other boots at the VC, taking them off, checking for sand, any rubs on his feet or pasterns, etc. It all looked good! There was a tiny bit of sand in the bottom of the boot, but nothing really that would bother a horse. And I LOVE how easy this check is to do with Gloves...you pop the boots off and check them, and back on in less than 5 mins for all four..and he had one glued, so that made it even faster. I even do it out on the trail at water stops if I have gone through deep sand or other bad footing...it's just THAT fast and easy, and no tools required, LOL.
So off we went out of lunch, continuing our easy pace and walking when the horses needed it or the footing dictated it. We didn't see anyone for some time, until the 50 miler blew by us...I at first thought he was a local-yocal, there to show us endurance riders 'how it's done', as he was set up in total cowboy gear for both himself and his horse (no offense to those that use that at e-rides, but one rarely sees that anymore...usually it is e-saddles or english saddles, tights, and maybe a few jeans here or there...but not full cowboy wear and tack on the horse...so it is a tad surprising when you DO see it), and he was setting somewhat of a fast pace, cantering along on his smallish horse.
Well, didn't the other riders...we found the all (well, cowboy dude was cantering UP THE MOUNTAIN at that point, in the distance, so he found the trail) milling about at the base of the Slates, where the jeep roads we had been on, petered out onto a single track motorcycle trail....
And no ribbons....Hmmm....had everyone confused, but I had done the trail before and knew there was NO other way up that range around there, but that motorcycle track. The others were not sure and were trying to find the 'real' trail and ribbons...no such luck guys! So I told them to just follow me :) And as we picked our way through the rocky foothills, I did recognize it was the right trail. It was a tad disconcerting, but hey, these things happen...sabotage, hungry cows (no really...for some reason, cows like to eat brightly colored trail ribbons!), or who knows what, can lead to ribbon loss on a trail. And then a resourceful rider pulls out their map (and there really was only ONE way up the mtns...not like there were a bunch of branching choices) and finds the way...or just follows someone that knows ;) For once, that someone was me! Usually I am the one following someone else that has done a particular trail before, LOL.
Storm did great leading on up the hills, until we came to a steep hill. He kinda went up it, but halfway through, decided (as per usual with him...he hates uphills that to him make no sense, when he thinks he can turn around and find an easier way up, LOL) to stop and try to find a better way...no good...this was a steep up...well, Cash was behind him and just went right on around him and plowed on up the hill like a REAL endurance horse, LOL. Then Storm figured it must actually be the only way up after all, and followed Cash.. Boys...too many heads to think with...it confuses them sometimes and he makes silly decisions ;)
Storm on top of the first ridge... Cash looking on and telling him to 'Smile already!' Storm only did grumpy ears...not happy about all that climbing around hillsides like goats ;) (photo by Janet Tipton)We continued on this neat motorcycle track (thanks whomever made it! It's very well constructed, a lot of fun to ride, and offers excellent views!), alternately switch backing across the hillside, or going straight UP it, for a little while...then we hit the top of the first little ridge, and stop to let the horses rest a little and all of us take pictures. At this point, we had a nice little group going with the four of us from Janet's rig, and D's rider.
Kara on Carla's horse...seems he was the group's class clown! :) (Photo by Janet Tipton)The horses all paced similarly (not that any of us really wanted to go fast in the rocky and hilly terrain) and got along great. We alternated who was in front and behind and had a great time chatting, taking pictures, and making our way through the mountains. We mostly walked the whole way, and had a wonderful time :) Bout 2/3 of the way through, going down a switchback, we hear a motorcyle coming...hmmm??? And as it comes up the wash we were headed for, I saw ribbons fluttering off of it..it was The Duck! Turns out, the guy that was supposed to mark the trail, hurt himself or got really sick or something... the Duck gets an email (after all of us had been on trail for hours of course), saying "I'm hurt and can't mark that mtn trail...will that be a problem?" or some such...Problem?!!? Lol.. it sure is! So TD had to hop on his bike right quick, and get the trail marked. Luckily, all us LDers were there first, and we were in no rush..I'd like to see the top ten 50's wanting to make time, have to figure out if they were on the right trail or not :)
We continued on our way, and then not far from there...oh look! There is the cowboy on his little horse...smacking it down the trail (not really beating him, but whacking it on the butt a bit...but still....) with...a what the heck is that?? I think a piece of junk metal?!
