Go Diego Go!

Post of the Week - Finding what works for your horse

2012-01-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

This excellent post by Dawn reminds us all to keep what is best for our horses in mind. Be it different tack, training focus, mindset, or goals - this is something we're asking THEM to do for US, so WE have the responsibility to ensure THEIR needs are met to the fullest.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/treelesssaddles/message/53804

When I got away from showing and trying to adhere to "tradition", only then did I really start moving forward in my horsemanship. I know that sounds odd, but I found NOT having the time & "tradition" constraints required for showing allowed me to really focus on my horse and what her needs really were. Boy-oh-boy was it ever an eye opener for me! I started riding treeless, with bits that weren't "traditional", and even started riding bitless. My mount improved by leaps and bounds to become my dream horse in other ways, and I found a whole bunch of fun things to do that I'd never had time to do before. As a matter of fact, my beastie became such a wonderful, well trained horse that she and I gave lessons to others.

Sometimes our horses just aren't cut out to do what we want, whether that's showing at the top levels in breed shows, endurance riding, running barrels or whatever. That's perfectly ok! It just gives us permission to seek out other fun stuff to do with them. Not all horses adhere to breed standards, some have had past injuries or past training issues that prevent them from using "traditional saddles". And maybe they're better at being a rock solid trail mount, or CTR's. Or they'd be really good at teaching others how to ride. The key to unlocking your horse's true potential and letting him/her shine is by keeping them healthy, *comfortable*, and the communication between horse & rider clear. If you take the comfortable part of the equation out because you want to pursue things that you can't make your horse comfortable in (because you have to use certain types of tack), you're killing any level of confidence your horse has in you. That
confidence takes a looooooong time to build again - ask me how I know ;-)....

I'd love nothing more than to turn my sweet little Peruvian Paso into more of an endurance horse. I dream of doing the Michigan Shore-To-Shore ride on him, which would require us to ride 18-26 miles per day for about 2 weeks straight. But the reality is that he's just not built to do that. So instead, I'm going to pursue my dream in a different way - I'm going to do parts of the Shore-To-Shore at my own slower pace this summer. Bottom line is that I want my sweet horse to remain strong, healthy and sound for as long as possible, and I'm putting my own needs and wants behind his. If one dream won't work, figure out
others that will!

Dawn Bruin-Slot
Fuzzy Logic Equine, Inc.
www.fuzzylogicequine.com

Post of the Week: Endurance Granny - Journey On

2012-01-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

Journey is such an appropriate and eloquent name for her new horse. And this is an excellent post to remind us that it's about the journey, not the destination, and to focus and appreciate the present, for it truly is a gift.

Journey On

.... Sometimes I have to take myself aside: “Don’t get mad. Don’t get frustrated. Slow down. There is no race. THERE IS NO RACE. There is no finish line. There is only this very moment in time. Breathe. Remember the crooked line of success."

Exploring in Red Rock

2012-01-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

Had a great ride this past weekend out near Red Rock, helping to explore new trail to be used for the Red Rock Rumble, which will be a new ride for the AERC West Region this upcoming October 6, 2012. Several weeks ago, friend Tami and I went out and explored this loop for the first time, going a bit further as we actually started/finished at the actual ride camp location. During that excursion, we found some really great trail we wanted to use, but didn't like the one portion to connect into it up and over the mountain (that also included bushwacking down the side of the hill on a cow trail).

So the plan for today was to ride the opposite direction up the cool canyon trail, and then find a better way to get over the range and back down to the valley on the other side. We were joined by three other good friends, who have an incredible amount of experience and some truly awesome horses, and all had a glorious day. The good news was that this particular loop actually rode BETTER in this direction, and will most likely become the preferred direction to be used for the ride. And we found a really nice trail that worked excellently and had some incredible views.

This is a post to see how this link to a Garmin Activity works as much as to document the ride. =) So here's the link:

Two Day versus One Day Rides

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Endurance Granny posted some questions on her blog, and I thought I'd take them time to answer them here:

How is riding back to back LD's different than riding a 50 as far as the stress on the horse? I know that sometimes people start their horses on 50's and never do the LD thing so the horse learns that they don't quit at 25 miles, learns to appreciate eating and drinking. So how is having a horse do two 25's over a weekend harder than doing 50 in a day. I'm actually weighing what I want to do as far as LD vs. Endurance. So is a 2 day slow 25 any worse than just starting out on 50 in the first place? The same?

Personally, I've found the two-day rides to be a good indicator of if my horse is ready to move up to that distance for a single day. For example, I completed a two-day 25/25 before trying my and my horse's first 50, and a two-day 50/50 before trying our first 100. How my horse performed at the end of the second day was a good indicator to me if he was ready for the longer distance at once.

As far as which is easier/harder for the horse, I think that doing the distance in one day is harder, simply because they do not have the evening in between to recover. As a new RIDER starting out in the sport, doing the two-day rides gave me the confidence in our ability to complete the distance. With my second horse, and more miles under my own personal belt, I felt less of a need to start with the shorter distances and/or back-to-back rides. I now knew what it took to 1) condition my horse for the distance, 2) how to pace to finish the ride, and 3) what type of attitude/feel/conditioning to look for at the completion of our shorter rides, to be able to gauge how ready he was for the longer ones. Even those horses that are starting in 50's officially, have generally already had at least LD-distance training rides.

How is your preparation different for a 50 (compared to an LD) as far as your weekly mileage and LSD in initially legging up a green horse?

I want my horse to be able to comfortably and easily be able to complete at least half of the goal distance before I move them up. That means in order to finish a LD, I would expect my horse to be able to handle at least a 15-mile training ride. I don't expect them to be pulling-on-the-reins fresh when they finish, but rather to still have plenty of forward impulsion when asked and be EDPP (eating, drinking, peeing, pooping) well and bright-eyed and alert. For a 50, I would expect my horse to be able to complete 25-miles feeling the same. Personally, I would rather get in one good LONG ride per week, than several shorter ones. I'm often pretty strapped for free-time, and quite often only ride once or twice a week. My horses have been able to be successful with this schedule be being ridden long when we go out (see distance recommendations above) and being ridden conservatively at the actual rides. If you only have 4 hours a week to ride, better to cobble that together into one single session, than 4 shorter ones. I wouldn't ride more miles than my goal distance per week, and would make shorter rides faster and hard to maximize the training benefit. Personally, I feel that many/most newbie's horses are over-ridden rather than under-conditioned. Rest can be just as, or more, important than the training.

I did a post about low milage training a bit ago, you can find it here: Low Mileage Training

Post of the Week: The Barb Wire - What's Stopping You

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

I may try a new segment on recommending weekly a fellow blogger's post I valued. To kick this off, here is a most excellent post by Tamara at The Barb Wire: What's Stopping You

My day job requires me to make occasional visits to public schools around the state. Usually, I’m there to discuss matters of data, finance, and governance, but I sometimes find myself observing classrooms in action. During one such visit, a teacher asked me to share with her class of middle school students some advice for achieving success ... Read More

NEDA New Year's Day Ride

2012-01-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

NEDA New Year's Day Ride by dreammakker at Garmin Connect - Details
This was the maiden voyage for my new Christmas present GPS. I bumped the timer and stopped it first thing in the morning after leaving, and didn't notice until 3.5 miles or so later...

Had another wonderful time this past weekend at the NEDA New Year's Day Ride, hosted by Steve Thompson out in Silver Springs, near Lake Lahontan. Diego and I have done several of these rides now. They're a great local and inexpensive way to introduce a horse to the sport of distance riding. A very fun, low-key group that is totally focused on having a good time. In November, I brought my friend Ronda and her new Quarter Horse gelding Quik out to join me for their first ride. We did the 9-mile "short ride" loop together and then Diego and I went on to complete the 11-mile loop for the "long ride" solo. That worked out well for everyone and was a perfect start for Ronda and Quik into the sport.

This weekend, Ronda wanted to try doing the full 20 miles with Quik. We've done quite a few shorter rides together, and as long as there are no big hills, Quik keeps up very well at a moderate pace. Luckily, Silver Springs is nearly totally flat, so Quik wouldn't have to worry about anything much resembling a hill to go over. ;) We actually had a few people over for New Year's Eve, including Ronda and her hubby, so she brought Quik and we all had a sleep over and they spent the night, since she lives across town. Got up in the morning and made breakfast for all the crew, and then we headed out, getting a bit of a later start but still feasible on time. Arrived and got checked in and to the ride meeting, and were fiddling with some last minute stuff when the ride actually started, but no rush or worry.

Diego has been handling these starts very well recently. They're not "small" rides, the past two have had between 40-50 people/horses and everyone pretty much starts at the same time on the same loop. Once we were ready, we headed on down the road, only to make it about three houses down before we heard the jingle of harness behind us. Turning to look, a 4-wheel cart pulled by a pair of cute mules was headed our way. Not 100% sure on how Dig was going to react, and knowing from last time that Quik doesn't like the carts, we quickly pulled over and dismounted. Thankfully we did, as Quik's eyes got huge and he bolted backwards as the cart continued to approach. Ronda was fast on her feet and determined to hang on, running with him as he went. The cart stopped and we all stood around for a bit, before we encouraged them to continue on. The plan would be to catch up to them and hopefully ride behind for a while, to give Quik some more moderate exposure and hopefully let him get over his fear.

Dig was doing great and still walking along after remounting, until a group came of 8 riders came along and passed us. He got worried and tense, wanting to rush along as they were approaching. We pulled over to let them by, and to Dig's chagrin I insisted that he continue to ~~walk~~ ~~jig~~ WALK (or attempt to) until he could/would actually walk on a loose rein, which only took a bit over a mile or so. Once he proved he was indeed capable of walking on a loose rein, we picked up the trot and passed 5 of the horses that had initially passed us. We continued down the beach and had our photos done by Kitty with Projections Photography.

Mr. Diego cruising along

Ronda and Quiksilver aka Quik

From there we continued on until catching the evil-mule-wagon having a potty stop at one of the restrooms along the beach. We waited behind until they got moving, and then used the rest of that loop to slowly work Quik closer and closer to the wagon. At one point, Diego would have happily trotted along next to and past it, but I looked back and Quik was debating if it would be worth possibly running through a barb wire fence or not. We decided not to chance it and just continued along behind. In fact, that team of mules was moving out so well, that eventually they got ahead and then out of sight. Diego went past a crazy chained up snarling dog like it ain't no thang, then decided the cavorting mini-horses in the corral next to the dog were the devil incarnate and had to wait for Quik to come lead him by. Made it back into camp from the 9 mile loop around 1:30 pm as I recall, so 2:15 total time for that loop.

Both horses met the pulse criteria of 64 and had a good drink of water at the trough. We took them back to the trailer and let them eat for another 15 minutes or so before leaving for the next loop. We left the same time as Dr. McCartney DVM and her group of 4 (5 total) so were a fairly good sized pack heading out, bringing up the tail-end of the ride. The next loop was a series of 90-degree turns that wound us back out and along the perimeter of the lake property along some sandy/dirt rural roads before turning and taking a fairly straight course back through the neighborhood and around to camp. Both horses were still moving well, but Quik was starting to slow some so we took it easy and only trotted a moderate pace and took several walking breaks as needed. There was one point where we were trotting along, and I think I was scolding Diego for something, when he suddenly let out one huge giant buck!! I got after him a bit and then Ronda and I both laughed, he was SUCH a teenage boy at that moment "But I don't WANNA do that!!!"

We did have a short cantering session once we turned towards camp. Quik, who normally has awesome "this direction is home/the trailer" radar and goes 2x as fast when pointing that way, was too confused (or possibly tired) by all the right-turn, left-turns and didn't seem to catch on to where we were. He actually did very well, only really slowing down the last 3 miles before camp. I had told Ronda that Diego pretty much did the same thing I took him that far. Dig even stopped a 1/2 mile out from camp, where we could SEE THE TRAILERS and insisted that he needed a break. Once I got him to actually look up and notice where he was, he happily decided he could make it that far. Quik did better, happily plodding along and even trotting a bit to catch up and finished in fine shape. We managed to pass two people in the last few miles, who finished about 30 seconds behind us so we weren't dead last, something Ronda was happy to avoid. ;) I didn't look, but I think it was a bit after 4 when we finished, maybe even a bit before, so a total of about 5 hours to do the full 20 miles, including the 25 minutes or so we were stopped in the middle. Not to bad for a first venture!!!

