Well, Luba was ready for 50 miles at Summer Solstice. The trick was me having the courage to try.
It took us about 7 hours to get to ride camp, but the mares both travelled well. We were welcomed by our peeps who had saved us a nice shady spot. Both horses vetted through fine on Saturday morning, and Luba's HR was 32, lower than her usual 36 for initial vetting. However, she seemed a little stiff in her transition. Dr. Bri recommended a big dose of BCAA, and I also kept her moving, stretching, backing up as much as possible and used the red light on her.
And I started to lose my nerve. What if she was heading back to tie up territory? Maybe I should drop down to the 25 or pull the plug on the ride completely?
Lucky for me, my friend and mentor, Wendy, staged an intervention and talked me down off the ledge. She encouraged me to stay in the 50, and ride with her and Stephanie, who would be riding Mae, a TB mare in their first 50. A slow steady bubble wrap 50. You can do this.
Luba loosened up as the day went on, and by late afternoon she had jello muscles. I took a deep breath and saddled up for an untie ride, using our new 5-5-5 untie ride protocol: walk 5 minutes, medium trot 5 minutes, fast trot 5 minutes. This protocol comes from Dr. Erica McKenzie of Oregon State, who does research on tying up in Arabian endurance horses. She says several riders now swear by fairly vigorous brief exercise to bring a horse back from a short rest, or tie up or to prevent tie up in the days leading up to an event - short enough not to overload or tie up the horse, but enough to avoid rest.
Luba felt great.
If the horse is ready, then I'm ready.
On Sunday morning, we walked calmly out of camp after the front runners had taken off. My heart was in my throat for the first 5 miles of trail. After that, I could feel the tension draining down and out my arms and legs as we floated down the trail. If the horse is ready, then I'm ready.
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| Walking out of camp at the start of Summer Solstice 50, Dufferin Forest, Mansfield, ON. Photo: wendywebbphotography.com |
Wendy's gelding seemed a bit off after 25 miles, so she headed back to camp. Stephanie and Mae and Luba and I completed the last 25 miles together, with enough gas in the tank to do the last loop a bit faster.
Although we only had about a month of consistent conditioning and she hadn't seen many hills, Luba completed all A's. Big thanks to everyone who helped crew us: Charlotte, Rob and Camille, Maurice, Karl, Phil, Marcel, Kelly and anyone else whose names may have slipped my mind but whose kindness is always in my heart.
Not only was this our comeback ride after the tie up, but it also marked our 7th consecutive year of endurance riding and took us a step closer to becoming an AERC Decade Team, the Horse Gods willing.
Denny Emerson of Tamarak Hill Farm posted this quote and commentary that resonated with me upon our return from the ride. We can stay home and let Luba be a pasture potato, or we can dare greatly.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." ~ President Theodore Roosevelt
"Sure, it's taking a risk to try, because you might fail, but if you DON'T try, you've already failed, so what the hell, give it a shot.
Your mother will still love you! hahahaha"
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