You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em

Knowing when to go big and when to go home is probably one of the hardest things to learn about the sport of endurance riding.

Many of us are riding our pets. We only have one horse and she has a forever home with us.  We err on the side of caution because we don't want to hurt our beloved pet.

On the other hand, we are all capable of extraordinary things. To quote T.S. Eliot, 

"You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go".

I recall my first foray into distance riding on my 15 year old Arab mare, Sera. We entered the 28 mile novice CTR Northwind Challenge in Buckingham, Quebec. I had very little trail riding experience and knew nothing about distance riding. We rode regularly W/T/C to prepare for dressage shows, Arab shows and horse shows at local fairs.  I had no clue about how hilly and rocky the trail was, or even how far 28 miles was! Without even knowing it, I risked going too far. 

We set out with a few other novice horses and riders and the experience forever changed me.

Sera eagerly carried me down the trail, up and down hills, along quiet roads and though bush trails. There had been a lot of rain, and some of the clay trails were quite slick. I was amazed at what she could do! We finished a full hour later than the optimal ride time, but still got a completion, albeit with the maximum amount of time penalties.

We were both tired and muscle sore for a couple of days, but none the worse for wear. 

Thus was born my passion for distance riding. Wow! If we could do that, what else might we be able to do? 

Over the next few years, Sera accumulated over 500 CTR miles with a 100% completion rate. 

As I began doing endurance rides with Sera's fully, Luba, I had to learn how to safely push the envelope, developing a young horse into an endurance athlete. Make haste slowly for sure, but at some point you have to raise the bar and go for it. The first 50. Faster 50s. Harder 50s. The first 75. And the first 100 miler. 

Each time we went out of the comfort zone, to go farther and faster, I was faced with the dilemma of knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. 

One thing was certain: pushing boundaries and reaching the next level was an addictive magical elixir.

There is a fine balance between the desire to complete the ride and the desire to do what is right for you and your horse. 

At the VT 50 this weekend, I had to strike that balance once again. Luba passed the vet check at mile 38 with an A- for gait. She took a couple funny steps on the way out and was scared of the door and the mirrors at the far end of the arena. But she trotted soundly on the way back. We needed a recheck for quiet gut sounds, so I had Denise trot her out again so I could watch. Same result. 

Given the wet sloppy trail conditions and the fact that we would ride the last 12 miles in the dark without a even a moon to light the trail, I decided to rider option. It was a decision made easy only with the experience that comes with wet saddle pads and lots of ride entries. 

I know that the next magical outside-the-comfort-zone experience is only possible if my pet pony is happy and healthy doing her job. 

So we are grateful for 38 miles of beautiful, challenging Vermont trail, breathtaking views, and cheering supporters. 

And we live to ride another day!

Just ride

PLuba is all vetted in, eating, drinking, pooping, peeing like a pro. She is also in heat, as her pen is between two handsome geldings, Misha and Appollo. They are both in the 100 tomorrow, so I will be up early to keep her company when they leave at 5 am. Well, probably up at 4 am when the runners go by.

Denise took Luba out for a little untie ride and I ran along to loosen my legs too. We rode a mile out from the finish line and back.

We scouted out all the vet holds and got extra ice. Lots of pasta and rice for supper and going to sleep to the sound of horses eating hay and light rain pattering on the roof of the camper.

Tomorrow we ride with 20 horses in the 100, 15 in the 75, 30 in the 50, all sharing trail with 327 ultra runners! Only in Vermont.

Giddy-up!

So you think you are tough?

Denise, Luba and I arrived safe and sound (literally) at Silver Hill around 5pm yesterday. The trip usually tales 6 hours including a stop at the border and a stop for gas. This time it took 7 hours. The line at the border was long but all our paperwork was in order, so we got through fine. We took a wrong turn though and ended up on I87 instead of I89, so we turned around and then stopped for gas at the junction with highway 11. Went in to discover hot pizza! Got some pizza and left without paying for the gas! Realized this about 20 min later so after checking for a cop car in my rear view mirror, I stopped and phoned them to pay before they put out an APB on me LOL.