Bringing new people into the sport is probably my # 1 most favorite thing to do, so I'm glad that we all had such a great time and that everyone (well... maybe not Quik, LOL) is looking forward to doing it again!

2012 Goals

2012-01-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Aaahhhhh.... The start of a new year. The time when we start to look ahead and plan what we want to accomplish. I've always been a goal-setter and planner by nature, always looking ahead and striving to achieve that next milestone, whether in my career, personal life, or riding. But January is the time when we get to publicly declare to all what we're intending to accomplish, for better or worse. ;)

Complete a 100-mile ride with Diego. Kind of a big one, considering we just did his first 50 last season, but I have a sincere love and passion for the distance and I feel that we should be able to accomplish this just fine with some determination and steady training. Dig is already shaping up to be a wonderful endurance horse, this next season will be about fine-tuning the smaller things and teaching him to shine.
Track training/ride mileage for Diego. I started an Excel spreadsheet last year and that has been working well for me. As a very unexpected but totally awesome Christmas surprise, my parent's bought me a Garmin Forerunner 405!!! I just need to get the heart rate belt adapted for Diego, and now I can REALLY and accurately track our training miles. Need to figure out the best way to charge and store it so that I'll always have it handy and ready to be used.
Work on my own personal fitness. I found a workout buddy at my office, and we had been going out at lunch and getting some activity in, although we slacked off this past month. I also bought myself a couple of DVD's for Christmas to hopefully get motivated. I'm SSSOOOO not a morning person, so doing something at lunch time seems to work best for me. Now to just DO it and not find excuses to continue sitting at my desk.
Continue eating better, strive for less unhealthy carbs. Dinners are still hard for me to cut carbs too much, since I'm cooking for my husband and son as well, but perhaps to offer a second vegetable choice, and to use more meat and veggies and less pasta/rice as fillers for the meal. Looking for recommendations for easy, quick, grab-and-go breakfast ideas that are low/no-carb and high in protein, but lower in dairy.
Blog more. I love reading them, but don't always take the time to WRITE them. =) Got to continue to work on that. Maybe I'll try to start some sort of weekly feature(s) that I can find and schedule in advance to help drive my postings up a bit.

Hope you all have a wonderful and successful New Year as well!

Looking Back - 2011

2011-12-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

Back in January I posted some Resolutions for the New Year. Now is as good a time as any to take a look back on how the year turned out:

Finish a 50 mile AERC ride on Diego. This can be considered a success, we not only finished a 50 at Rides of March but also a second one at Cooley Ranch in July. Honestly, I was hoping for a bit more this season, but factor in the pull at NASTR in June and our successful second-day LD at Cooley, things didn't turn out too bad. Mainly it was time and money that prevented me from attending more rides this season.

Eat "better", make smarter food choices. Buy and consume more fresh produce, especially veggies, and watch my portions better. I'd probably rate this a success as well. I was thinner this year than I have been in a while, mainly due to watching what and how much I was eating. We still eat a lot of pasta, and occassionally rice, as the basis for our dinners, but I have cut down on the amount of potatoes and other simple carbs I was consuming. Fast food pretty much makes me sick now so I consume very, very little of that.

Track my training miles better. I started an Excel worksheet with the date, distance, and duration of nearly all of my rides. While I've been trying to update it after every ride, or at least weekly/monthly, I know that I've forgotten a few in there somewhere. Overall though, it's a big improvement over not having anything formally recorded. Diego is finishing 2011 with a little over 500 total miles for the year, not bad, but I hope to at least double that number, if not more, in 2012.

Blog more. Um.... okay, maybe not such a success here. My issue is I only want to post interesting articles and/or stories, and not just document what I've been doing. But then I realize that some of my favorite posts to read from my Blog Buddies are just that, small quick updates on what they've been doing. I have some wonderfully humerous stories about my horse-shopping for a friend adventures from this summer that I need to write down and get posted.

Other big accomplishments this year include:

Overcoming my fear of riding Diego, and finally learning to LOVE riding again
First successful solo trail ride
Getting Diego out on my one-and-only training trail from home, including finding a way to skirt the dicer first section by going down the quiet residential street
Riding on the Tahoe Rim Trail with my mom
Managing Diego's hooves and trimming on my own, and being mostly successful in that venture (NASTR was certainly a case of learning what not to do)

Fitness Testing - Kind of the same but different

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

At some point after the horse has developed good strong connective tissue and bone, the quality of the exercise is more important than the quantity. A young horse starting out need lots of long slow miles on a regular basis - preferably every other day. Working up to slowly adding more distance and more speed ( more trotting and less walking). This is a slow process and should not be rushed. The time required will depend on a lot of factors, the age of the horse, experience of the horse, conformation of the horse, etc.

Conduct a Standard Exercise Test

Put the horse at as close to a fixed rate as possible on the heart rate monitor, such as 140 beats per minute (BPM) for a fixed distance, say 5 miles and see how fast they do it. Record the time to complete the circuit at that set heart rate. This is always done on the same stretch of trail. As your horse gets into better condition, they will be able to complete the circuit faster, in a lesser amount of time, still at that same heart rate. Conversely, if they start to take longer to complete the circuit, then you are probably over training or have some other issue brewing, so more rest is indicated.

Adapted from a post by:
Truman Prevatt

http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp/archives/past/04/35/msg00098.html

New Book about Tevis

2011-10-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to read it yet, my copy arrived in the mail yesterday, but who DOESN'T love a book about ~~everyone's~~ *my* favorite endurance ride?

Tevis, From the Back of My Horse
by Sharma Lynn Gaponoff

An action-packed true story about riding the most difficult 100-mile endurance ride in the world. It is a story about triumph over adversity, about courage, teamwork and knowledge. Join Sharma and her horse Tahoe on their journey through the rugged and scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains of California during their 24 hours of the 55th running of the "Tevis Cup 100-Miles-One-Day Trail Ride." You will read about the "spills, thrills, and bumps along the way" in this compelling, entertaining and instructive chronicle. Mount up and enjoy the ride!

http://www.sharmagaponoff.com/

Fitness Testing from Recovery Heart Rate by Gayle Ecker

2011-10-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Gayle Ecker, one of the foremost researchers on equine exercise physiology, strongly advocates periodic "fitness testing" to see how your horse is doing--getting stronger or weaker, etc. The way she did it was on a treadmill; which is impractical for most riders, however, she sent an EXCELLENT program that can be done on the trail. Do this fitness testing before the scheduled Endurance ride, give the horse a couple of weeks off, and do it again. That will give you a more quantitative measure of how far the horse has recovered.

Fitness Testing, from Gayle Ecker

Recovery heart rate test

Need a stethoscope and stopwatch or heart rate monitor. Measure off a known distance that will remain fairly constant in footing from one repetition to another. A 5 mile section of trail, a one mile gravel road up a gradual slope, a 5 mile distance around a series of fields. Use a ATV, dirt bike, or vehicle to measure off the mileage (or kilometers).

After a warm-up of 15-20 minutes that includes walking, trotting, a bit of cantering, until the body temp of the horse is warm, then start the fitness test. Trot your horse over the distance and using the stopwatch time your duration over the chosen trail. You can trot some, canter some, even walk some, according to the fitness level of the horse. The overall intensity/duration should not be harder than your general training miles.

At the end of the distance, record the time to complete the circuit in a little notebook that you carry in a pocket. Start the watch again at the stop of exercise. At 2 minutes, take the heart rate using the stethoscope for 15 seconds, record this number. While dismounted, walk the horse along and re-take the heart rate for 15 seconds at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 15 minutes. Record these numbers. Cool out your horse (or continue with training miles, depending on the fitness level and your targets for training).

Once back in the barn, construct a graph (purchase graph paper from a stationery store to make this easier, or use a program like Excel if your good with computers):
On the bottom of the graph (the x-axis), put the time (0 to 15 minutes).
On the upright axis (the y-axis), place Heart Rate.
Record the heart rates above the appropriate time (HR at 2 minutes, 5, etc.). Connect the dots. Note the slope of the line.

Repeat the same test periodically, keeping the distance and duration as much the same as before. In other words, you are testing recovery heart rate, not the speed at which you can complete your circuit, try to aim for the same time as prior tests. If you start this now, and repeat it periodically, you will have an objective measurement of how much conditioning has been gained or lost based on how quickly your horse recovers from a set level of exercise. Keep in mind factors such as temperature and humidity will also affect results. Best to record the date, temperature, and humidity as a footnote for each session if possible.

Modified from:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/new100milers/message/303

Tahoe Rim Ride - Kingsbury North to Spooner Summit

2011-08-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, my mom Lynda and her Tennessee Walking Horse Joe joined Diego and I for a ride on the Tahoe Rim Trail. My friend Sanne and I are going to be managing an AERC endurance ride over parts of this same trail, next August, 8/25/12. You can go here: http://www.endurancetrax.com/ for more information on the Tahoe Rim Ride.

So Sunday morning, both my mom and I hooked up our rigs and loaded our horses up. Since we were going to be riding point to point, the plan was to leave my trailer at Spooner Summit, off Highway 50, and to take my mom's to the start off Kingsbury Grade. We each trailered one horse up the first haul to the top of Spooner. I parked in the main trailer parking area, which is on the south side of Hwy 50. Next time, I would pull through the USFS picnic and parking area on the north side of the highway, where the trail actually comes out, as there are a couple of pull through spots you could just fit a trailer in. Use the main trailer parking as a back-up if those spots (there are only about 4) are full. I already had my tack in my mom's trailer from riding the day before, so only had to put Diego in and we set off to the start of the trail.

Going up Kingsbury Grade (Hwy 207) is a steep haul. Definitely need to use a low gear and make judicious use of the sporadic turn-outs. You turn onto Benjamin Road North off the 207, and follow the road 2 more miles through a neighborhood to the actual trail head. These last 2 miles are quite steep and slow going. At least, for the most part, the vehicles had to do all the hard climbing work on this ride, getting us to the top of the world, leaving less climbing for the horses. There is a large dirt area to park a trailer in before the smaller paved lot. Since we were the first trailer in, we were able to get turned around and parked facing out, which was a good thing as upon our return, there were two other trailers (vehicle, not horse) there and it made getting my rig turned around a bit interesting, but still very doable.

We got saddled up and ready to go. We were careful to pack extra drinking water for ourselves, and carrots for the horses. This 12.2 mile stretch of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) has NO natural water. Ensure you have lots of extra water for yourselves, and for your horses at the end of the trail. Both of our horses drank around 5 gallons each at the end. The first part of the trail is fairly technical, climbing a series of granite steps, along a narrow single-track, right within the first half-mile. My mom rode up this section, but I stayed on foot and lead Diego up. In less than a mile, the trail was less rocky and I mounted up. There were still a few sections I would dismount for, mainly because Diego is still learning where best to place his feet, sometimes making not very wise decisions, and I would rather NOT be on him at the time. By the end of the day however, he was able to confidently follow behind Joe, watching where he went, or pick the better path himself.

I truly cannot write words to describe the beauty of the trail. The pictures do not even begin to do it justice. I had to keep my camera on-hand, ready to whip out at any time to snap the next awe-inspiring view. I found the best place to do this, was to tuck it in my bra. =) It worked great, the only problem being I kept forgetting it was in there and then "finding" it unexpectedly, like when we stopped for lunch, and while driving back home. We took pictures of the three main areas where the road(s?) would cross the trail. These were all nice big open areas that would easily accommodate a vet check. We stopped often just to enjoy the scenery and appreciate being lucky enough to ride this trail. There is a wooden bench nestled in a rock outcropping along the peak of the trail, with incredible views of Lake Tahoe. This made an excellent spot for lunch, with grazing for the horses tied to nearby trees and endless views for us. This spot is approximately 7 miles from the Kingsbury Trailhead, and 5 from the Spooner Summit side.

Since this is the shortest segment of the TRT, it does receive a fair amount of traffic. We saw about 10 mountain bikers and probably an equal number of people hiking. Everyone was very polite and courteous, correctly yielding the trail to the horses. The trail was very clearly marked and easy to follow, either with the blue arrows or badges of the TRT nailed to trees. Most of the trail was single-track, where there was simply no question as to if you were on the correct route, there was no where else to be. We walked about 70% and did a slow easy trot/gait the other 30%. We were cognizant of not wanting the horses to get to overheated and any more thirsty than they already were. It took us a total of about 4.5 hours to get from one trailer to the other, with about 30 minutes being stopped for lunch. You could ride it faster, especially during the ride where water will be provided along several points.

