Pioneer Cabin Endurance Ride
September 13, 2008
The photo at Left was taken on September 14 by Richard when we were pulling the flags on the 15 mile loop. You can see Chance’s number faintly from yesterday’s ride. Ride camp is shown in the distance.
I woke to the sound of the ride management staff honking horns at 5:30 to wake the 50 mile riders for their start time of 7:00 am. Richard was already up and had made coffee. I was surprised to see that it was cloudy and spitting rain. It had been clear and all of the stars were out last night when we went to bed. I was riding the 25 mile Limited Distance ride so I had an extra hour but I got up anyway.
Chance and Monty were happily eating hay. I decided not to give Chance any more electrolytes as it was so cool out I was afraid he would not drink lots of water to balance out the salts. I had given him 1.5 ounces of electrolyte last night and figured it would be sufficient. It was too cold in our tent to go back to bed so I went over my ride clothes again, added and took away emergency items and made double sure my rider card was in its plastic sleeve in my fanny pack. I checked my map again. . . Orange ribbons on the right. And remember the cut-off for the 25 milers so I don’t do an extra mile and half. Everything was ready. I was drinking way too much coffee. I knew I would regret it.
Richard gave me that flat cold stare that means “for Heavens sake settle down”, but I couldn’t. I took Chance out of the electric enclosure and started to brush him and prepare for the ride. It was getting close to the time for the 50 milers to start so I went to watch them start. It was uneventful and still pretty dark. It was getting colder and still spitting rain so I dressed in my ride tights and long sleeved shirt, and polar fleece pants and top, jacket, and slicker. I could barely walk and the sleeves of my slicker were way too tight with all those layers. Finally 15 minutes to start time. I started to warm-up Chance. He threw a little fit about leaving Monty. Richard walked along with me to the starting area. At 2 minutes before the start I decided to shed the polar fleece pants and the regular jacket. It was hard to get the pants off over my boots and Richard was pulling on them while I was hopping around trying to get the jacket off. Now I was really panicky everyone else was ready to go and I was not even on my horse. Finally the pants gave way I pulled up my boots and got on.
The clock was ticking 15 seconds till the start. WE WERE OFF! (at a nice sane trot). About 100 yards from the starting line one horse bucked off his rider, (a 10 year old boy). The horse took off and the dad went after the horse. The boy was not hurt so everyone waited until the father came back. Father and son decided not to continue, so the rest of the pack started off, again. The leaders started at a gallop and the rest of us tried to stay at a trot. Chance was bucking every few strides because he wanted to gallop. The rest of the horses being held back were also bucking every once in a while but as we were going up hill they could not buck very hard. When the leaders were finally out of sight the rest of the horses settled down. I did not want to ride too fast in the beginning of the race as I had not conditioned Chance for a really fast ride. I hoped to finish in the top 10 but did not want to race until the second loop.
I kept Chance trotting for about 5 miles until we were getting near the hills. He wanted to run and I wanted to let him. So we took off. He has a long fluid stride that flows over the ground like silk. We left the pack behind and were getting close to the first of the hills. I reined Chance in and made him climb at a walk. Hills are where he does his best work as that is how I condition him. We climb lots of mountains but do not do very many long flat trots and gallops. I do gallop him in an arena for an hour per week in the last few weeks before a ride. Chance climbed most of the hills without a rest break. He was in his element and a very happy horse. No more bucking or calling for Monty. He drank well at the first two water tanks and kept asking me for more rein.
This area is very rocky and steep. There are rocks the size of buildings, cars and entire mountains. Ponderosa pines and fir trees soften the edges and kinnikinnk covers the ground. Aspen trees that seem to glow from inside dotted the draws.