We are parked in the small rig parking section at the lower end Silver Hill. 

We settled in, had supper and I rode Luba around camp before the sun went down.

We are camped next to Charlie and Anne. They lent us their multi tool and showed me how to use it to open a can (as my can opener grew legs and went on a walkabout.) They used to backpack until that got too painful so Anne says that was the universe telling her to ride her horse instead.

Anne is riding the 100 and Charlie is running the 100. What could be even more impressive than that? 

Charlie ran the Western States Trail Run aka Freaking Tevis trail just 3 weeks ago.

So you think you are tough? Bahahaha you ain't met Charlie yet!

Living the Dream: Riding on the Edge

Almost everybody who has messaged me about the Tevis Ed Ride has asked how crazy the trail was, especially the canyons.

Make no mistake. You and your horse need to be fit and prepared for the dramatic climbs and descents: 19,000 feet of "up" and 22,000 feet of "down" according to the Tevis Cup website.

But it is doable!  Julie Suhr says:  A Tevis completion does not require a super horse with a super rider. It requires a well conditioned horse of almost any breed with a rider who has her head screwed on right and a big dream inside it.

Here are a few tips I got from my mentors:

1. Make time where you can. 

Some places you have to walk, so if you can trot, even just a few feet, you trot. So practice walk/trot transitions at home.

We walked most of the downhills on foot, leading the horses. The footing is quite rocky in some places and I had to pay close attention to my own feet. We jogged a bit where the trail flattened out. The descent from Deadwood to El Dorado felt like an eternity. 

My shoes at after doing the canyons between Robinson and Foresthill.

We rode most of the uphills, but had to stop a few times to let the horses catch their breath. I understand that some riders tail their horses uphill through the first canyons. 

The climb to Devil's Thumb was the toughest. The trail passed through an area burnt by the fire, and it was like a fairy forest with white mushrooms growing on the blackened trees.

2. Be aware of the riders around you and be strategic about when to wait and when to move on. 

There is lots of trail where you cannot pass. So you could get caught behind a group of slower horses.    

Luckily, there was a small place suitable for passing, so we went by and made our way to Pucker Point.

This picture taken just before Pucker Point, as I was keeping both hands on the steering wheel!

When we arrived at Last Chance vet gate and go, there were only a few riders there. We watered the horses and let them eat a bit and suddenly a big group arrived and a long vet line started to form. We hustled over and got in line, so we could get through and out on trail as soon as possible. 

Parts of the trail leaving Robinson Flat were very dusty, so we slowed down a bit to stay back of the dust. 

So you can see how easy it would be to lose precious time if you are not aware of what is happening around you.

3. Stay hydrated and keep your horse cool!

It was hot and a bit humid for the Tevis Ed Ride this year, but compared to the heat and humidity we ride in in Ontario, not too bad. However, sometimes it can be brutally hot in the canyons, and the rock sucks up the heat and warms up like an oven. 

Make sure you carry ample water for yourself and some extra to squirt on your horse's neck. Lots of riders also had scoops and sponges. One mentor named Jeff, had 2 bottles of water in his pommel pack and 2 in his cantle pack for him to drink. He wore a camelback and has perfected the ability to suck a mouthful of water and spit it on to his horse's neck. So his horse was being cooled the whole way!

That's Jeff at the left of the photo.

On the second day, we rode from Foresthill to White Oak Flat, a piece of trail that is mostly ridden in the dark. It was another warm day, and we spotted some riders cooling off in the river, so we joined them. I leaned over to tighten Scorch's girth and he decided to head downriver to the deep water for a little swim!  I ended up getting off in the river to fix the girth, and also filled up empty water bottles for everyone so we could keep the horse's wet on the way to Fransico's and the long sunny climb to White Oak Flat.

