wild west 50—2012

I'll save you having to read the whole story: We did it! Major was a total rock star!

nerd alert: ride photo

Now the whole story. I am glad we got an early start. I picked up C and her horse Friday at 9am and headed for Skillman horse camp. My SO headed up early with the car to check things out. When we got there he informed us there were two parking spaces left! We unloaded the horses and he miraculously squeezed the truck and trailer between trees, up a hill and into the spot. No way could I have managed that! The camp is lovely, but totally jam packed. Huge rigs would drive through looking for a place, eventually the camp and road were totally full. Luckily a few people left after each ride day, but I think the parking issues were the one downfall on the ride.

squeezed into a little spot

But we had our spot. Major was on the trailer high-tie, Friday was on a tree high-tie (which I hadn't used for a year but was sure glad I remembered how!), we were set and tried to relax.

let someone else braid, this is what happens

There were a few clouds, but rain didn't look too imminent. I left Major's fleece cooler on, it was chilly but not enough for a heavy blanket. Until about 3am, when it really started raining! Damn, nothing like crawling out of your warm sleeping bag to wrangle a heavy blanket on your horse in the rain. And 3 hours later saddle your horse when it is still raining. I was NOT having fun at this point. My first 50, I was freaking out/nervous enough, and now I'm starting in the frickin' RAIN, in June.

blurry rain miserable...why am I doing this?

heading out for my first 50 (me in green jacket, S on the right in blue)

But, here we go. I met up with my friend S and Cisco. We've been training together, and our horses work well together. We waited till 10 minutes after the start, and walked out. Major was leading, and getting jiggy, so I let him trot. We powered up, keeping control but moving out, hopeful that moving would stem any other bad behavior. It was raining and misting, my glasses were fogging up, but we just kept going. The trail was wide fire road at this point, and while wet the footing was pretty good. Some of the downhills were getting a bit slick. I was worrying about Major's boots and the wet mud, but we just powered along. We passed some people, and just kept trotting. I thought we were moving too fast, but also know that Major needs to figure this out, and figured he'd slow a bit eventually. After about 10 miles he stopped pulling, but we were still moving fast. The rain had mostly let up, but the trees were dripping and I kept hitting branches which then dumped water all over me.

just follow red all day was all I could understand from the map

The first vet check came up quick. They said it was at 20 miles, but it didn't seem like it! I think it was a little shorter than that. We'd been going so quickly that my crew wasn't there yet! But it was just a 1/2 hour hold, and we pulsed in right away and vetted OK, then Major just ate his way across piles of alfalfa. Unfortunately my friend S and Cisco were pulled for lameness! He'd been fine on trail but was obviously lame at the check. So I had to go on alone (well, no one is really alone on an endurance ride).

some views I had (crew took this, I was too busy holding reins)

The next loop was awesome. I did the whole thing alone, and it was twisty trails and switchbacks through trees and long gradual uphill climbs on roads, both of which Major is awesome at. He was still powering along, and I'd ask him to walk a bit, and he would slow a step (so he was listening) but just wanted to keep going. So I let him. We passed a couple people, but not many. I figured we were in a nice middle-of-the-pack bubble, and was happy with my horse for moving out and now being sensible. At one point I was in a bit of a zombie zone, just riding along, and realized I hadn't seen a ribbon for awhile, and started to panic. I'd been going up and up and up this hill, oh no, what if I missed a turn and we did this big hill and didn't need to and ahhh...oh, there's the ribbon, nevermind.

As we were coming into the second lunch vet check the rider behind me mentioned we were probably in 6th or 7th place. WHAT? No, No, NO. That is NOT an option. There is no way we should be going that fast, we'll be re-evaluating our riding after lunch. Major pulsed in quickly, vetted mostly OK (B on gut sounds, but that seems to be his normal, I was OK with that because he was eating like a champ) and I rested while my awesome crew SO and friend C held my horse, made him mash, brought me food and watched over us. Nice to have such great help.

just chillin' at the hold, I really need to get him a nice orange blanket

slightly damp rider card

leaving for the final section home

We left the lunch hold quietly, walking up the road. I didn't care if we walked the rest of this loop, we were going to take it easy. Major had other plans. He knew we were going home, though I tried to tell him it was still pretty far. We were a little more sedate in our trotting (finally a medium trot, I'll take it!) and two fast riders passed us. No problem, Major watched them go. I thought he must be tired to not want to catch up, and that was fine. We quietly trotted, but were making up ground on the other riders. We caught up to them and just rode along. They were going quickly, but it felt like our heading-home training pace, and Major was strong.

I took no photos along the trail, as we were flying along, but the trails were awesome. This final section is all through pine forest, with soft pine needles underfoot, also some roots and rocks, but great footing. It is along a man-made bank of sorts, to keep water from running straight down the hillsides, probably left over from either logging operations or water collection for mining. You zig and zag, making sure not to catch a knee on a tree, Major loves this kind of trail (me too) and we just floated along.

I rode the last section with a rider named Bill, he was very nice. He had let the gaited horse who was flying downhill (not my thing either) go ahead, and then he and I rode along, the sun was out, Major was feeling fine, the trail went by quickly. Then we were at the finish...how did that happen? Bill said go ahead, and I was 7th and he was 8th. CRAZY. They asked if I wanted to weigh in for best condition. What? Well, pretty sure I don't have a chance, but sure. Getting on a scale with all your tack is not fun, I don't like weighing that much!

best condition trot out

My crew missed me again, sorry guys! So I walked into camp, surprising them, and untacked Major to do my final vetting. He dove into his mash, I'm so glad he eats well. I do wish he'd drink better, but the weather was so nice and cool, and he seems to drink when he really needs it. We just have a different idea of when he needs it! Final vetting went great, all A's except B on gut sounds, we relaxed for a bit then went to show for best condition. We trotted circles and the other stuff was standard, and the vet was Melissa Ribley (she puts this ride on too) said I didn't have much chance because of my time (can't remember how far, but behind the leaders) and weight. No problem, good practice, fun to try.

back at the trailer, life is good and filled with hay

I am so proud of Major, he just rocked it. I had NO idea he had that kind of strength, I knew we had it for 25, but didn't think we could add 25 more miles like that. I guess I have an endurance horse. I really second-guessed my final loop. Did those horses we caught up with help pull us along? Major was strong and had no issues with the speed, didn't seem tired, so I don't think so? We did do the ride faster than we train, and I know you're not really supposed to do that. But we don't train on such nice trails with good footing, we can only go quick in shorter section, but still, was that OK?

yeah for boots, stayed on all day!

I had no boot issues all day, through wet and mud and slippery, yeah! He had a tiny rub I noticed the next morning, but nothing big. He looked ready to go, and managed to run around testing his high-tie (those things are sturdy and awesome I have now decided) as his buddy Friday headed off to do the 25 (19-year-old horse, first LD, they were awesome). Major probably could have done it too, but I had no idea he'd recover so well from the 50. One thing at a time.

left behind, what, I can't go?

This was a great ride with beautiful trails and (in the end) good weather. It was really fun, and neat to see my silly Major get serious and move out like he always wants to. He had been trying to tell me he could do it, and I'd second-guessed him, so I guess sometimes he IS right. I'm not planning any upcoming rides, for now I'll wait for the right one, and just keep riding my horse. This summer is time for camping, and swimming horses in the lake, and exploring new trails with my buddy Major. (He may get an ego about all this, and expect to be called by his registered name which was on the vet card, Majestik Mirage...)