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MAY
11, 2002
Hello
friends,
Had
to share the story of our first 50 mile ride of the season at Little
Manistee Memorial Ride in Luther, MI. First of all, I have to say it
was our best ride so far and I am still "riding high" on the
thrill. No, we didn't win by winning standards if winning is
"first" but I sure feel like a winner and I am so proud of
Malik! :)
Our
day started out with a few glitches from having a new trailer which
was acquired and packed up only 2 days before leaving for the ride.
Jenny forgot her cinch which was an almost disaster but many thanks to
Becke Grams for the loan of one of hers. So, we got started a little
behind and didn't really have warm up time so we trotted off down the
trail figuring to go slow. Unfortunately the adrenaline was high right
from the start and Malik was pretty ticked off to be held back when he
wanted to gallop. He "hinted" that he would have liked to
buck a bit but managed to control himself. I just didn't want him to
go too fast until he had a chance to warm up. We "discussed"
this situation for about 4 miles (where Nelson first meets us to see
if we need anything) until I finally sent Jenny on ahead with Max and
fell in with another group of 5 riders. This helped him settle into a
nice working trot and not too far down the trail we moved ahead still
at the nice working trot. Malik was all business at this point and his
head cleared so that I didn't have to remind him about watching his
feet or keeping an even pace. I was able to ride on a loose rein. He
also remembered the trail from last year better than I did!! He knew
where to turn even when there was another choice of direction. How
awesome is that? He did refuse to drink at all this first
loop...rarely drinks much before 25 miles so no worry there. We caught
up to Jenny at the vet check...Malik whinnied as soon as he came in
sight of Max which spiked Max's pulse but still within parameters.
Malik pulsed right down in a couple minutes. Both horses ate their
beet pulp slop with relish though they didn't drink much. Malik vetted
in with all As except for a B on muscle tone...he was a little tight
in the left rear which disappeared before we left the check. Jenny
left out ahead of us and we didn't see her again til the check in
camp. Malik continued his wonderful working trot with cantering here
and there...I didn't even have to ask him about switching leads...he
usually works mostly off his left lead. This day he was voluntarily,
without any reminder from me, choosing a different lead almost every
time we broke into a canter. He loves to gallop up the hills and for
the first time ever, I allowed him to trot downhill (NOT the steep
ones). He is very efficient at that but I have always been too scared
to let him do it...this day he was so strong and so confident that it
seeped right into me and I totally trusted him 100% for the first time
ever. He knows what his job is now.
He
pulsed down immediately to 60 at the halfway check and looked
fantastic. Of course, he trumpeted his arrival as he is known to do
but Max had already pulsed down so we didn't get in trouble with Jenny
for that. Both horses are looking great at this point and they had a
nice hour rest, eating and relaxing. Had a good roll and got nice and
dirty, too. Unfortunately, Max decided that he was not going to
continue back out on the trail without Malik and when I headed down
the trail, they were waiting for us. Jenny was an unhappy camper at
this point but we made the best of things and continued on our way.
Both horses were still strong and confident and doing their
thing...that thing that endurance horses do! :) It was awesome.
Trotting. Cantering. STRONG! The third vet check was a breeze. Had a
problem with the ORV's being in the vicinity and Malik's CRI started
out at 14 and finished at 16 as a motorbike revved up somewhere in the
woods behind him. This ended up hurting us in the BC judging...the 4
points we lost on recovery there would have been enough to garner us
BC (even 2 more points would have done it!). (Does anyone on RC know
if you can ask for a recheck on a CRI in a case like that? Just
curious.) Anyway, I digress. The horses just kept getting stronger and
stronger and more confident. I galloped in places I would never have
dared gallop a year ago...sand, fallen debris. The horses jumped logs,
stepped their way clear through areas that had been clear cut...they
just couldn't fail. They still had enough energy to spook at big rocks
and scary downed trees so we knew they had plenty of gas and energy
left! :)
The
horses were still ASKING to canter the last loop and even at 45 miles
were galloping up hills and cantering the clear stretches. I continued
to be so amazed at these marvelous creatures. Yes, the weather was
cool and we didn't really have to electrolyte much (I think we did so
the night before, at the first check and at the halfway point). But
they took such good care of themselves....drinking at the scurfy mud
puddles and eating like pigs at the checks. They just did everything
right!! They actually took care of US! I have always concentrated so
much at taking care of Malik and teaching him and training him on the
trail about watching his feet, switching leads, pacing himself at a
working trot that I didn't know it would come back to ME. Malik never
stumbled yesterday nor took a misstep EVER. He did everything he was
supposed to do. I couldn't be prouder!
We
finished 7th and Jenny and Max finished 8th with a ride time of 4
hours and 43 minutes. She was a little sore at the end (she's 16, you
know...no tolerance for pain!). So she got off and was walking in. She
didn't like the idea of riding in holding hands so we could tie....I
don't know why not! My adrenaline was so high and Malik was still so
full of it that we galloped right on in...I think I whooped a little
bit. It was our first "honest" top ten meaning there were
actually more than ten riders! :) I think there were 13? I was
absolutely delighted. We vetted out with ALL As. :) Malik and Max had
the highest vet scores but the winners were in the neighborhood of an
hour and fifteen minutes ahead of us... alot of points there though
only 20 points separated us from the BC winner in the scoring. Soooo,
we need to work on going a little faster...which we could have
yesterday but I LIKED never having to PUSH my horse. This gave me an
honest assessment of what he can do on his own. He never wussed out at
any time. If I asked him to walk for a bit (so I could maybe get a
drink or a snack), he was impatient to pick up the pace again. So NOW
we know where we are at and maybe later in the year when we ride the
same trail at Tin Cup Springs ride, I'll ask for more speed. Malik and
I also were 1st Heavyweight yesterday....which I think is the first
time we got that when there was more than one HW rider! :)
So,
before I close I want to make sure to thank ride manager, Beth Yerrick
as well as the Grams for their hospitality...the ride is held from
their cabin in Luther, MI. It is a GREAT ride and one of the nicest
trails in Michigan. Also many thanks to Brian and Andrea Redman who
helped Nelson crew us yesterday. Andy (who is a LW rider) is going to
be riding Malik in some rides this year for us. So, you better watch
out for those two....after toting my hiney around for the last three
years, he is going to think he has wings when Andy gets on him and
just FLY! :) I hope I didn't forget any details...I'm still so
excited!
Yee
haaaaa!!! :)
Maggie
and Malik
P.S.
The following day, Malik and I went team penning with Nelson at
Ichiban Ranch in Stanwood. We won 4th and 5th place in the
Novice division. Have always wanted to be able to say that I did
50 miles on my horse one day and then went team penning the next.
Now I can. And I even PLACED in the money at team penning!
YEE HA!
Miles of Smiles! Maggie and Malik
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