There were some portions that were quite rocky and required walking, others were you could trot for a bit, walk a short stretch, then trot again, and yet others were there was just a long stretch of glorious perfect footing. The elevation change was mild, being a total of about 1,600 feet over the entire distance. If riding from the Spooner side, you would have more climbing from that direction, and it would be more difficult to navigate some of the rockier portions into Kingsbury, having to go down the granite rock steps, rather than up them. If riding point to point, the Kingsbury to Spooner direction would definitely be the preferred choice, however, if you wanted just a beautiful out and back, I would recommend the Spooner side. The access to the trail is much easier (hauling a trailer up the grades) and the trail itself is better footing and less rocky coming from that direction. It would make an excellent 10 mile ride to ride up to the lake viewing area, and then back to your trailer at Spooner Summit.

Enjoy the pictures below.

Heraldic

2011-08-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest endurance horses ever. I can't wait to see what more he is capable of. This is a most excellent article worth reading:

http://heraldic.yolasite.com/about-heraldic.php

Low Mileage Training

2011-08-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I don't ride nearly as often as I should. In the three month's before the 50 at Rides of March, Diego had 74 training miles. In the three month's before the 50/30 at Cooley, we had 138. There was also the 50 at Rides of March, and a 25 ride as well that I didn't count in the interim. But still, very low mileage. I'd like to say this hasn't always been the case, but in reality it often has. My life was very full when I was competing my first horse several years ago. My saving grace, and the ability to move up to and successfully complete 100-mile rides, was based on the simple fact that I used the rides themselves for training and conditioning.

I also know I'm not alone in this, shameful as it may be. :) So how do we do it? How are we able to successfully COMPLETE rides (note: I would NOT recommend COMPETING on this type of a schedule) with low-mileage training? Here are some tips:

1. Specificity of training. Pick an event that you intend to ride, and tailor your training as much as possible to simulate the ride conditions (surface type, elevation, elevation change, temperature, etc.). If you're not sure what the ride conditions are like, ask the ride manager, or someone who has attended in the past. If you're still not sure, it's best to "plan for the worst" and try to pick a more difficult training environment (hills, sand, etc). Be aware, however, that if you train in the mountains, and the ride is flat footing, that it may actually be more difficult for your horse. The same is true if you train in the sand, and then encounter hard-packed footing, or visa versa.

2. Long training ride. Do at least half, and honestly - I've done ALL, of your weekly mileage in one long training ride. If you know that you only have time to ride once a week, work up to doing 1/3 to 1/2 of your goal distance on your one long ride. This means if you want to ride 50's, then work up to doing a 25-mile ride once a week or so.

3. Cross-training. Difficult if you're limited in your saddle time, but squeezing in an hour of arena work, or even putting your horse on a lunge (or free lunging) occasionally can help to increase and/or maintain fitness. Taking a lesson will benefit both the horse and the rider. Chances are, you'll both work muscles you don't use on a daily basis. Horses kept in a large enclosure are better off than those kept in a small one. Horses kept in an enclosure with hills, rocks, and other natural obstacles are better off than those kept without. That being said, my horse lives at home in a flat 24x36 ft corral. Just make the best of what you can.

4. Vary weekly mileage. Start at least 12 weeks before the intended ride and gradually increase mileage to a level that is about 20%-50% higher than your average miles per week (mpw). For example, if your annual average is 20 mpw, try to build up to at least 25 mpw during your training before the ride. Ideally, my mpw would be at or near my goal distance, but since I know that's not feasible for me, I like to aim for 50-60% of my goal distance, or 25-30 mpw to complete a 50 mile ride. To increase this before an event, I can add one or two shorter rides during the week to ramp up to around 40 miles before I taper. A "high mileage" week, 2-3 weeks before a 50, might look like this: Thurs: 8-10 Sat: 20-25. If I can, I'll do one other shorter ride of around 5 miles mid-week sometime.

5. Peak and taper. Peak your weekly mileage two or three weeks before the ride, if possible, aim for around your goal distance as your mpw. Then taper your mileage down for the last 2-3 weeks. Your horse will feel rested and ready for action on ride morning. If your goal distance is 100 miles, I like to start my taper earlier and will generally ride a 50 mile ride, or even two back-to-back, about 4-6 weeks before a 100.

6. Rest. The rule of thumb I've heard and like to follow is to give one day of rest for every 10 miles you cover in training. This means that if I do a 50, I will not ride at all that following week. I do try to get my horse out and take him for long walks and lots of grazing by hand. I may go on an easy ride that weekend, but nothing fast or strenuous. There are a lot of horses going, that are ridden only at actual rides. If you live in a region where you can manage a ride every 2-3 weeks, or a multiday once a month or so, then this is possible. However, if you only plan on doing one or two events a year, this obviously is not the schedule to use.

7. Pace. Ride at as close to a constant pace as you can during the event. This means going out at the start much slower than your horse will want to. It also means keeping your moving speed fairly low. Remember, this is not the type of training you want to do if you intend to finish above mid-pack. Keep your trotting speed around 7-9 mph and walking around 3-5 mph. Your overall moving mph will be somewhere around 6 mph or so depending upon footing and terrain.

8. Ride your own ride. Is your horse an uphill horse or a downhill horse? Can she keep up a steady pace on a winding trail, or are long straight stretches her forte? Is he happiest with a buddy along or does he work best alone? Take advantage of their strengths and do your best to mitigate their weaknesses.

9. Stopping and vet checks. Since you will not be going very fast, make sure you do your best to use your allotted trail time, actually going down the trail. Do not dilly-dally around too much at water stops. Have your horse drink, cool them if needed, and then get going. Watch your time at the vet checks and try to leave on time. If you're travelling at a 6 mph average, you cost yourself a 1/2 mile for every 5 minutes you are late leaving a vet check.

10. Navigation. Attend the ride meeting and bring the ride map and/or course description provided. Make note of mileages between main landmarks, such as the vet checks and water stops. Listen carefully for if there are any technical sections that are going to slow you down more than normal (overly rocky, steep, lots of roots, etc). You will need to take advantage of the other sections to compensate for this. Pay attention to the trail markings, you do not want to go off course. If you get lost, the best general rule is to go back the way you came until you know where you are on the course.

11. Post-race. After the ride, ensure your horse has plenty to eat and drink at the trailer. Walk around smiling, socializing with the other riders, and savoring your accomplishment. Go back and take your horse for a short walk every hour or so before you leave. Do not immediately pack up to go home, as problems are just as likely to occur in the few hours following an event as they are during. Keep an eye on your horse's appetite and comfort level. Best to stay and enjoy the meal and relax for a bit before trailering home. If you traveled more than a few hours to the ride, it is even better to stay overnight before going home. Walk your horse again before trailering home.

12. Post your experiences. As soon as possible after the ride, be sure to write an e-mail story about your experiences. Share it on public endurance forums, your blog, etc. We all need to learn from each other as much as possible. It's also valuable to look back at later and recall some of the details of what did or did not work for you that particular day.

13. Ask veterans for advice. My favorite place to do this is to ride with them at the actual rides. There is often a huge wealth of knowledge, happily trolling along at the back of the pack. Some of the highest mileage riders and horses are back there, quite successfully doing their thing. Subscribe to E-mail lists, read blogs, surf the web, train with them, subscribe to Endurance News magazine.

Finally

14. The "experts" say that you should be able to complete a distance 3 times that of your *normal* long ride (single ride, not mpw). For an LD (25-30 miles), that means an 8-10 mile training ride. For 50's, that's about a 17 mile ride. I personally like to round up and do at least 20. For 100-milers, that means a 33 mi.+ training ride (approximately). I prefer to use 50 mile events to achieve this goal.

Cooley Ranch - Day 2

2011-07-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

Before I had even left to go to the ride, I was waffling on the idea of riding two 50's back-to-back. Considering Diego had only done ONE 50 to date, at Rides of March, in 11-something hours, and knowing that Cooley Ranch was considered to be one of the harder rides in the region, I was somewhat doubtful as to our ability to actually complete 100 miles that weekend. When I had first arrived at the ride, the Vet Secretary had me down as doing two LD's, but I knew I for sure wanted to ride at least ONE 50. I would rather have completed only one 50, and not gone at all the second day, than to have done two LD rides. So I had them change my Saturday entry to the 50, and we left my Sunday entry as the 30 for now with the mention that I could/might change it at the end of the day Saturday. However, at the end of the day Saturday, Diego was obviously tired so I elected to just ride the 30 on Sunday. I had been toying with the idea off and on Saturday, that I would maybe try to ride the LD alone. While Diego was happy to keep up with the group, I wanted to see how he would pace on a ride entirely on his own. We've truly only ridden by ourselves a handful of times. Most of our conditioning rides are done with company of some sort or another. And while Diego is happy to lead, be in the middle, or follow behind, I wanted to see how and what he would do without having a buddy along to help encourage and/or tow him with any sort of pacing. Plus I figured I'd be pretty safe to try my experiment on a Day 2, when he was a little less enthusiastic all around. =)

Sunday morning saw a much calmer Diego. =) Getting tacked up was no issue and I only had to walk him around a bit to just get him moving and ensure that he looked good and wasn't any worse for the wear and was indeed ready to go again. Diego was relaxed but forward, I was able to mount up and ride out of camp a couple of minutes after the actual start. The start was the same as yesterday for the first 3 miles, up the hill, down the hill, steep up hill, gradual small down, another big up, etc. The cloud cover was pretty thick and it as actually misting on us. I had a moment of hoping I wasn't going to need a rain jacket, but continued on undaunted. Initially I was riding off and on with a couple other horses, passing and/or being passed, but I kept Diego to a walk on the up hills while they were trotting some of them so we started to spread out. At the top of the hill, we went right instead of straight/left to get to the vet check in a shorter course than the day before. As I crested the hill, I got off to continue down on foot. I was walking past a clump of trees and could hear a bunch of rustling and "Whoa! Whoa! Stand!" from the other side. I peered through and could see a guy on foot, trying to get his saddle adjusted while his horse danced around and generally made things difficult. I asked if he was okay, he responded that he was. I stood there for a while, thinking that moving off would probably just upset his horse more, then got impatient with his faffing and continued on down the hill with Dig. We had only gone another minute or two when from behind I heard more loud crashing and shouts of "Whoa! Whoa!" and I turned around just in time to see the same guy, mounted now, come crashing around a turn, his horse trying to run away with him, as the guys slid to the side, pulling his saddle with him, and hitting the ground. Thankfully he kept hold of the reins so I didn't have to try to deal with catching a loose horse. He got up and said he was okay, walked down the hill on foot to where I was and I held his horse for him while he got his saddle readjusted, cinched SUPER tight, and then remounted. He was going to wait for me to get on, but I told him I was planning on just walking till near the bottom and he continued on - thank goodness.

I walked on for just a bit longer until things started to level out. I got mounted back up and rode past some tractors and other logging equipment, including a large stack of cut redwood trunks, a machine that cut them into boards, and the resulting piles of boards and sawdust. Diego didn't bat and eye and went right through the middle of all of it. In just a short bit, we went past a volunteer who was manning the gate into the sheep pasture. After having seen Dig's reaction to the sheep at the vet check yesterday, I was keeping my eyes peeled for the little buggers. =) We were happily trotting along when we crested a hill and the sheep were laid out like a fuzzy gauntlet on either side of the trail in a flat open grassy area. Dig stopped and took stock of the situation. I hopped off and started to lead him through. Once he realized that the sheep were scared of the big bad horse, and were in fact moving AWAY from HIM, he didn't care anymore and I remounted and rode the rest of the way through the flock. In just a few hundred yards, we arrived at the gate out of the pasture and at the vet check for a quick trot by (no check at this point ~ 5 or 6 miles).

