They are on a Green Bean Team called "The Wind Riders" who has been chasing our team's tail, "May the Horse Be With You" all season. I cracked up, and we all had some long laughs about it.
And thus did I ask if my "team" (all of me as my other team members and our mentor left after day 1 for LOTS of reasons) could tag along with the bulk of their team the next day. They were willing and gracious and happily invited me along.
As an aside:
I think the Green Bean movement is an amazing thing. It establishes a FRIENDLY competition among the riders, both individual and team members. What is truly wonderful is how we encourage one another to do better. Celebrate the goods and sorrow for the bads. While the "Wind Riders" are technically the competition (as I was for them), we all want the same thing; to see one another succeed. They are an amazing crew of women with a fantastic mentor who is deeply invested in their individual successes. Just amazing.
So, that is how I found myself chasing the Wind Riders all day on day two and having a grand time!!
After the rain storm on Friday, the trails were slippery and muddy in places. Day two was also the LONGEST day, both mileage-wise AND time-wise. Suffice to say, that Dakini managed to get all the way through this is a testament to her grit, determination and the fact that she will give you her heart, her soul and spirit if she even THINKS you've asked it of her. All day long I was awed and impressed by everything she did. And humbled by her as well.
So, loop one:
Llano Estacado; Day Two, Part 1
For this loop, we wore all 4 boots, and at one point, she hit her gait and we ended up leaving the group behind while she chugged along happily solo (if you look at our Garmin stats, it's that long, straight line). It was just Dakini and I out there, doing our thing. I will never forget how happy she was to just go. Not a moments hesitation when she realized we were pulling away from the group, not a single query of me to see if we should stay with them, just free movement as she chugged off. I was quite willing to allow it of her as she was telling me she wanted to go, and I wanted to see what it was like with just the two of us. Magical. It was incredibly magical.
At one point, after looking around to make sure we were alone, I finally pulled over to a convenient spot, and she was calm and relaxed, not looking for the group. Just content to be with me. I found a rock, asked her to come get me, which she did like a champ (seriously, I will expect EVERY horse in the future to have this 'feature' installed on them...Socks doesn't do it and I hate it). By this point the group had caught up with us, so we kept on down the trail. The wonderful "K" from New Mexico on her gas powered Arabian, Merlin, made sure to keep us on time and on track.
After what I think was a true 20 miles out on trail, with elevation changes and climbs and descents and slippery portions of trail and such, we made it back to camp. Took her some time to come down (she CAN pack me around, and she DOES, but I think her recoveries would be improved with a lighter rider...and maybe a slightly less challenging ride), but she finally did. Doc Conway noted she was a little tight on her rear, but not enough to worry him. He said just give her a dose of CMPK and go finish our ride!
I did notice that her rear boots had twisted some (I still can't quite figure that out, but once I get the horses home, that's high on my list of things to figure out!), so I think that might be what caused the tightness.
So, back to camp, dose of CMPK, let her tank up and eat and relax.
During this time, the amazing Miss K and Merlin rider optioned (he had some tendon stuff flaring and she opted to do the right thing for him and withdrew to preserve him). So, now it was just 4 of us heading out at the back of the pack.
So, I went ahead re-adjusted Dakini's boots, got back in the saddle and out we went again!!
Llano Estacado; Day Two, Part 2
I detoured in a spot to avoid the mud pit that was slightly less torn up. Still muddy, but I hoped it wouldn't pull my boots off. It didn't!! And away we went for the same 7.5 miles for the final loop.
One of them noticed her rear boots had twisted again. Remembering this loop from the day before, I figured I could remove her rears and we'd be okay to finish. The rocks really weren't as bad as I had feared they'd be out there. So, I let them move on and I stayed to take her rears off, attached them to my saddle, found a low spot to put her in (we had to have a brief discussion about her getting down and off the trail so I could get on, but we eventually came to an understanding), hopped on and then caught up with the others.
After some climbing, I could tell Dakini was starting to get tired. Here is where I realized how much heart and grit and give this girl has. If she even THOUGHT I wanted her to gait out, she dug down deep, and from somewhere within that large heart of hers, she found it to give. It may have been she was picking up on my mild anxiety that we weren't going to finish on time (which wasn't true...we were good, and I feel awful she felt that at ALL!!), but she chugged and gaited and cantered and just gave what I wasn't consciously asking of her.
What I learned on this loop was I have GOT to be careful with her (Strider too). They would probably work themselves to death. So I need to be on an even HIGHER alert to where they're at. It's why I've ordered the heart rate monitor to pair with my Garmin for them; I need to KNOW now so I'm more informed on trail.
It took Dakini a LONG time to come down. I stripped off all tack. Dumped water and MORE water on her. Checked. Nope. Do it all again. Nope.
I scooted off to go get Strider because, on the last loop, you come in on a mesa over camp, and she had been hollaring for him, so I figured having him with her wouldn't hurt.
So, graze in the shade. More water.
Do some TTouch on her ears. Slow breathing.
And finally FINALLY she comes down with moments to spare.
The final hurdle; would Doc Conway say she's "Fit to Continue"? My heart was in my throat as she was being checked.
When he deemed her sound and fit (albeit "Tired" he told me...it was NOT a flawless vet card, that's for sure!) I broke into tears. I was emotionally wrung out for her and hot and just ready to relax while they both ate. So her earning her completion with me as her pilot was heartwarming for me.
I pretty much spent the rest of the afternoon at my camp in my chair reading, staring at her and breaking into random tears of joy for what she'd done and what she'd proved.
Was she as prepared as she should have been? I don't think we could have prepared adequately for the conditions we encountered. The climbs on this day were rougher than the day before. The ground being slippery in places was hard too. I really and truly KNOW that day 2 was the hardest day. So the fact she did it makes me so incredibly proud of her.
And, of course, we took the turtle award!! I paid to ride for all that time....we're going to use as much of it as we can!!
Good girl Dakini. Good girl!!!
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