At the second tank I met a rider named Ann on a big paint horse named Cruise. She asked if she could join Chance and me as she had been riding with the leaders and her horse was getting annoyed with the constant speeding up and slowing down. Chance likes to keep a steady pace so we joined forces. We took off at a high trot, following orange ribbons. We both forgot to look for the cut off and we missed it. We galloped and trotted for a few more miles until we reached the vet check. We had traveled the 15 mile loop (plus the extra mile and half) in about 3 hours. The hardest part of the ride was behind us.
We rode into the vet check and Chance was almost down to criteria, 60 heart beats per minute. He had a sip of water and we got in line for the vet check. His heart rate was 44 bpm when the vet checked him so his hour rest started immediately. Anne’s horse pulsed down a couple of minutes after mine. Students from Carroll College were on hand to hold horses while riders used the facilities, ate lunch and stretched out. We had to take a mandatory 1 hour rest. The students were very nice and loved horses. They were taking a course on companion horses and horse therapy for the handicapped at Carroll College. Chance was ready to go again after about ½ hour so he was dragging the students around trying to go out on the trail again. He remembered the trail from last year but it had been changed so we did not go the way he had thought we should.
When our time was up we took off at a trot. For the last loop we followed red and green ribbons, (on the right). When Ann and Cruise caught up we started galloping again. We rode the last 10 miles in about 1 hour. Chance wanted to run all the way to the finish but his finish time is when his heart rate is 60 not when he crosses the finish line. I trotted 200 yards of the last 300 yards then jumped off and walked the last 100 yards. Chance kept touching my shoulder with his nose which is his signal for me to get on. HE was afraid that Ann and Cruise would pass us. We crossed the finish line and went to the vet check His heart rate was 54, well below criteria. We had finished in 4th. place. We met my goal of finishing in the top 10 and I got to “present Chance” for Best Condition. Chance had only 1 “A-“, for gut sounds otherwise he had all A’s and had an “A” over all for a final score. I was really proud of him. After Chance passed the vet check Richard helped me take off all of his tack. Then they weighed me and the equipment. It came to 217 pounds. Finally we were done. Chance was still perky and full of energy. It was a great day.
Now we hear Chance’s comments:
How exciting! My best buddy Monty came to ride camp! Hurrah! We are racing.
It’s morning and I was a little sleepy until my person Diane started to brush and saddle me. I’ts race day! Let’s go! I am Chance the Fireball ready to Rock and Roll.
What’s going on? We are at the Start and she isn’t even on yet…. Get on get on!! THIS IS A RACE lets get going! Oh, Oh, buck off, what a great idea, I will buck and then I will run my own race. She did not come off like that little kid. We have to trot. I bet Big Brown did not have to trot in the Derby. I’m like Big Brown and I want to run! Hurrah! We are running. Faster, Faster it’s like flying. I am so happy. I am Chance the fireball on race day. What! I have to walk on the hills!! I can charge the hills. More rein, more rein!
I know there is a water tank coming up. Slow down for a little so I am not too hot to drink. WHAT! Another horse and rider. I thought I had passed everyone. Lets go lets go. No talking!! What! We are going to travel with them! NO! Faster! Faster. What? You are taking a bush break! I am going to run away and finish the race on my own.
I am going to tie you to a tree with a knot that would hold a battle ship!
Hey! A vet check. Breathe slow. . . Good I am through the check. Time to eat and drink. O. K. I’ m done eating and drinking. I AM RESTED I WANT TO GO! Why are we wandering around here?
Finally we are off again. This is the time for me to set the pace. I am like Big Brown running in the Derby…. I hear the crowds cheering. . . Here comes Chance carrying 217 lbs. across the finish line… What?? We have to slow down! But the finish line is just over there! What are you doing we can’t make any time with you walking. Get on, get on!! Who ever heard of a jockey walking across the finish line. The timer said 1:06. I’m done. Off to the vet check. Passed. Now for a rest and a snack. I will see my buddy Monty.
Next year I want to run the whole race. I want to fly across the finish line and be first. Keep the vets out of my way ‘cause Chance the fireball is coming through.
Diane Johnson