We got the okay clear to go from the vet's and headed over to the water troughs. Dig then didn't want to leave just yet, thinking it unfair that we were AT the vet check and no goodies had yet been dispensed. =) I managed to convince him that indeed, he needed to carry on down the trail, and rode him across the wooden bridge and out the trail we had come in on yesterday. Rene shot a new favorite photo of mine here. Speaking of trotting along, I was DAMN PROUD of how Dig was doing!!!! He had been on task and just motoring down the trail all morning. Happily walking along when asked and trotting where ever the trail allowed. We had some common out-and-back on this section, so it was a bit harder to encourage him along UP the hill while being passed by all the 50's coming DOWN and back to the check, including his 3 new BFF's from yesterday. But I only had to use my crop a couple of times and he did keep going for me. This next loop was very enjoyable, up a big climb out of the vet check and then through some rolling hills and past a small pond on the property. The pond setting was SO BEAUTIFUL, cattails all along the bank, still as glass, with a large grassy area, all dotted with large oak trees. There was an aluminum row boat overturned near the bank, and all I could think was that if I had a book and some hobbles how enjoyable it would be to just spend the rest of the day floating in that setting, listening to Dig crop the grass. Sheer bliss. There was one sketchy creek crossing that I had to dismount for, since Diego decided to show off his jumping prowess and I could tell it was going to happen, and a couple of others that were nice and deep where I let the pone splash to his heart's content and thoroughly soak both himself and most of my legs. It's nice to have a "self-sponging" horse on occasion. ;) We hit the downhill off this loop, taking us lollipop like back along the same trail to the vetcheck, and the grin splitting my face as that boy tucked his butt and jogged down the hill should have won me some bugs in my teeth! =D He is a DOWNHILL HORSE! It was just like Donna Snyder-Smith talks about, like jogging on a trampoline, legs pumping up and down, collapsing into the hip, while my rear stayed nestled in the saddle and we just CRUISED down these hills with seemingly NO EFFORT - I couldn't see Dig but I think he was smiling as much as I was. =)

When we reached the top of the steeper longer hill into the vetcheck, he stopped and turned to look at me, "Um remember Mom, you got off here yesterday, twice." So I obliged him and dismounted and we continued on in. It was warmer and a bit more humid today. I scooped water on him at the troughs and then continued over to the P&R area. He was close but still a bit high, hanging around 64 when criteria was 60. I told the lady it seems to take him about 5 minutes, and sure enough, at exactly 5 minutes from our in time he pulsed down to 60. We went over to our little crewing area and GUESS WHO ATE HIS LUNCH?!? Yup, lesson learned from yesterday and Dig put his head down and ate and ate for our entire one-hour hold, only taking a break to go be vetted. Vetted through with all A's on the card too! Everyone in ear-shot had to listen to me gush on about how fabulous he was doing and how proud of him I was and yadda yadda. =) I did manage to shut up long enough to eat most of a sandwich. At this point, we were around 12 miles or so into the 30 and my out-time after the hour long hold was 10:30-ish something as I recall (7 am start).

We left out and followed the same trail as loop 2 from yesterday, down the road, across the river, and then parallel to the river on a fairly flat road up to a house with a trough and hose, another mile or so past the house, and yesterday's trail turned left while we continued on straight. I *think* this was new/different trail from past years as management has been working hard to make Day 2 a bit easier, or at least not HARDER than Day 1 as in the past. The loop 2 that the 50's were doing today (not the LD) was still challenging, but was all new trail and quite beautiful from what I heard. While this portion seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye the day before, I realized how far it actually was today. Riding by ourselves was a bit of a challenge as it gives you so much more time to be exactly in the moment and focused on every small thing. I think I multi-task pretty well and enjoy watching the scenery, monitoring the footing, while also chatting with my fellow riders - which helps the time pass more quickly. Instead I had to just chatter on at Diego or in my head to myself - totally doable but it did make things seem to take longer. Dig just chugged right along though, strong steady forward trot, probably in the 8-9 mph range. We had another tricky crossing on this road, a short sharp ditch into some rocks (no water) and then an equally steep opposite bank. Again, I could tell he was going to hop it so I got off so he could clear the 3+ ft gap in a single bound - from a stand still. Eek! Eventually, we reached the lollipop portion of this loop and turned left into the creek bed, following the river, crossing multiple times, going along through the deep sandy/gravely footing for about a mile or so before starting up the one (and only) big climb on this portion of the loop. Dig just put his head down and started marching. At a walk but up and up and up we went. We were passed by one girl and her horse, who were trotting/jogging off and on and while Dig thought about keeping up, I encouraged him to just keep walking so we did, until finally reaching a glorious old weathered and half falling down barn at the summit of the hill. This ranch must have been beautiful and very interesting back when it was in full-scale running herds of livestock.

At the top, we had another of those hills that you look at and wonder exactly how you are going to get down. So I slithered down. I honestly considered just squatting and trying to slide down half on my butt. It was steep. Like a dysfunctional slinky Dig and I managed our downward descent. I would slither ahead and then stop to catch my footing, he would just keep trodding along behind me, sliding himself every now and again. Eventually it wasn't as steep and I was able to walk more normally. Down, down, down we went until we reached a creek crossing at the bottom. Since I was already off, I grabbed my scoop and poured the water on while Dig drank deeply. Two riders caught up to us at this point, a heavier-set older lady who rode up exclaiming, "I've about had enough of these F*@$%! hills!" I found out after the ride, that was Ruthie Waltenspiel - the original Ride Manager/Founder. =) We chatted for a few minutes while the horses drank and grazed and when leaving, the encouraged me to go ahead, since I had the faster horse. I expressed my doubt at this, but in fact Dig proved them wrong, hitting the road and just happily settling into his brisk trot again - and away we went. I was starting to get a bit concerned about time. It was noon and we had to finish the ride, and be pulsed down by 2:15. I knew we were going to have to hustle it in and keep going in order to make it on time. In short order we were at the end of the loop and back on the out-and-back portion of the road. Dig did SO GOOD with having to pass and be passed by the 50-milers going the opposite direction. We actually had quite a bit of common trail where this occurred, and he just got better about it as the day went on. Cruised the 3 miles or so back to the house, off to jump the ditch again, got hosed down well and cooled off at the trough (I even hosed myself a bit), and then back on to trot trot trot down the road toward the river.

Finally reached the large river crossing. At this point, it was 1 pm and I had an hour and fifteen minutes to go the last 4 miles, but these miles included the huge 2+ mile climb along the paved road to the vet check. We set off, trotting where we could, following the paved road away from the vet check and toward camp right after crossing the river. Dig objected a bit to the left hand turn, knowing food and goodies were at the check to the right (someone is finally developing a sense of direction), but continued on when told to do so. We walked off and on, and I was so grateful to have on boots so I could just trot down the asphalt road when needed/wanted rather than having to deal with the narrow shoulder in some spots. We went through a small grouping of houses and then started the climb. At this point, I was cussing LD's and how you have to ride a faster overall pace to finish a LD on time as opposed to a 50 because the hold time deducts more of your overall riding time. We were already over 6 hours total elapsed time, so I was glad for the 30 having an additional 1:15 for those additional 5 miles. And so we walked, and walked, and walked, and climbed that monster hill. Dig was hungry and would head toward the side of the trail for grass - I would steer him to the larger clumps of long grass, where he could grab a big mouthful and then eat it like a child slurping spaghetti, chewing the stalks down as we went. Shortly before reaching the 1/2 way mark, we were passed by the first place 50 mile horse, just trot, trot, trotting up the hill. I was impressed. Wow! There was a water trough near then, he drank and moved on right before we go there. Dig drank happily for quite a bit. The next 2 horses in the 50 nearly reached the trough as we were leaving. They knew they couldn't catch the guy in front of them (Robert Weldin?) and were more concerned with the lady coming behind, who had a strong downhill horse and they thought might push that final mile down hill to try to over take them. So they also were trot, trot, trotting up the hill. Dig and I were suitably impressed, but neither of us felt much compulsion to JOIN them in that endeavour. ;)

I'm watching the time this whole climb... wishing I had paid attention yesterday to how long it took us. I know I have a mile of down hill into camp from the very top. I'm wanting to reach the finish line no later than 2 pm, to give me a full 15 minutes to pulse down if needed. So in the sun we continue our march up, and up, and up the hill. Finally, there's the dirt turn off from the road! It's 1:35, another 5 minutes of climbing maybe to reach the actual summit. Up, up, up - you can do it Dig! I'm so proud of you! We finally crest the top and I let him walk a bit to catch his breath. Then I ask, "Can you trot?" and he says, "Sure! It's downhill!" and off we go, down off the mountain. I got a little teary-eyed - so overwhelmed by what we had accomplished this weekend. We trotted down the hill and walked into camp around 1:45 or so. I took him over to the water trough and scooped him, and sure enough, in just about 5 minutes he was pulsed down and we had our official finish time (I think it was 1:49 - so total ride time would be 5:49). We went back to the trailer and pulled tack and Diego happily dove into his food and ate and ate. They told me at the finish that I only had a 1/2 hour to vet out (??? It's been so long since I rode a LD I had no idea) so I let him rest and eat for about 20 minutes before heading over to get our official completion. He did it!!!! 80 miles in two days on a tough, tough course. So impressed with my horse! I honestly cannot say if I am more proud of our mid-pack finish in the 50 on Day 1, or the fact that he went out there and conquered the Day 2 30 totally solo and a bit tired, riding our own ride, in such a relaxed and impressive manner.

I'm still blissed out and in awe of what we did. =)

Cooley Ranch - Day 1

2011-07-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Wow!!! Where to even begin? I mentioned my initial drama with even getting to this ride. A huge THANK YOU to Easycare for the ride entry, I found out only TWO people had entered to win, so odds were very good! ;) I'm SO SO Glad I got the chance to attend this ride! It was a wonderfully run and beautiful event and if it wasn't such a damn long drive I would for sure be back every year.

I ended up not leaving Reno until nearly noon on Friday, and then, due to not consulting an actual MAP or PEOPLE and relying on computer directions, took the route through Napa and up the 128 to get to the ride. We encoutered quite a bit of traffic in Napa, and the 128 was a windy road, but it was a very scenic and beautiful drive through the vineyards (My son - T: "All they have is GRAPES!! It's like grapes forever!"), arriving in ridecamp around 6:30 pm or so. Diego doesn't eat, drink, or pee in the trailer =( Got him out and gave him a few minutes to look around and then kind of grazed our way up to the vetting area (vetting was to end around 7). Got checked in and filled out my paperwork, Diego peed a small lake in front of the vet secretaries trailer, and vetted through with Lindsay Graham. She had me trot twice, "he has a little sashay in his butt", and gave him a B+ in gut sounds. Went back to camp and got Diego installed with his food, water, and a mash, just in time to hurry over for the ride meeting and to get my map for the next day. My dad and step mom arrived during the ride meeting, walked over to where I could see them and wave, then went back to get their camp set up. RM had made a few minor changes to "Ruthie's Classic" but most of the trail was the same. Chatted with a few people at the table about what the trails were like, and then went back to get the people portion of camp set up before it got dark. I had elected to bring the truck tent and air bed instead of the camper, since the camper is so big that would have easily been another 1+ tanks of gas and just more of a hassle to drive. T decided to just sleep in the back seat of the truck in the cab - which worked out well for both of us since he's a talker, mover, kicker in his sleep. As it ended up, Diego must be too because I hardly slept at all that first night. There was "something" out there in the dark because several horses, including Dig, kept doing that loud trumpet snort. I kept waiting to feel him set back and pull or something, but he never did. I got up with him at one point, and he just kept staring in the blackness over toward the vetting area/main camp. Some people the next day mentioned they think it was a mountain lion or other cat due to sounds people heard.

Saturday morning got up and got saddled. I rode in the borrowed Freeform Classic with a borrowed (from someone else) smaller seat. Dig was UP in the morning. He dumped the saddle off once before I could get it girthed on and was in general being a pain in the ass. Thankfully I had put his Easyboot Gloves on Friday before we left Reno, and injected some Goober Glue to create pads in the bottoms of the boots. All I had to do was tighten up the straps and we were good to go. I walked him around in camp for about 10 minutes before the actual start, and at about 5 minutes after started off on foot in that direction. Cynthia (RM) had warned that "this is the most difficult start of any ride I've ever done", so I wasn't exactly thrilled to be hiking my butt up the hill with a pony flotation device in tow. At least he has enough manners to not pull me, although he does push with his shoulder. I stepped off the trail in a couple of spots to run him around at the end of my reins, and then continued walking up on foot.