Didn't think it would take long to catch him...not many horses can canter through the mtns the way he was for long... And the horse (turns out it was a little mustang) was smart enough to know it too, and decided it was walking, only walking, and nothing the guy could do would convince it to do otherwise. It didn't look totally spent or anything, but definitely like it was tired of running around like an idiot. Heck, the guy was (at that point we found out he was a 50 miler) so far ahead of the other 50's, he really didn't have to go fast in that terrain. The mustang agreed, and tagged along with us...the guy tried to make it go ahead of us several times (a few times when we'd turn on a single track from a jeep trail), and it would balk each time it got a half a nose in front of the lead horse (mostly Storm at that point), and put on the breaks. The whole train would then stop, and we'd watch him try to goad the horse along for about 10 seconds, then cut in front of him and suggest he should just let his horse stay with us and walk. He did, but you could tell he was not happy. Well, we were not either...the poor horse was not having fun, and he wasn't really listening to it... I tried talking to him a little and see what was up....can't remember his name, but he said he was from the Auburn (I think?) area and this was his horse's second or third ride (and he's running for first on a tough, mountain 50??)..but he 'packed all over the moutains'...um, packing and endurance RACING (and when you are in first, you are racing dude) is NOT the same thing...anyway, he wanted to do Tevis this year (better slow down or the horses won't even get to Tevis, let alone through it) and this was his way of getting his horse ready for it. Hmmm... Well, I tried to talk to him a little about how a horse needs at least a year or two of rides before it should try Tevis (ja, some go earlier, but he needed the hard line read to him) and that generally it's a 'slow and steady wins the race' type of ride, not a go out and ride as fast as you can.... and other helpful advice. I tried to phrase it in such a way, as to be helpful, and not just ream him out (most will just ignore you if you do that anyway), and I sure hope some of it sank in, for his horse's sake at least.
At any rate, he finally separated from us all, as we walked down the long canyon out of the mountains...he at least got off his horse, and jogged on down the road leading him at a trot...Next time I saw him was in camp...the horse had just vetted through and looked 'ok'...but had a bunch of tack galls on him. I think he'll have to revise his equipment for Tevis as well, or he'll never get through the ride... The next day he was on a new horse, also in the top ten, also with gals on the horse...sighhh...Oh well...he'll learn one way or other, and I hope his horses come through ok. Nothing against ppl that have good horses to top ten on and are well prepared...but this person did not seem to fit the category...
When we finally got to a water trough on the other side of the mountains (the last was at the vet check I think...), all the ponies dove in. Storm didn't even look at any other horse...he drank...and drank...and drank....other horses left and more came...and he drank....and drank...and some more! Sheesh! I never saw a horse tank that much! The water level in his bucket went down quite a bit, LOL. What a good boy! He really is great about eating and drinking, and of course energy conservation, LOL... At this water, the next few 50's finally caught us too and went on down the trail. And this group WAS the 'usual suspects'...and at least half an hour behind the other guy. I'd have to see the results, to see if they caught him or not...
From the waters, we walked down the canyon and finally dropped down into the desert. At this point everyone kinda split apart again, and Susan and I were mostly on our own, with occasional sightings of the other riders. Finally, we came onto the long road into camp and decided to walk in the last few miles and let the horses relax and cool down and whatnot...We were riding with Janet and Ladybug at that point, and none of the horses were too happy about walking...they all knew were 'home' was now, and wanted to get there in a bit more of a hurry, than we did. But we mostly were able to keep it down, and finally hand walked in the last little bit.
Got to the finish, and more drinking at the water trough, and then pulsing in...both were in with no problems...yes! Finished! Oh, and Dalmotion seemed to finish fine totally bare too...pretty good in that terrain!
Now we only had to pass the vet check. So back to the trailer we went, and let him eat and relax a little and clean him up, then back. Oh, and Susan said we should show for BC, since we were all in the top ten and one should never pass up an opportunity to show, if the horse is in decent shape. Well...I remember my and Storms only other showing for BC....at this ride a year ago as a matter of fact. And I am sure Kristen, the vet, did too! LOL... Suffice to say, Storm did NOT win BC then..heck, I couldn't even get him to move out faster than a walk (he thought when the ride is done, it is DONE...none of this running around afterwards stuff, LOL...we practiced trot outs a bunch when we got home from THAT ride...)
I went ahead and showed anyway...what the heck, good practice and maybe a way to redeem ourselves from last year, too. We had to wait for the 50 BCers first (lost of activity just that point in time, LOL) and then Susan showed first...course with her Ay-rab, she looked pretty dandy with that fagged tail and smart trot :) Cash did look pretty darned good for a 3rd day horse! Then it was my turn, and I crossed my fingers and took off, hoping my horse would follow.... and he DID! Whoo hoo! Not a fancy gait-out by any means (not sure he'll EVER look as snazzy as an Arab...he just is too lazy to put in any more effort than needed), but he moved out the entire out, circle in both directions, and back! Success! And at arrival back at the vets, Kristen said "That was MUCH better than last year"...guess she had remembered, LOL :) If nothing else, that was worth showing... That done, we went back to the trailers and relaxed (and were fed and catered to by Susan's wonderful crew) until Terri came in, and then went to the meeting. Storm felt great all day and his gait and foot felt fine, so I was going to go for the 50 again tomorrow. Susan said Cash's back was a tad sore (something she has been battling and having to make saddle and pad adjustments) and she was going to opt out of riding the next day. At the meeting, someone else won BC (no surprise, even if both horses had looked great, we were WAY far behind and most likely less or equal in weight to other riders) and the route for tomorrow's 50 was laid out...BACK into and to the top of the slates, lunch in camp, and a final, shorter loop around the desert. Well, guess Storm was going to have to buck up, and do a tougher 50 than I had planned...it would be a great test though, especially after the tougher LD today. Time for him to graduate and become a real endurance horse ;)
Next: Part three, and graduation day....
And here is Janet and Ladybug...they are having too much fun, no? Cute mustang pony!
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