Tin Cup Springs Ride, September 2003

I had no intention of attending this ride.  We had just returned from the Lincoln Trail 100 the weekend before.  Malik had other ideas.  Don't ask me how he knew.  But he knew.  I kept getting the "look".  When I got home from school on Friday and brought him out to feed him, he wouldn't eat.  He "looked" at me.  It was the "look".  So, I took him back to his pasture.  He stopped at the gate and stood there "looking" at me.  He knew.  He knew that I was going to Tin Cup Springs without him.  (I had planned to only volunteer.)  He wouldn't budge.  Finally I told him "OK, OK!  I'll talk to Nelson about it!".  And off he cantered like a spoiled child who had just gotten his way! 

I DID talk to Nelson.  We went to the ride site that evening (about 35 minutes from home) and I talked to the ride vet about vetting in early on Saturday morning.  No problem!  I made our entries and paid our fee.  A few doubting Thomases questioned my wisdom but I "knew".  We went home, gave Malik one last sloppy bucket of food which he devoured and tried to get to bed and sleep.  I didn't sleep any better that night in my own bed than I usually do at the ride.  I still get butterflies in my stomach before a ride.

We got up VERY early the next morning, loaded Malik up and headed off for the ride.  We arrived with plenty of time to vet in and warm up.  It was cool but not chilly cool.  It was going to be a gorgeous day!

Malik was somewhat confused by this new routine...I think he wondered where his corrall was and why we hadn't wandered around socializing but instead tacked up and got moving.  He never had the opportunity to perform any antics or get worked up (which he rarely does anymore anyway).  Before we knew it, the trail was open and the ride was on!

Within the first five miles, I knew what my strategy and plan would be.  The 100 miler had been easy, we had gone slow (which frustrated Malik) and had been a "training" ride for both Malik and I to prepare us for the National Championship.  This ride would be a "conditioning" ride.  Malik wanted to GO and I felt it would be a good experience for him to have to ride without his buddy, Max.  When Nelson pitted us at about 5 miles out and I started figuring in my head the pace we were going (a steady 10 mph), Malik's attitude and just how he "felt", I decided that we would try to finish this ride in 5 hours which would be an easy top ten and stand for Best Condition.  Malik had won Best Condition on this trail the year before.  He was even better now.

We had the time of our lives.  It is the most fun I have ever had with Malik when we were riding by ourselves with no Max and Jenny, no other horse and rider.  We enjoyed riding up on a few folks and making them look over their shoulders but we kept a steady pace and since I had no intention of passing and since Malik was happy doing what we were doing, there was simply no need.  I sang to him and talked to him.  EVERYTHING came together.  We were in total rhythm with each other, physically and mentally.  Lew Hollander calls this "resonance riding".  He came down great at the vet checks with terrific CRIs.  Mostly As and an occasional B on his vet card.  The riders in front of us went faster after the halfway point, perhaps thinking I was trying to catch them.  Not so.  We kept a steady rhythm all day.  Malik did get bored on the last loop to camp in spite of the singing and talking and encouraging I was doing.  At one point, we ran into the two 50 mile competitive riders who were doing the trail backwards.  I didn't know they were out there and was quite surprised and embarrassed when they came around a corner in front of me.  They enjoyed telling everyone that they thought there were riderS (plural) up ahead of them because I was making so much noise singing and talking to Malik.  As they said, it was just Malik and Maggie.   I will never live it down, I am sure. 

Nelson took some photos but they just didn't do the day justice.  The one he got of me riding into the finish has a bright yellow and orange spot over our heads us.  Eerie!  But one can see the absolute FUN we were having.  I think Malik and I were both grinning all day.  We pretended we were Red Pollard and Seabiscuit against an imaginary War Admiral as we came down the road next to the power lines.  We pretended we were Alec Ramsey and the Black galloping along the seashore as I spread my arms in an attempt to fly.  I think for a moment, we did.  It was one of the best and most memorable rides I have ever had.  It amazes me that every time I think I have already had the BEST ride, another comes along.

Malik and I finished in 4 hours and 57 minutes.  We were 6th place overall, 2nd AERC heavyweight and 3rd UMECRA heavyweight.  I was very confident that we had a good chance at winning BC.  The vet was pleased with Malik's condition at the end of the ride.  He could easily have gone out and done it all over again.  But then that would have defeated our purpose!!  :)

Without much fanfare or to do, ride manager Becke Grams presented me with the BC award that evening.  I can't say I was surprised.  I WAS delighted.  We won it with a comfortable margin of at least 30 points.  I was most pleased that I had been able to read my horse and strategize and ride to a plan that achieved my purpose.  This ride gave me a lot more confidence in myself and my horse.  Not every ride will go this well.  But every ride has the potential to! 

Miles of smiles,