Somehow, magically, he has this little good behavior reminder that seems to click in right at about 1 mile. So after hiking to the TOP of the first hill, we hit that mark, he sighed, shook, put his head down, and I knew I would be okay to get on. I pulled off the trail and had just gotten mounted and on my way when a group of three ladies came by. I tucked in behind them and followed them down the top of the hill, across the paved road from camp, and up into the next set of hills. They were setting a nice pace, trotting some but walking anything overly steep (which was quite a bit at this point). We started chatting a bit, I asked if it was okay if I stayed with them for a while, explained I was from Reno, didn't really know anyone, hadn't done the ride before, Diego likes buddies, yadda yadda and they were totally fine with me riding with them as the little caboose for the group. The first 3-4 miles are a blur of steep climbs followed by short rolling descents. Eventually, we came to a long down hill where everyone got off and we continued down on foot. Very steep, loose scree footing found us all, human and equine alike, slip sliding our way down into the river valley at the bottom. There we remounted and followed a winding trail through the lower portions, crossing the rivers and adjoining creeks off and on, with smaller more rolling terrain (this ride has very little actual FLAT). We came to a large crossing where the photographer was shooting, I got some lovely shots. A couple of miles later, and we arrived at the first vet check which was at around 9 miles.

It seems to generally take Diego about 5 minutes to reach criteria (60 bpm) after arrival and we headed over to the crew spot my dad and Robin had secured for me. We had a 30 minute hold at this point. Diego ate his mash and nibbled some alfalfa, but didn't truly hoover the food down. He ate pretty well for about 5, maybe 10 minutes, then noticed some sheep in the adjoining pasture and became very focused on them. I took him over to be vetted, where we cleared with all A's from Jamie Kerr. Dig was ready to get on with it at this point and spent the rest of the hold looking around or staring at the sheep, only nibbling a few bits when we'd hand feed him. The group of 3 had pulsed down a couple of minutes faster than I had, so left the vet check just as I was getting ready to walk over to the out timers. There were several other people gathered around the out timers, it looked like a group of four or so. I mentioned to one lady, "Oh, I have the same out time as you, can I ride a bit with you guys?" and she said, "No, you don't want to do that." Ummmm... okay. So when it was my time I left and trotted down the road solo and they hung back to wait for a friend or something who was a minute or two behind. Dig knew there were horses ahead and had his little after burners going, power trotting along the road parallel to the river from the vet check. He neighed a few times, but never broke stride or fussed too much, just blasted along. We passed one lady, who we had yo-yo'd with a bit in the first few miles and I knew wanted/needed to ride by herself and her horse was upset when others were too close or nearby. Crossed the river again and powered up the opposite bank and along the rolling road for what seemed like a very, very brief amount of time, until catching the group of three at the next water stop. We rode that bit of trail from the river to the house where the water stop was again the next day, and I was AMAZED at how far it actually was. It was probably at least 3+ miles, and at the time I would have sworn it was hardly anything - I was so blissed out on my horse powering along the trail all by himself so strong and focused.

So we were reunited with our buddies. As I came trotting up, they exclaimed "There's Reno!" and thus I was dubbed for the entire weekend. =) We hadn't bothered to exchange names until this point, so I guess as they were leaving the check, one had asked "Where's Reno?" and it stuck. =) All had ridden the ride before and were planning on going again the next day, and Dig seemed very happy and comfortable with the steady pace they were setting. Plus they didn't mind me tagging along at all, which was appreciated. The second loop (as was true both days) was the most difficult loop. We had several long climbs that resulted with us riding along the ridge tops. You could see for miles, even see the steam plumes for the geysers in surrounding towns (guessing Geyserville). The weather could not have been better. It was definitely humid for us desert rats (Dig & I) but at low 80's and often a breeze, I'll certainly take it. I guess it was around 100 degrees for the ride last year in June. EVERYONE was gushing about how lucky we were with the weather.

This next loop was about 18 miles and I'll just say it was steep and hard. Diego's and my opinion of what was considered a trottable hill was certainly altered. Although we did walk anything that was overly steep, whoever was setting the pace in the front, would often trot the first portion of the hills until the grade increased. Sometimes I would trot behind as well, other times we would start walking sooner and then trot a bit more of the downhill on the opposing side to catch up, or as it just worked out, would catch up very shortly anyways. Diego had settled in well to his job and was very focused and doing great. My only issue was that one of the sheepskin covers on the stirrup leathers kept sliding down, and the top portion would rub my left thigh until I yanked it back up. We got off on foot a couple more times on this loop and at one point I slipped a bit and kind of did the splits, with my left leg extended in front of me while my right leg folded under me as I put my hand down. I think I stretched or pulled something a bit as this is the only place where I'm really sore.

We got in off the 18 mile loop and Diego was HOT. I had scooped out of one of the creeks on the loop (this would be a good ride for a sponge and a sponge-trained horse), and thankfully the vet check had a ton of water, buckets, even hoses. I scooped and scooped about 8 gallons of water on him and at right about 5 minutes, he pulsed down to 60 and we got our in time. Once again the other 3 were a couple of minutes ahead of me, but I was so pleased with how well Diego was doing. We went back over to our crew spot, and he wasn't interested in eating. =( I don't think he was overly stressed, his expression looked good and he wasn't panting, but he just was too busy looking around and gazing off at stuff. I finally got him to take a couple of carrots, then a couple of handfulls of hay, but holding them up against his lips. I told T his job was to keep him eating as I ran over to grab some lunch for myself. RM provided sandwiches, chips, cookies and fruit both days at the away check. I grabbed another handful of carrots from the volunteers, and went back over to Dig. He was nibbling, but wasn't really eating with gusto like I wanted him to. We kept plying him with food stuffs, even a bit of red licorice, and while I was frustrated he wasn't eating that well, just due to how he looked and the vibe he was giving off, I wasn't really concerned about him in general. We went over and vetted around 40 minutes into the 60 minute hold, and he received a mixture of A's and B's. Gut sounds were a B as I recall. I saddled back up, Diego with an expression of SHOCK that I had the NERVE to put the saddle back on him (!!!) and kept an eye on when the others were getting ready to leave.

We had a 20 mile loop back to camp at this point. It worked out that the other 3 vetted a bit late, so we were all able to leave together from the check. This last loop went south and did a big sweeping loop through the hills, climbing to the top of the ridgeline and back down several times, before taking us along the edge of a newly planted vinyard and then dumping us on a fairly exposed and somewhat flat dirt road. You could look down onto a lake (Lake Sonoma?) and it looked so cool and inviting, they were saying how it's pure torture to ride along up there when it's 100+ and the sun in beating down. We eventually came into some of the ranch houses where there was a trough with a hose and all the horses got sprayed and cooled off before leaving. Diego did very well with his drinking at the ride. He's very business like. When he's going to drink, he just gets in there and gulps it down. He doesn't fiddle fart around with it, just chugs until he's done, then he's done and ready to go. He does skip water if he's had a big drink recently. But he did well on this so I don't feel like I need to worry about him too much in this regard.

After leaving the houses we continued along the road for a bit until there was a cattle guard, where we crossed a field and then came out onto the paved road that lead toward ride camp (it's on a private ranch so traffic is very very light). OMG what a climb this road is!!!! Pure torture, just up and up and up and up. A real strong grade that goes on for what's probably about 2 miles or so. Thankfully there's a trough about 1/2 way up, where all the horses drank heartily. Dig had finally realized he was hungry (duh) about 8 miles ago so was grabbing huge mouthfulls of the tall grass clumps and eating as he went along. When we neared the end of the paved bit, the group trotted off and Diego just kept walking. He neighed once or twice, but that was it, still on a loose rein just going along. We turned off from the road and climbed the last of the hill on the dirt trail. The other 3 had gone on ahead at this point, so Dig and I trotted that last mile down off the hill and into camp and the finish all by ourselves (beaming) and crossed the finish line at 3:17 pm for a ride time of 7:47. We ended up finishing 28 out of 50 finishers, with 52 starters. That was the lowest pull rate in the history of the ride, I'm sure the mild weather was a huge factor.

Took Diego back to the trailer, where he decided his hay bag and slurpie mash were the best thing he'd seen all day (um, lesson learned?). Pulled tack and checked the boots, the first time I had touched them all day. With all the water crossings and the dirt, I was scared to mess with the velcro overmuch and have it quit sticking. He had one teeny rub on the lateral heel bulb of his left rear, and that was it. I put a bit of Desitin on it and the backs of his pasterns for good measure and left the gaiters fastened loosely. Nearish the one-hour mark, I took him over to vet out. He did well with all his scores except gut sounds, which Jamie gave a C. I told him I wasn't surprised and why, and explained how well he was eating now. Both Jamie and I weren't too concerned due to the circumstances. I cleaned up a bit, fiddled with some stuff, ate a small snack, visited with people, had an excellent dinner, got a super cute completion T-shirt, packed to go for Day 2 (riding the 30-mile LD), and went to bed around 9:30 or so. It was a much quieter night all around and I was grateful for the extra hour to sleep as we had a 7 am start time on Sunday.

Mad Dash to Cooley Ranch

2011-07-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

So Monday, in the midst of my quarter-end close haze at work, I get a nice little email to inform me that I won a two-day entry to Cooley Ranch from the contest that Easycare was sponsoring. Yay! Except I had a few obstacles in the way:

It's quarter-end close at work. We're all supposed to be under a "black-out" period in regards to taking time off until after our press release (7/21).
I just sold my saddle. It's literally boxed up to go to Florida in my truck right now, shipping out today. My new saddle (Freeform DKR) has not arrived yet and won't by Friday.
It's my son's "birthday weekend" (his birthday is the coming week).
I cut a chunk out of my thumb and have been unable trim hooves, which are now two weeks overdue.

Hhhmm..... So after a bit of talking with my husband, and some scrambling around, the following has resulted:

It's quarter-end close at work - Time off was approved this morning pending on me getting my reporting and reconciliations finished by Thursday (doable).
I just sold my saddle - I have no less than 3 different saddles that friends have offered up for me to use instead. A too big Freeform Classic (works great for Dig, but not so great for me), the long-term borrowed Bob Marshall, a Bandos, and even a Barefoot. =) I also am going to be able to borrow a smaller seat for the Freeform from another friend, which has resulted in my dad and step-mom deciding to come crew for me!! Extra Bonus!!! LOVE all my good friends that come to the rescue!
It's my son's "birthday weekend" - He's decided to come camping with me at the ride, since I now have family to watch him while I'm out riding.
I cut a chunk out of my thumb and have been unable trim hooves - As of yesterday I have been able to downgrade from full finger wrap to band-aid. I should be able to put a GLOVE (duh!!!) on and do a light trim and clean up his mustang roll. That'll be good enough having learned my lesson about taking too much too soon last time.

So I'm GOING to Cooley Ranch!!! =) Going to just tent it as I don't feel like driving all that way with the camper. The weather should be nice.

Secret Trail from Home

2011-06-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

When people ask if I ride from home, generally the answer I give is, "No." Although our house in on a 1.1 ac. plot, Diego only has a small corral out back, and we're pretty much surrounded by other homes and subdivisions

However, I'm not being entirely honest. While I do trailer out for 95+% of my rides, I DO have a "secret" little trail that I can access from home. However, I certainly do not consider it green horse friendly. Thus, while I could trot along merrily with my experienced horse Sinatra, Diego has only been hiked along portions of the trail, and I've never tried to ride him on it. But we're a one-truck family now, and I don't always want to hitch up the trailer and drive anytime I want to get out, so I've decided it's time to rediscover my little hidden gem.

Please excuse phone-quality crappy pictures.

From my house, I walk down the road past the neighbors and then catch a gravel easement road that runs a couple of blocks up to the main street in and out of our neighborhood. Dogs go on the lease and we all scamper across the street and over a bit to access another gravel road that runs behind a group for about 6 houses, and has a couple of tight squeezes between fire-access emergency gates, before accessing the lower (southern-most) portion of the Upper Reach for Thomas Creek.

Upper Thomas Creek - At about 9,000 feet, the headwaters of Thomas Creek originate in a lush alpine bowl about two miles north of Mount Rose peak. Flows from fifteen or more springs come together in a large meadow and form a meandering channel. Then the stream flows east down a steep, rocky canyon filled with aspen trees, willows, service berries, choke cherries, wood rose, alder and other woody plants. The area is alive with dense carpets of native grasses, sedges, and rushes.

