Final day at Llano....or "Anything your Arabian can do, my Paso Fino can do...ALMOST as well."

Sunday dawned early.  Knowing that the Wind Riders weren't planning on going out, I really had no plans except to ride the ride.  I didn't care about placing.  I knew Strider had had the whole previous day to relax and tank back up in order to be ready for his second day out, but I figured he would be a little slow to want to move out. 

So, the only real "plan" I had was to go out with the front(ish) of the pack at a calm and steady pace and fall back as Strider needed for the climbs.  The only goal for the day was earning him another completion.  That was it.

So with that, out we went with the people who I see at ride meetings, but because they're all front runners, I never ride with them.  Oh, they all know who I am (hard to miss the perpetual turtle, right?  LOL!), and I pretty much told everyone we'd be falling back at some point, but if they didn't mind, could I ride up front with them for now?

They were all VERY gracious and kind and welcomed me to the front.  So, there we went.

There was a mild pile up on trail as one person had some issues with their horse.  We all held up when we came up on them to make sure they were okay.  And then at some point, some of us continued on while some stayed back (always making sure they didn't mind that we went on).

It's interesting to get to talk with people that you see at rides, but don't know them except by name and face.  And I had a great time once I stopped fighting with Strider to slow down.  He just wasn't in the mood, so I figured I could either piss him off and fight with him, or let the hills grind it out of him until he slowed down.

He didn't slow down.  He didn't walk the hills.  Nothing took the wind out of his sails.  He was both amazing and somewhat terrifying.  He ate well and he drank well.  He moved out and stayed with the front runners.

There were a few times when ribbons were downed or missing; thankfully up front we had someone who had helped mark trail, so she pointed us back on track and hung back to help direct the rest of the pack so no one else would miss it.

Before I knew it, we were back to camp.  I didn't realize it until after I downloaded the stats, but we were FLYING.

Llano Estacado Day Three; Loop One

So, we come in to camp, and it's still VERY early in the morning and the bulk of the ride is done.  I now know the final loop QUITE well, and know it's 7.5 miles long, so that would be wrapped up in about 2 hours if I walked it.  Heck, I realized I could hand walk him that entire loop and probably still finish!

But, I strip off his tack (lesson learned!) and start scooping water on him.  Here is where we lost some time.  We were keeping up with the lady who ultimately took first place (M.P.) but, she's on an Arabian, and he's just not.  She and I are both HWs, so we're evenly matched there.  But, Strider is a Paso Fino and he's just not swift enough yet on the recoveries.

It was at this point, as I was scooping I realized something which set me off.

My horse, at some point on the trail had lost not 1, not 2, but 3 shoes.  Now, I had heard SOMEONE's horse 'clicking' (catching front feet with back feet is what I usually think of; Socks does it which is why I usually run him in bell boots).  I didn't think it was Strider, but, after seeing that, I am now assuming it was him making all that noise. 

To say I was pissed would be an understatement.  When the shoer set those shoes I specifically said I needed them to last at LEAST 6 weeks, and did he think that they would?  He said SURE they'd last 6 weeks, and probably 8 if I needed. 

For the record, I got to do some of Last Hoorah in those shoes, and then 1.5 days of Llano Estacado in those shoes.  3 weeks.  I freaking got 3 weeks out of those shoes.  And 3 of them are out there, somewhere, at the Lake Meredith Recreational Area.  Nice.

However, knowing the second loop, I knew it had some rocks, we could slow down over those, but they're large, and not particularly sharp edged.  So, I figured we'd slow down a little and just knock out the final 7.5 miles, no big deal.  My dreams of a Top 10 finish faded and I settled in to just finish, period.

So, we waited out our hold once we finally got pulsed in, tacked back up and out we went.  We caught up with a Junior and her father who did the LDs as a true pioneer (this is the same horse and rider pair for a multi-day [longer than 2 days] ride).  I asked if they minded if we tagged along, and they assured me it wasn't a problem, so we fell in behind them and chugged along for the next hour and a half while I learned a little bit about them, but mostly sat back and mentally ran through my 3 days of riding with a smile.  My brave little horse just going happily beneath me, the sky a gorgeous blue above me, and all at peace with the world.  I made sure to keep an eye on his behavior, but saw not a head bob, misstep or anything to indicate he was anything less than sound.

As we came in on the mesa over camp for the last time, I smiled, and Dakini somehow knew as she called out, and Strider answered.  Had some feelings of sorrow that this ride was coming to an end, and that I would be leaving the next day to return home.  And knowing that, unless someone saves this ride, I would probably never be returning to Lake Meredith. 

