Half written ride stories from our first, second, third endurance rides.
What's worked for me. What hasn't worked for me. What I'm fumbling with. You know, all that stuff.
So here's another ride story. We shall see if I can get it finished.
This one, however, features an unlikely player. The "dark" horse, if you will. The unsuspecting quiet character who is always there in the background, but who I haven't spoken much of.
My darling Socks. "El Sidar" is his registered name. I know he doesn't come from endurance lines. Let's be honest, he's a backyard bred horse in case I haven't covered this aspect before. His redeeming qualities, while many, are not typey for the Arabian breed.
He is thick and stocky.
He was a stud until 6 years of age, and he DOES have foals on the ground.
He is a beautiful bay horse with 4 high whites, some belly spots and a large blaze (sabino, in fact, though the belly patches qualify him for the pinto association).
He has the kindest, most forgiving personality of ANY horse I've come across.
And he has the kindest, most gentle eyes.
So, I had the first ride of my fall season last weekend. The Armadillo Endurance ride in Kennard, Texas. This butts up against the Davy Crockett National Forest. I've been excited for this ride for months. Everything I've heard said that this ride would be great to bring my slimmer and trimmer Paso Fino to. I was eager to see what I now had for a 30 mile ride.
I had the truck totally loaded on Thursday evening. My clothes packed and in the truck. All I needed to load were my pillows and myself in the morning.
I was up early, took my "last" shower and was out the door by 8 am. Quick Wal-Mart run for ice and a few last minute things, then a hop/skip/jump to Tractor Supply for a bale of hay.
My goal was to be on the road to Kennard by 9:30.
I was at the barn by 9. Which meant I could still make my goal easily. Hooked to the trailer in 5 minutes. Drive to the pen and start loading up my water tank. Rinsed out one of my coolers, and piddled a little bit waiting on my tank.
Figured that as the tank was taking longer than I thought, I'd go grab Strider, load him so that I could turn off the water and go.
I go and grab him, and bring him out of the pen and take him to the trailer to look him over.
And then I saw it. It? Them.
Tears welled in my eyes as I saw two LONG scratches down his back and side. RIGHT where my saddle would sit.
No. Nonononono. This isn't FAIR! Why?!!
"Well," I tried to reason with myself. Maybe it's not so bad? Maybe?
I touched the one closer to his spine. No reaction.
"Well, saddle doesn't sit there...so, maybe....?"
But that second one. Oh that second one.
I touched it. Lightly. And he flinched. Touched it again. Another flinch.
More tears.
I took a photo to send to Holly (my farrier and trusted horsewoman). A second opinion. Though in my heart I knew. And she agreed with my assessment. If he's flinching, no riding.
There I was, in tears. Not mad at my horse, but the situation. Knowing this was our ONLY ride before our potential first shot at a 50 in December.
I called Joe in agony and told him I guess I wasn't going. I was going to scratch and come home. I'd wasted my day off of work.
"Take the old, fat nag," he told me. "What's the worst that can happen? You're already packed and ready to go. At worst, you'll spend the day riding your horse."
"But...but..."
"Just go Erin."
With a sigh, I agreed and grabbed unsuspecting Socks.
And away we drove.
The drive was uneventful, little twisty and windy and some hinky backroads (I apologized a few times when I hit humps in the road that shook the truck; can't imagine how the ride was for him!).
Got to ride camp and knew I wanted to be near some friends who I knew were coming. I actually really liked my campspot for this ride. Near the tree-line, but right at the 50/100 mile finish line and no one near me. Of course, long hike to the potties, but...well, gotta make concessions!!
Got him unloaded and started trying to soak the hay and get him hydrated before vetting in while setting up camp and my portable corral.
We vetted in, all A's except for his jugular refill. That's a little concerning as I always get all A's down the line. Asked one of my trusted friends on how to combat that in the future. "Electrolyte a few days prior to the ride."
Ah. Yes. Would make sense. I hadn't done that and had never thought of doing it before rides. Will be making THAT a part of my ride protocol, that's for sure!!
Other than that, it was attend the ride meeting and make plans on how to ride this ride in the morning. I decided to ride with a friend, which is a fine and noble thing...but on reflection now...the adage is true "Ride your own ride."
So, morning dawns, no big deal. I get saddled up early, Socks is a little confused about what's going on, but he's such a mellow guy, he just settles in and we walk around, milling with the crowd at the start line. I opt to leave this situation as some horses really do get riled up, and the lady I was planning on riding with hadn't yet shown up. Ride over to her trailer, she's still tacking up and it's a few minutes until trail is open.
I'm a little panic'd, but internalize it and think "Well, I usually leave after the front and mid-pack, so we'll be alright."
By the time she's ready, trail has been open for about 15 minutes. As we're leaving, the out timer calls out "You do know trail has been open for a while, right?"
"Yes! Thank you!!!"
And off we go down the trail. It is a gorgeous single track with nice footing (a few roots) through these pine trees. We're having a good time just walking and trotting. We eventually managed to catch up to some of the back of the pack riders and we all fall in together leap-frogging as we go down this wide road.