The upper reach of Thomas Creek is relatively undisturbed with the exception of a dirt road and multiple use trails. The creek emerges from the canyon near Timberline Road and flows down through low density housing developments (this is the bit I've been riding).

When we first arrive at the creek, there's a small shallow crossing where the dogs like to lie in the water and get cooled off and drink. I then stay on foot for the worst part of the single-track trail, which all occurs in the first 1/2 mile or so after reaching the creek. Here are some photos:

Mud Puddle in the Aspens

Jess shows the way

Sketchy bit of single-track uphill,
this is steeper than it looks

More narrow bits,
this is dropping off sharply on the right

Along the canyon wall,
views of the golf course

Views of Arrowcreek Golf Course,
I think this is the end of the front 9

From a prior day, Diego trying to figure out
the sound of golfers teeing off

We can follow along the creek for quite a ways, actually all the way to access the main Thomas Creek, Jones Creek, and Whites Creek trail heads near the base of Mt. Rose, all of which go up further into the wilderness area. For now, we've only been going two miles or so up to where Arrowcreek Pkwy crosses the trail, and heading back home from there. I've been taking my pruning shears and clipping off the overhanging bits here and there as we go. For now, I'm probably riding about 1/2 the trail and walking the other 1/2. Diego obviously isn't very physically challenged by these excursions, they simply don't qualify as conditioning rides, but they're very mentally challenging and stimulating for him. Last night we had "discussions" regarding which grass clumps he was allowed to stop and munch on. He thought that ALL grass clumps should be allowed, as soon as his mouth was empty. I had to kick him and argue a bit to advise him that NO, he could only be stopping when *I* said so! He's also learning to be brave and be out on his own. To look before he startles at something, because it's probably just the (stupid - per Diego) dogs yet again, and to watch where he's putting his feet.

We did have one incident last night that caught us both by surprise. Where we've been stopping to turn around is a more open "meadow" portion of the trail. I generally let him graze a bit and then we turn around and go back the way we came. Last night, he made the turn, and then for whatever reason, stepped off the edge of the trail, up the small embankment that was covered in grass - so much you couldn't really see it. Poor boy, his left front foot slid on the edge, across his body, and we both ended up laying on the ground on the side of the trail! He simply had collapsed down onto his shoulder and rolled onto his side before I quite realized what was happening! Thankfully my shoe was tied loose and I pulled my foot out from under him without any effort. We both got up a bit startled and shaken, but no worse from the wear (although my foot at the time was feeling a bit squashed, and my knees were knocking). I walked and trotted him down the trail just a bit to access that he was okay, and then mounted back up to continue home.

I'm hoping to continue these excursions on a more frequent basis. As we both build up our confidence, we can traverse further in a lesser amount of time. For now, it's a lovely little "secret" trail that we're able to enjoy, right from home!

Photographic evidence of my poor, abused, starved horse:

Diego gives the restaurant accomodations
4 stars!

NASTR Ride Musings

2011-06-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well, Diego and I got pulled. Bummer. =( However, we did 36 miles and he's not broken, just footsore, as confirmed by the head vet, Jay Mero. In looking back, we had several very good things happen at this ride:

I mounted up in camp and rode out of camp with a happy horse at a walk. He was a bit "up" when I first got on, but settled nicely and went on down the road like a big boy.
I got to ride with some very fabulous ride partners, Nancy Upham and Gretchen Montgomery. Both of them are fabulous ladies who I love to share the trail with, so it was a very, very fun ride for the entire time I was out there.
It was a tough ride, very technical and rocky terrain, with a lot of climbing. Diego did all the "hard" parts since the last 14 miles we didn't do was mostly all the downhill back to camp. =)
Since Gretchen and Nan's horses are both seasoned mares, Dig got to work on his big boy endurance trot, i.e. going along at 9 mph rather than 6-7 mph.
There was a TON of grass along the trail. Diego learned the art of "grab-and-go" eating.
We both did a great job taking care of ourselves, eating and drinking, both on the trail and in the vetcheck.

I have a few theories on why Diego came up footsore. Mainly, he's continuing to land toe first. With horses, ideally you want a heel first landing. In looking at the pictures from the ride photographers, you can clearly see him spiking his feet into the ground toe first, and the dirt being kicked up by how he's driving his foot in. I've been working to bring his toes back each time he's trimmed. However, I last trimmed him the Thursday before the ride. And I trimmed way too much off to expect him to do a ride two days later. I should have been more cognizant of the timing of the trim. When I had my other horse in shoes, I would ideally have him shod about two weeks before the ride. That's what I should have done with Dig. A good balanced, make-them-shorter trim two weeks to a week and a half before the ride, and then just a quick touch up if need be to ensure the boots fit correctly.

Enlarge to see the dirt poofs from his "spiking" his toes

The other item I'm going to look into is the possibility of some deep seated thrush that may be causing heel sensitivitiy. Things have been pretty wet this year and there's a good chance he could have something brewing in there that isn't overly obvious. I was dealing with some thrush off and on all winter, so it's possible that it's more deep seated and not being resolved with just some standard over the counter topical treatments.

My other concern for why he's landing toe first is saddle fit. He has a long laid back shoulder, and I need to ensure that nothing is pinching and causing him to restrict his stride. I noticed that he was having to take about 1 1/2 steps to the other horses' one stride this weekend. He's just not truly reaching out and using himself. He may be doing it because his feet hurt, or because the saddle fit isn't ideal (I'm still playing around with fit and padding). It may be a combination of all of the above.

At least the cure for sore feet is relatively easy - some time off and easy light riding. He should be all better in a couple of weeks hopefully. However, getting to the root cause of the issue, and resolving whatever the problem may be, is my main concern now.

Glorious

2011-05-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

So if you were going to take your horse out on his first true solo trail ride, would you:

Option 1:

Plan it for a quiet time of day when you have plenty of time
Use the same secure saddle you've been using and are comfortable with
Do your best to limit the number of distractions

Or Option 2:

Rush out after work, which means you'll pretty much be returning to the trailer in the dark
Use a different saddle, that's only done a couple of quick arena rides (and isn't as secure)
Bring two dogs, one of which hasn't even been on a ride before

Yeah, Option 2 sounded way more fun to me too! =) And guess what?? Diego was PERFECT!!!

I took him out to Washoe after work last night (Thursday). They recently completed their arena, amongst other very nice improvements and additions to the equestrian area. I turned him loose and let him run around while I searched for an additional article of clothing since it was a bit windy and kind of cool. After running for a bit, we went back to the trailer and saddled up with my Solstice english saddle. I rode a TON of miles with this saddle on my other horse Sinatra, but haven't used it much on Diego. The Bob Marshall I've been using is *much, much* more secure, but it's a loaner and, even being treeless, not the perfect fit for either Diego or I. Thus I need to start giving MY saddle a more through trial so I can decide for sure if I'm going to sell it or not.

I also brought the dogs, Molly and Jess. Diego's not overly fond of the dogs, but they all hang out in the yard together every day, and frankly - he can just get used to them. Riding with dogs has helped him be less reactive to stuff. Molly's been going on rides with us off and on for the past year or so. Jess (aka Pea Brain or Franks & Beans - to give you an idea of her personality), hasn't been on a ride before. But she listens well and tends to hang around with me pretty naturally anyways, or she's attached to Molly, so I figured that she could come as well.

Once we were all tacked up, I led him over on foot around and through the gate to the trail. Debated for a bit on if I wanted to take the fun single track, or just stay on the road, and opted for the road due to time. You HAVE to go further down on the single track if you want to make a loop, while the road has a few shorter options. I actually walked on foot way less than normal, only a couple hundred yards before mounting up. Diego was very relaxed and calm and stayed that way even after mounting. He just put on his big walk and cruised on down the road. In only a couple of minutes, we were trotting down the trail, nice and forward on a loose rein. =)

Other than stopping to look at some of the signage and one sagebrush that looked odd in the falling light, he didn't even balk at anything. At one point, there were two very large puddles that some ducks where hanging out in next to the trail. The dogs were having a ton of fun dashing through the puddles sending up sparkles of light. Diego turned to watch them, and edged closer. He seemed to be enjoying watching them splash and play. I actually had to get off here and lead him away, because he kept trying to turn and go back. =) So I jogged on foot down the trail for a bit, then mounted up and rode the rest of the way back to the trailer with no issues. We finished just as it was getting to be truly dark.

It was an awesome ride on an awesome horse. Love my boy!

Incredible Journey - Rides of March 2011

2011-03-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, where to start... What a ride, and what a ride it's been.

This past Saturday, 3/19, Diego and I completed his very first 50 mile endurance ride. I find it especially fitting that it happened at Rides of March (ROM), as this ride as had special significance to me over the years. In 2003, in its debut year, this is where Sinatra and I had our introduction to the sport of endurance and completed in our very first limited distance (30 mile) ride. In 2008, it was where I (unknowingly) rode Sinatra on his very last completion, a 50 mile finish on their brand new trail and location. He passed that December from cancer. Sinatra's ashes are scattered on the trail behind the hunt facility where the ride now passes by. So it seems extra appropriate that ROM would also become a huge part of the history of Diego and I as well.

The weather forecast leading up to the ride was a bit... um... interesting. It was supposed to be blowing a gale on Friday, and then snow overnight and into Saturday morning. On the plus side, the snow and wind were both supposed to stop sometime on Saturday, and the forecast high of the low 40's would be perfect for the horses with their winter coats. Hubby helped me get the camper all loaded up on Thursday and on Friday, amid gusts up to 50 mph, I loaded Diego in the trailer and SAILED over to Funder's house to pick up Dixie and her. We crammed everything in and then, as I was leaving her house, I realized it was after 3 pm and I hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, so we hopped in and grabbed something to eat at Qdoba, which was MOST EXCELLENT.

Dixie and Diego in camp

Arrived at ridecamp with no issues and got the horses all settled in and camp set-up. I tested poor Diego by pulling a rookie move with my blanket. It's a closed front, which means I have to put it on OVER his head; it doesn't have buckles on the chest. That was fine, except I had it inside out. Realizing my error, I unclipped his lead rope from his halter in order to pull the blanket back off. He backed up as I started to pull it off, bumped into the fence behind him and then jumped forward in surprise, taking a few steps around the corner of the trailer, with the blanket still around his neck and now hanging on the ground in front of him. Bless his heart he just stood there and let me come "rescue" him! Good boy! Got everything all figured out and stuffed on correctly.

Boots On

Both horses vetted through just fine. About 15 of us huddled around the campfire for the pre-ride meeting and to hear about the layout of the trail for tomorrow. Whiteout conditions over I-80 had the interstate closed, so only a few riders from California braved the trip over the mountain. It was already starting to snow off and on, but wasn't really sticking yet. Sanne and Diego's BFF Taz showed up during the ride meeting. After the meeting, Dave Rabe helped me with applying Diego's Easycare Glove hoof boots. This was to be our first 50 using Gloves. We've done several long training rides in them, but nothing of this distance so far (obviously). Since it was supposed to snow (more) overnight, it was best to get the athletic tape and boots on his hooves now, while things were still somewhat dry. Between Dave and I, the job went very quick and smooth. I left the gaiters loose, and it was super easy to just tighten them up in the morning.

Sanne, Funder and I had an excellent dinner in the camper and chatted for a while. After dinner, we took the horses for a quick walk around camp, where I panicked poor Funder by taking Dixie without telling her! Actually, I thought she was in the camper and yelled out "I'm stealing your horse" as we went by, but it turns out she WASN'T in the camper, and had a mild panic attack when she came back and her horse wasn't tied to the trailer. =) Luckily she found us fairly quickly. SORRY!!! LOL

I didn't sleep very well overnight. Part of that is normal for me. Oh well. Got up and it had snowed overnight, but was still mostly just a light dusting on the ground. Put on about 20 layers of clothes, I actually was NEVER cold at all during the day, rather I was too warm at times. Saddled up and put on my rump rug, a first for Diego. I tightened up the gaiters on the boots and lunged him for a bit in camp. Soon I could see the first riders heading off down the trail, so went back over and finished some last minute checking of items, hooked up my heart rate monitor, and we headed over to the start.