My wonderful Day 2 mentors: Rebecca and Brooke :)

Scorch, just before he decided to take me swimming! Photo: R. Florio

4. Keep your eyes on the road!

A lot of the time, it felt like we were on a goat track on the edge of the mountain. Before I left, a friend cautioned me not to look down!  But I couldn't help it. It was a long way down! So then I would take a quick glimpse out and up to admire the view, and then quickly focused back on the trail. You really have to ride every stride.

Wish this had turned out better, but I guess I was in a hurry to get my eyes back on the trail!

I love this shot. It reminds me of all the work done by the Western States Trails Committee and my friend, Steve, who turned my recurring Tevis dream into a reality. 

Love this shot. So grateful to all the volunteers who maintain the Tevis Trail.

So you may have noticed that I have not discussed the Bridges at all yet. No Hands Bridge and the Swinging Bridge (my biggest fear going into the Tevis Ed Ride).  Stay tuned for Chapter 3 of Living the Dream: the Tevis Educational Ride Report...

No Hands Bridge

Swinging Bridge

Living the dream - Stellar Crew and Mandarin Oranges

So this time last week, we were just finishing the canyons at the Tevis Ed ride. Seems like a dream already.

I have been trying to compose one big blog post that would sum up the whole weekend, but that is an impossible dream.  So instead, I will just keep posting blogs until I run out of things to say.

Here is the most important thing I learned at the Tevis Ed Ride:

It's all about having Stellar Crew. And mandarin oranges.

I am the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer when we go to a ride. I organize everything for me, my kid, Karma the dog and the 2 horses. I pack, drive, ride, crew, drive home and unpack.

Being a guest rider of the Stalley's was a dream! First,  the luxury liner Lisa-moble motorhome arrived fully stocked with food.

Photo: J. Stalley

Then the Stalley-mobile showed up with the horses!

Stalley-mobile

Lisa was supposed to ride with me and Jennifer on Saturday, but the Horse Gods had other ideas. So she immediately stepped up to join the Stellar Crew. In fact, between the three of them, our Stellar Crew have more Tevis buckles than I can count on both hands.

Before we went to bed on Friday night, we had set up the tack and supplies I would carry on the saddle for the two horses I would ride on Saturday, and I had checked the brakes and steering on both of them. We had a great taco salad for supper and everyone went to sleep, serenaded by the mule camped next to us.

All I had to do was ride! And that was a dream, riding on an experienced Tevis horse and with an experienced Tevis mentor. When we arrived at Deadwood vet check and hold, Lisa and the Stalley's took care of the ponies, so all Jennifer and I had to do was sit down to eat and drink and rest with nice cold, wet facecloths draped over our heads. Mount #2, Limitless, was all tacked and warmed up and ready to go from Deadwood to Foresthill. Like the Pony Express!

Crimson and Lisa

Scorch and Limitless

photo: D. Cognée http://cogneephotography.com/Home_Page.html

And I discovered the delight of cold mandarin oranges. This will now be a staple in my crew bag!

Tevis Ed Lesson #1:  A good horse makes short miles, but Stellar Crew makes riding easy. 

And don't forget to pack the mandarin oranges.

Living the dream

I have a recurring dream where Luba and I are crossing the finish line of Tevis.

This photo is from http://teviscup.org

In my dream, I both see this from the saddle and as if I was watching it happen, like in this photo.

I randomly posted my dream on my FB. 

June 21, 2014. Recurring dream where Luba and I complete Tevis.

My Ragnar Del Sol van mate, Steve replies, Come out and ride the Tevis Education ride next year. We'll find you a mount.....

Well, I leave for Sacramento this afternoon. Over the course of 4 days, Steve has found me 4 mounts! Chuy, Scorch, Limitless and Jag. 

Stay tuned for the next instalment of Tevis: Living the dream.

Giddy-up!

If the horse is ready, then I'm ready

In an interview leading up to this year's Belmont Stakes, and his third chance at a Triple Crown win, jockey Victor Espinoza said, "I learned that if the horse is not ready there is not much that I can do. If the horse is ready then I am ready".

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.

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"