But, all good things must end, and so did this ride.  As we hit the road, for the last time I swung off my horse, loosened his cinch, patted him on the neck with love and respect and a healthy heaping of admiration, put him in the grass and we hand walked in the last half mile, not another horse behind us.

Llano Estacado Day Three; Loop Two

So, once again, strip tack, scoop water and pulse in.  The time?  We were done with all 30 miles prior to 11 am. 

After pulsing in, time to get our final vet check done. I had hoped to vet beneath a different vet.  The head vet went out to ride on day three while another vet/rider stepped in so he could do so.  I know this vet is frustrated by my horse, and I know he picks up on it.  But, we FINALLY get the job done and I'm asked a question I've never been asked before; "Are you standing for BC?"

I blink in shock.  "Can I?"

"Aren't you in the Top 10?"

"I...I don't know."

"Go check then and come back and let me know."

So in a state of brain numbing shock, I trot back over to the In/Out Timer and ask what my placing is.

We ended up in 5th place.  My heart simultaneously dropped like a stone and flew out of my throat.

So I went back to the vet, said yes, I would stand for BC, and then thought to myself "WTF do I know about standing for BC?!  All I've been told is I should do it if I get the chance."

And at this point, the Wind Riders stepped up, stepped in and displayed what, to me, this sport is all about.  They ALL came and helped coach me through what to do.  And then HELPED me.  They helped fill my water bottles.  Reminded me to tank up and drink all of my water.  Really, as a rider, they were helping ME pack weight on as I went to the scale.  I'm not saying what the number was, but, by the time we were done filling up the 4 water bottles I had carried and I had chugged 2 more bottles of water...it was a good weight.

Then it was get him back to the trailer...but to do what?  I had no clue.  So they helped.

From cleaning him up so he looked pretty.  To helping keep him cool.  And then to the sweet Miss K trotting him out for me because it's different than your normal trot out, and because I was so anxious I KNEW he'd pick up on it. 

He didn't show well, but watching my horse stand for BC made my eyes well up with tears.  Knowing he was standing with Arabians and some other gaited horses...well...words can't convey the range of emotions I was feeling.  Between still flying high from day 2 on Dakini to ending Llano on such a high note...over the moon.

Strider's day 3 vet card.  On the far right, ALL A's!!  I couldn't have been more proud of that entire column!!

After seeing all the horses for BC, the vet and I talked some.  They were very nice, complimentary to my horse and I (honestly, I was kind of shocked.  Always got the impression that they didn't care much for my horse...). 

Knowing that (or assuming that I knew that...) the ride meeting would be after all the 50's finished, and assuming that it would be later in the day, I headed in to town for lunch and to check in with friends and family and take some photos.

This was the road leading towards ride camp.  We would ride stretches of this road all weekend long.

This is the turn in to camp that I missed on Thursday night in the dark.  If you look closely on the right there is a sign that says this is the equestrian facilities. 

Taken from the road as you drive in to the recreational area.  This is on a steep hill going down.

This is just more of the gorgeous scenery as you drive in to the facility.

Long, LONG hill leading down into the recreational area.

That sign really isn't a joke.

Gorgeous clouds.  Beautiful sky.  Look at that green grass.  In JUNE!  And in TEXAS!

So, I hit up the Sonic in town and spent an hour or two there before heading back to camp. 

To realize I'd missed the awards meeting.  LOL!!  Missed my first time to get a Top 10 recognition.  Ah well!  Miss K got my stuff for me; a cool bucket and a bucket cover and I think a little tool as well.  I can't remember.

I did go by the ride secretary's trailer to see where we ended up in the BC standings.  I -think- from what I remember, after all the calculations were done, we came in 7th.  After dropping him off at the trainer's the next day, I know much of why that is...but still, I was quite pleased with him!!

And, with all that done, I started prepping camp so I could break it down in the morning.  I BRIEFLY toyed with leaving since it was still early, but, I knew I'd regret it, so I just dumped what I could, gave them the last little bit of alfalfa I had stashed away, gave them both filling meals of grain and beet pulp, little bit more of the electrolytes knowing we had a long trailer ride the next day, and then I settled in to just relax, enjoy my time with them and read some more.  After sun set and camp quieted down, I crawled in for one last icy cold shower (seriously, I'm getting a Zodi or something similar before our next trip!) to get the grime off, then went to bed, happy and pleased as the lights twinkled on my horses' pen.