Ready to go at the start

Funder got on Dixie and left pretty much right away. Sanne and I chose to stay on foot and walk the boys for a while down the trail. Dig was excited and prancing a bit, but was being good and staying out of my space and not pulling on me. We figured it was easier to just go along on foot than to try to fight with them to stay at a walk at this point, and we knew they needed to WALK to get their heads' on straight for a bit first thing in the morning. It was probably only a couple of miles until we mounted up. Both horses actually did well and continued walking down the trail after we were mounted, in fact we didn't trot until we ran across the ride photographer. Unfortunately, it was snowing a bit too hard at this point and none of my pictures turned out. =( The camera was confused about where to focus and they're all a bit blurry.

The first loop was 20 miles, after passing the photographer and a volunteer taking numbers, we went through a gate and continued up a dirt road. Sanne and I both were watching the ground, looking to see if there were slip marks to indicate how icy it might be. We both had boots on (I had on Gloves while Sanne had on Glue-ons), and neither of our horses slipped at all, however we decided that a moderate trot was the best gait of choice. After a mile or two we dropped down into a sandy twisty wash, which was super fun and a great place to let the horses get a little power trot in. Once out of the wash, we headed up a long road into the foothills, and it started to snow, and snow, and snow. Soon we had almost a 1/2 inch accumulated in their manes and along the pommels of our saddles and packs. Since we were both tucked into our jackets, it actually was kind of fun. Certainly makes other rides seem much easier in comparison. =) This loop led us up and around through the foothills, making sort of a counter-clockwise rectangle. Diego drank at the first main cow tanks. He was all business all day about drinking. We'd arrive at water, he'd walk up and drink as much as he wanted, then scratch his head or look around for stuff to nibble on.

Sanne and Taz on the first loop

As we crested the highest part of this loop, we headed back toward the valley and it stopped snowing and the sun even tried to peak out. It was beautiful out! We headed down, down, down and back to Bedell Flats. At this point it was warm enough to peel of a layer, which I managed to wiggle out of as we continued walking down the trail. Right before we hit the main road on the valley floor, another rider came up behind us! Diego noticed her first. Both Sanne and I were surprised that anyone was behind us, but she mentioned that she'd missed a turn and had been off trail. She was shocked to even catch up to anyone. Turtles R Us was the motto for the day though! ;)

We followed along behind her for a bit, until we turned off the main road and began to climb through the foothills for the final few miles back into camp. At one point, Diego put his head down really low, like he was sniffing the trail while trotting along. I figured he was maybe stretching his back and let him cruise along like that for a bit. Suddenly, BUCK BUCK BUCK! I don't know what prompted that (I'm thinking the rump rug might have something to do with it, it had been pulled up but was down afterwards). Thankfully I didn't even lose my seat and he only did a few. He does NOT buck as well as Sinatra - who could always unload me at will. And he went right back to trotting on a loose rein. Dork.

We came across a gate, and when I hopped off to open the gate, I did my first boot check of the ride (about 15 miles in) and dumped some sand and one small rock out of the gaiters on all 4 boots. I actually was SHOCKED there were no rubs or any issues, considering the boots had been covered in wet sand throughout the entire ride so far. Dig has what I term "delicate" legs, so not having any signs of rubbing was most excellent. After going through the gate, we arrived at a set of cow tanks that all 3 loops would come to. The first 4 riders for the 50 arrived on their second loop at the same time as us, and all 6 horses shared politely. We had common trail for about a mile or so, where the front runners turned off to continue on their second loop, while Sanne and I headed the last 3 miles or so back to camp. One more water stop along the way, and soon we had arrived at 20 miles. The ride started at 7:00 and we came in off that 20 mile loop and pulsed in at 10:58, so it took us about 4 hours total (including starting late and walking on foot).

Checking in at 20 miles

The hold here was only 15 minutes, but both Sanne and I wanted to give the boys a chance to eat something and grab a bite for ourselves. Both horses vetted through well, Diego's CRI was a 48(!!!) and he had all A's on his vetcard as I can recall. I also took the time to get rid of my light jacket for an even lighter windbreaker. I went to send out a text update as to how things were going with the ride, and realized my iPhone was missing!!! I wear it in a Cashel ankle safe, and the entire pouch was NOT on my leg! Ack! Thankfully Sanne remembered seeing it when we went through the gate right before the common water troughs, so it was somewhere out there on shared trail. I notified management that if any riders came in with an extra phone, it was mine. Exchanged my empty water bottle for a full one, and about 30 minutes after our arrival we were all set and headed out on the next loop, which was 15 miles.

Both horses left camp quite cheerfully and we repeated the same trail as the morning up to the point where the photographer had been. We made MUCH better time on this loop, being able to trot along where in the morning we were walking on foot. We didn't go through the fence this time, instead turning left through the low foothills, parallel to the fenceline, back to the cow troughs were we saw the front running 50's on the last loop. I hopped off here to shed another layer on top (now down to 4 instead of 5) ;) and we set off again. Not 200 yards up the trail - THERE'S MY PHONE!!! Rejoice!!! I've ridden probably 2,000 miles with an ankle safe and NEVER had it come off before, but I also don't generally have on that many layers. My guess is the velcro was lined up just right with my stirrup leather that it caused it to pop off. I put it back on and it stayed where it should the rest of the ride.

This was a new loop for the ride this year, and it was called Scenic for a reason. Gorgeous views as we climbed up into, over, and through the hills. After negotiating past a water tower and a horse-eating tanker car of death (how in the HECK did THAT get out here?!?!?), we followed along a side-hill trail on the backside of the mountains. As we rounded one curve, I realized I had ridden this trail years and years ago on Sinatra, on a training ride with the ride managers, from the opposite direction. Sinatra was with me in spirit a lot on this ride, but especially on this loop. Sanne and I talked a lot about Tevis on this loop, since there were some narrow sections of side-hill. Diego crossed his "farthest to ever be ridden" after the 25 mile point on this loop. He was cute, he was so happy and perky - just giving off such a "I'm having fun!" vibe that I laughed out loud several times and commented to Sanne on it. =) We also did a fair amount of climbing, especially toward the end of the loop where we went down, down, down one canyon, followed a couple miles of trail overlooking some homes and the hunt facility in Red Rock, to then climb back up, and up, and up to a water stop at the top of the climb. We let the boys have a break for some water and the hay provided at the top, then continued on knowing camp shouldn't be too much farther. Sure enough, I happened to look over my right shoulder and a bit behind me after we were out of the hills, and could see the trailers about 1/4 mile away.

Arriving at 35 miles

Eating at the trailer

We arrived back in camp, at 35 miles for our 1 hour hold, right around 2:30, again averaging around 5 mph overall pace for the loop. I was STARVING and I'm sure the horses were too. We vetted through quickly and headed back to the trailers. Got the horses going on lunch and ate something ourselves. Refilled bottles, sent out some Facebook updates on how things were going (got to love the connected electronic age), and suddenly I realized I was TIRED sitting there with nothing to do and at least 10 more minutes before I needed to get ready to head back out. I gulped down the last of my, now cold, morning coffee and decided to walk over to the vet area to hang out and let Diego eat over there. Sanne was on board with the same plan so we spent the last few minutes of our hold chatting with everyone. On a sad note, Funder, who we hadn't seen since that morning, didn't quite like how Dixie was doing, so elected to pull here. =( Better luck next time to them and I'm SURE they'll get everything figured out eventually.

So off we went on the last 15 mile loop. Both boys happily trotted right out of camp and down the trail. I knew we were going "up and over that mountain in front of us" from doing this same loop back in 2008, but I forgot the exact details. Needless to say, I firmly believe that this loop should be renamed CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. ;) Ugh! You start out on a gradual uphill climb, which gets continually steeper, and you climb, and climb, and climb. Then when you think you're at the top, you go around a corner, down a little bit, and then climb some MORE! Repeat about 3 times! We trotted anytime it was flat or a bit downhill and let the boys just continue to climb up at about a 3 mph walk. Finally, **finally** you crest the top and start down. And down, and down, and down, and down. But it's a nice sandy wash and easy to just cruise down at a walk. We stopped at one point and I fished out some ibuprofen from my saddle packs for Sanne, who choked on water while trying to take them, poor thing. But we got all situated and finally hit the bottom of the climb. At the bottom of the climb is a main dirt road, the same one we were on the first loop in the morning, which runs along the valley floor. You could REALLY make time on this road, especially with a fresh horse. Instead we had horses (and riders) with 40 miles on them, but who were still game to trot and canter off and on, so onward we went. We joked off and on that this was the hardest we'd worked the horses all day, here at the end of the ride, and it's probably true - Negative Splits R Us, or at least a consistent average. We took a few walking breaks as needed (mainly for us RIDERS!) and finally, FINALLY met up with the first loop trail. Then the mind plays tricks on you. What went by fairly quickly in the morning was somehow at least twice as long this time around. We were doing fine on time, right on track, but at this point, I certainly was ready for it to be over! =) Eventually we came to the gate, and then the common cow tanks for water. Both horses were all business. Diego would drink and as we'd leave, Taz would stay and wait until he was *certain* that Diego was indeed heading down the trail before opting to join us. He'd started that back at the end of the second loop and it brought some chuckles for sure. Taz actually prefers to be in front, and lead most of the day, but he wasn't opposed to taking a break and making it for as long as possible. ;)

Not too much longer now! Just a bit more off and on trotting, and we hit the "crossroads" water tanks right as John with management was showing up, knowing we were the last riders and he could pick them up after us. We visited for a while and let the horses eat, then continued on, knowing camp was only about 5 minutes down the trail.

FINISHED!!!

And we finished!!! Right around 6:30, which had been the plan all along (5 mph). Both horses did great all day. Diego vetted out with A's and some B's. He had a B on gait with a note of a very slight inconsistent something on his right front. At first I told the vet, "Yeah, if it's any foot, it would be that one," thinking of his LEFT front, which is the only leg he's actually ever had any issues on (including getting it caught in a rope about 8 months ago), but then I realized I was thinking of the wrong leg. Honestly, I think he was a bit off because he has a STRONG preference to have me on that diagonal, and even though I tried to be very diligent in changing, I *know* I rode WAY more miles on his right front/left rear diagonal than I did on the other side. So add that to the list of things to practice more, for sure.

Diego was a hungry boy when we finished and happily snarfed up his food in camp and munched hay all the way home. Funder had done an excellent job getting us mostly ready to leave, so it didn't take long to strip tack, blanket, vet out, remove boots (NO RUBS!), and get the people side of the equation packed up and ready to leave. Since it was only a little over an hour to get home (including stopping to drop Funder and Dixie off), I didn't feel too guilty about loading up and getting on the road fairly quickly.

The next day, it rained or snowed pretty much all day at home. In the evening things finally let up for a bit and I took Diego on a little walk around the neighborhood. He was moving very free and forward, out-walking me and looking around with interest. It's been a long road to get here, but I can hardly wait to see what adventures lie ahead for us! Just the beginning of my incredible journey with this awesome horse.

Fear

2011-01-31T10:15:00.000-08:00

This has been a post I've been working on in bits for several months now. I hope this helps anyone else out there that may be going through the same thing.

I ended up in the hospital twice in 2009 as a result of injuries from Diego. Thankfully, while both my injuries (kicked in the face while leading him, and a broken arm as a result of being bucked off) required a trip to the hospital, and a lot of time and rehab, neither one was overly serious or required an overnight stay. However, the bruises and scars I was left with externally, were nothing compared to the rehab and time I would need mentally in order to be able to once again enjoy the love of my life, riding horses.

I went from being a cautious, but not truly fearful rider, to REALLY having to face with and deal with my fear. My past experiences with horses were not without incident. I have come off more times than I can remember, but chalked that up to just being "a part of riding." I do still believe in that sentiment. When riding horses, you ARE going to come off at some point. You may go years and years without issue, you may have a very minor incident that results in no injuries, but you cannot delude yourself into thinking that it will never happen. It's never a matter of "if", but "when". I've had times where I literally landed on my feet, and have also had a few injuries, from bumps and bruises to a fracture here or there that didn't require any sort of medical treatment (i.e. cracked tailbone). In the past, although perhaps a bit anxious, I've always been able to get right back on, or very shortly thereafter, with no lingering effects other than perhaps a bit of nervousness for the first few minutes or while the horse was acting up. However, things were much, much different for me now.

At first, I found I had little desire to get back on a horse, any horse. However, riding is such a huge part of my life, such a huge part of what defines me, that those sentiments did not last for long. I knew that eventually, I would be back in the saddle again. I was able to use my broken arm as an excuse, both to myself and to others, for several months. I truly didn't want to risk riding again while my range of motion and strength in that limb were still so limited. I need that time to begin to heal mentally as well. I needed to come to terms with what had happened, and remind myself that what happened (being injured that badly) was more of an exception, not a common occurrence.