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| Ignore the bad riding. No, seriously please. Focus on the pretty pony!! |
Look, Socks is the "nag", the "plug", the "babysitter". I put people up on him who want to ride, but are intimidated by speed. He's a horse, so he will occasionally spook, but he's never mean, and never malicious.
But this ride. My goodness, he wanted to canter and trot. Canter and trot. He was having FUN!
Now, here's why you shouldn't chit-chat at ride meeting and actually PAY ATTENTION!!!
This loop was marked with yellow ribbons. However, we're also riding in a national forest, which has permanently marked trails. I vaguely remembered during ride meeting them talking about the permanent markers and that we could follow them.
Wrong. SO MUCH WRONG.
My friend and I are canting down a path and it splits. To the right, trees with yellow diamond markers attached to them. To the left, nothing at all. We mill around for a few minutes and decide that DEFINITELY we should take the right fork and ride on. On we go. Cantering here and there.
And on. And on. Until we get to a real road and a T intersection. And we realize we've seen neither ribbon nor rider in a while.
Oh yeah. We're off trail and not sure where to backtrack too.
Turn around and walk back. Now, we spot the ride photographer and ask him if he has any idea where we need to go. Nope, just keep back tracking.
So we keep back tracking. And run into the intro group of riders. At that fork. However, as we backtrack, we see what we COMPLETELY missed before.
In a bush, there at the fork and hanging low. 3 yellow ribbons. And a trail off to the left....with more yellow ribbons.
SON OF A....UGH!! When the ride was over and I checked Endomondo, we basically added almost 5 miles due to this blunder.
Said good bye to the intro riders and off we tore attempting to make up some time. Completely do-able, we just needed to trot as much as possible. I am nothing else, during a ride, if not a perpetual optimist.
We get back in to camp for our trot-by. Socks trots out just fine; my friend's horse is a little "off", but the vet clears her to ride the next 5 mile loop. We take too long during this time, but eventually get back out on trail, and I keep an eye on her horse as we move out down the single track. I don't SEE anything, and he seems to be moving out fine.
The loop flies back, we get back to camp for our hold. Again, Socks is fine, her horse is still off. He leaves it up to her, and she opts to RO.
I now have 17 miles to do. Alone. I am at the back of the pack and I'm pretty sure I can make up the time.
Cleared after my hold and I hit the trail again. No getting lost, nothing goes wrong.
Well, except down a single track, as Socks and I are cantering along merrily, and all of a sudden, he stumbles and tumbles, and I go flying off.
I lay there on the ground, his reins still in my hands and catch my breath. And think "Oh please oh please oh PLEASE don't let any of the 50's come up on me now. How embarrassing." Thankfully no one does, but I take a few moments to just lay there and assess myself. I know I'm fine, but I know I'll pay hell for the pain in the morning.
Whatever. Let's find a stump and get back on the horse, right? Which I do, after checking HIM over to make sure he's intact and not hurt. Nope. He's fine. Away we go again.
Now, I had my hydration pack on...and it had been working fine most of the day, but I had somehow convinced myself it would work better if I left the top a little bit loose so I could "suck" out of the bladder better. Except, as we get going again, my back starts getting wet.
SHIT!! Did my bladder BREAK? No, I can still get water out of it. But now I'm drenched down my back and into my buttcrack. This sucks. Whatever. Keep riding.
I spend lots of time singing and talking to him. Enjoying the scenery, but I'm a little bored. I don't mind riding alone, but I'm starting to hurt. And a little worried I might run out of water.
But, we keep chugging. He's such a trooper that boy. No horses anywhere in sight or sound, but he keeps going along. I'm a little frustrated there aren't more troughs, but eventually we get to some and he gets a drink. And away we go again.
I can tell he's starting to flag just a bit. I certainly am.
And behind us comes a 50. Now, this is a well-known endurance rider. She rides to win. She has a large stable of horses and always has a GROUP of riders with her. I know she's not always well-liked, but I was so eternally grateful that she saw us and said "Hey, you are more than welcome to tail us for as long as you want or can keep up."
I am sure some of it is she saw we're in different distances...but I am sure some of it is she could see we were wearing down. So we did. Now, Socks can't keep up with a fit as hell Arab, but he trotted for a good long while. A few canter stretches. But they kept pulling further and further away. Which was fine. I'm not going to push. I'd rather OT than hurt my horse. Especially one so plucky and game!!
Somewhere on trail, I started to bonk. It was like I started to fall asleep in the saddle. Hard to explain, but I became just a passenger while Socks continued gamely on trotting as best as he could with a lump on his back. I do so love that boy.
After what seemed forever, we finally come out in the field. I know I'm nearing cut off, but I put on a brave face as we trot by the ride photographer. I know I'm a hot mess in the saddle, but I don't care anymore, I'm done!! 30 miles DONE!!!
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| We're done!! Ignore my ugly and bad riding! |
Now, here's where things are weird.
Vet said he was a little off on the trot out. We were also told we came in over time.
But, we earned a completion. Don't ask me HOW. I contacted AERC. I contacted the RM. It's still on my ride record as a completion.
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