Once I was ready to start riding again, some things that really helped me were riding other "steady eddy" horses, watching someone else successfully work with my horse, and just doing the small things that I could manage. At first, even climbing up on my friend's dead-broke gelding was enough to make my knees shake. I felt like a first time rider as I insisted we walk for nearly an hour before I felt more comfortable going any faster. I was still prone to random panic attacks (something I've never had to deal with) at just the thought of riding my boy. It was shocking to be sitting at my desk at work on day, and find myself shaking with fear and on the verge of tears at the thought of riding Diego again.

But, I started doing it, and bit by bit it got better. When I first got back on him, I had him stand next to the panels in the corral at home and I just barely slid a leg over, still keeping one foot and a hand on the fence, and would pull myself off his back onto "safety" at the slightest shift on his part. Eventually I got where I could sit on him without hanging onto the fence, and then we progressed to teeny bits of walking around the corral. It was a slow process that took me a couple of weeks to work up to in stages.

When I finally was feeling comfortable at home, I made plans with Bob and Dovie to bring Diego over to their house where they had a round pen. The plan was to do a nice easy little baby trail ride. Instead I found that I was so anxious just in the round pen, and Diego was tense and nervous as well, we were just feeding off each other and nothing good was coming of it. Bob offered to ride Diego for me, which I was very thankful for. I tried to get on Caramel, a horse belonging to a young girl who Dovie gives lessons to. I found that I was just getting frustrated and more fearful, since she was a mare used to getting her way and I wasn't up to arguing. I watched on foot as Bob took Diego out and around the small lot at the end of their street for an easy ride.

The blessings of having good friends, I was able to leave Diego with Bob and Dovie for about a month, where Bob rode him nearly every day and would send me updates on how things were going. I made a point of going over there a few times and riding Diego at their house. I was not at the point where I looked forward to riding him, nor did I ENJOY riding him very much, but it was something I needed to do. I either needed to come to terms with my fear, or try to sell the horse. Watching him succeed under another rider was helpful, as well as having a ton of reinforcing emails about how good he was, etc. As a celebration to the end of training, Diego and I completed in a 10-mile 4-H "Endurance" trail ride. I had to walk on foot for quite a while to get up the nerve to get on, and also got off and walked periodically during the ride as my nerves needed. Bob rode one of their horses with me and provided reassurance. However, we did accomplish our goal of the 10 miles.

From there, things slowly got better. I found I was able to more successfully manage my fear, and use getting off to walk as an outlet when I needed to. I tried to put Diego into new situations, riding with various people, doing ground work bomb-proofing, going to a Formation riding clinic, and various despooking and obstacle clinics. As we successfully completed each of these scenarios, I found myself starting to trust both in my abilities and Diego more and more.

Perhaps one of the biggest turning points was actually coming off again. On Friday before the Washoe Valley endurance ride, where Diego and I did 25 miles, I was pre-riding with a friend when a dad and his two children came bombing through the sand-dunes on their horses. It was a bit too much for Dig to cope with and he spun and set to bucking, and I came off over his shoulder. I landed in the soft sand and was totally fine, a bit sore, a bit shaken, but overall okay. Diego galloped laps around us for about 5 minutes before allowing himself to be caught. The next day we did the ride with no behavioral issues.

This last month, I've discovered something very special: I LOVE RIDING MY HORSE AGAIN! He can be a dork, he will still jump and buck, he's still like a coiled spring for the first few minutes when I get on, but I'm okay. I'm not longer nervous and fearful. I no longer need to get off and walk after any slight issue. The more I regain my confidence and reassert myself, the better he does. Now, his antics are more of an annoyance than a concern; they're a training issue we're working on, not the center of my focus. Now, instead of dreading the ride, I find myself looking forward to each one, and reveling in the glory of being out with my horse for days afterward.

For this, I am so very truly thankful.

Big Boy Blog Buddy Ride

2011-01-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

Whew! What a ride!!!! We've been so fortunate in that our glorious "spring like" weather has continued to hold. Today was forecast to be in the mid-50's. I've been doing my best to enjoy it, but also to realize that it's not truly Spring yet, so I won't be disappointed when we switch back to more seasonal temperatures.

Today I trailered out to where Zach boards his horses. It's the exact same ranch where I used to board over 10 years ago, when I was conditioning my first mare to start in endurance. I also worked a dude string that was based out of here, giving rides to people and lessons for children on the weekends. Needless to say I'm pretty familiar with the trails in the area. After debating with myself for quite a bit, I also decided to bring Molly dog, mainly because she was a Cling-on and wouldn't leave my side from the moment I put my "riding clothes" on. =) Met Zach out there, got all tacked and booted up. I've been riding barefoot a lot lately, but since we were planning on a longer ride, over 20 miles, I decided to put regular Easyboots on the fronts and Easyboot Gloves on the rears, mainly because I only have one pair of Gloves right now and Diego will interfere if he has a buckle on a rear boot. LOVE THE GLOVES!!! Need to get some more before our true ride season starts.

Since we have to go along a somewhat busy road where people are going 50+ mph, we all started out on foot and I had Molly on a leash as well. We had no sooner left the gate when there was some shooting up on the hillside behind us. Very loud and very close! All of us jumped and turned to look. There were some kids up there yelling and running around, continuing to shoot off and on. That got everyone nice and excited, wonderful way to start. We continued to lead the horses for almost 2 miles, until we got off the main road and the subsequent side dirt roads. Once in the sandy wash we mounted up and headed out. The plan was to ride into Lemmon Valley where Funder would meet us and then ride back with us, so that we'd all get a nice long conditioning ride in. Diego was pretty goosey to start but settled fairly quickly with just some growling and telling him to "knock it off!" About 2 or 3 miles in, he stopped to drink from a puddle, and kind of slipped in the mud, but recovered just fine and after a quick boot check (all accounted for), we were off and able to start some serious trotting.

Riding out here is pretty much flat dirt/sandy roads. Very easy to just put the horses on auto-pilot and churn out some miles. We did have to stop periodically for quads, dirt bikes, or to pass by people out shooting. Everyone was very courteous. After a bit, I looked down and noticed that both Diego's front boots where missing. =( We turned around and back-tracked to where he had done some sort of exciting leaping maneuver, but no boots to be seen. Poor Molly, when we turned around and continued back, I forgot to call her and alert her to the change of direction, and she didn't notice. After a bit I turned around to check on her and she was hauling ass down the road toward us as fast as she could go, ears back in greyhound mode! LOL! She didn't seem any worse for the wear though and continued to run parallel to us hunting for rabbits and checking stuff out.

It was a beautiful day to be out. Warm with just a long-sleeved t-shirt on and one of my favorite pairs of tights, which are too thick for the summer, but being only thick cotton-blend, too cold for winter temps, so I pretty much only get to wear them in the Spring and Fall. There were a lot of nice big puddles for the horses and Molly to drink out of. I had brought a water bottle for her just in case, but as it was there was a ton of water to drink out of. And pee in. =P Molly has to pee in EVERY puddle!!! She got fairly warm (long black coat) and was laying down in the puddles to cool off as well. The horses, Bo and Diego, paced really well together. They were both very relaxed and forward, moving at an easy 7-8 mph trot. Zach and I were talking about upcoming and past rides. I'll probably sponsor him on some rides this year, if he's willing to ride slow enough to go with me! =) He has been very fortunate to train with and ride with some of the top elite riders in the sport. Talking about finishing 50 mile rides by noon, he was lamenting about how we'll probably do close to a 10-hour ride for our first 50 this season. I had to remind him that his eventual goal was 100-milers, so he might as well learn to suck it up and be in the saddle forever! ;) I also think that for the horses, if they're mentally used to being ridden for long hours, that when you transition up to the longer distances, it's easier for them as well. Zach's a great sport and we had a lot of fun.

Eventually we made it over to LV, after calling Funder and letting her know we were getting close and where we'd meet her. We ran into Dovie and friend Tammy on our way in, and rode over to where the paved road started with them, where we waited for Funder (E) to join us. Once Dixie joined the little group, it was like the race was on!!! All three horses were hyper and ready to go! Two is company, three is a competition. ;) It took a bit before everyone's head was on straight again, and once more we were off at a nice steady trot. We headed back across the valley on slightly different roads (Moonshine Trail this time) and enjoyed less traveled paths. We rode at a pretty steady consistent pace. Only stopped off and on at the puddles to see if anyone wanted a drink, etc. One puddle, Zach and Bo went to ride through and across, and it turns out that it must be a popular mud-bogging puddle because what looked innocuous and only a couple inches deep, ended up going up over Bo's hocks out in the middle! I think we all were quite surprised. Molly though they were lovely and laid down so only her head was above water. =)

A funny thing on the way back, after we had crossed over into Hungry Valley and were headed north toward the cattle corrals, is that E looked over and mentioned that there were 3 or 4 cows hauling ass down the canyon toward us (in a wide wash). As it was, we had finally rediscovered the first of the lost boots, so I hopped off to retrieve it (for those keeping score, Diego did almost 20 miles bare in front, and we had NO issues what so ever with the Gloves). Just after I had attached the boot to my saddle, around the corner came the rest of the entire HERD of cattle! Overall there were probably close to 20 cows or so, all appeared to be a corriente-cross of some sort (the ones with horns like they use for roping). Zach whipped out his phone real quick and got a picture.

Moo!

After the horses' got done being bug-eyed, I walked Diego over and started pushing the cows down the canyon ahead of us. Turns out they were going across and up the trail on the other side, where there's a spring-fed trough. Molly remembered she has Border Collie roots (somewhere, we're guessing) and helped to herd them along; they didn't take much persuading. Ironically, this is nearly the exact location where friend Lucy and I felt like the pied-piper as we herded and followed a large group of cattle into the Rides of March vet check in 2007.

Pretty quickly I got back on and we all set off again. Diego was a bit more excited after that. I think we were less than a mile or so down the trail when he suddenly did a full on 360 bucking spin. I thought I was a gonner for a second and then realized that I was still centered, good, and had both legs on firmly. Got him stopped pretty easily and scolded him quite a bit. I'm **so thankful** that I FINALLY HAVE MY CONFIDENCE/MOJO BACK!!!!! It has taken me well over a year to recover from coming off and having my arm broke. I finally feel like I'm back to where I was, and am full capable and able to deal with any and all shit he wants to dish out, both physically, but *more importantly* mentally as well.

Around this point, E decided that if she was going to make it home before dark, she needed to get headed back, so she turned around and left. I was jealous watching Dixie blithely and happily turn around and take off away from her buddies, although E did use the magic word "Home." =) Good mare!

As we were nearing the end of the wash, a lady was out with her Border Collie. The dog was friendly and wanting to play with Molly. Normally Molly LOVES to play with other dogs, but at this point the horses had done over 20 miles and Molly had probably almost doubled that with her extra running around before we left and during the ride. Needless to say, she wasn't very interested. We stopped and talked with the lady, and I asked her if she wanted to grab her dog before we left, and she said "Oh no, she'll come back after just a bit." Or not..... she had to finally get in her car and come get the damn dog, not before Diego tried to kick it at least once. He'll tolerate Molly (and part of why I bring her is for him to get over it), but he's not a dog fan.

We rode the dirt roads this time and only got off to walk along the busy paved road. What seemed to go by pretty quickly in the morning took FOREVER to walk on foot on the way back. But all made it back happy, safe, and sound!

Zach's version of the ride can be found here.

Funder's is here.

Final stats per Zach's GPS:
DATE: 1/22/2011

LOCATION: Big Dog Road to Lemon Valley and back
DURATION: 5 HOUR 7 MINUTES
DISTANCE: 24.02 MILES
WEATHER: 55º F
DETAILS: AVERAGE SPEED=4.7; Average Heart Rate= 95; Ascent=1406 feet; Descent=1397

Pretty darn good. Our average speed has all the walking on foot we did starting out and coming back (probably 4 miles total) as well as the various stops, waiting, etc. I left the front boots off for the remainder of the ride, and pulled the Gloves when we were done. No rubs, no problems, even going in and out of all the puddles, they looked great! This was a great "endurance pace" overall and I'm SO PROUD of how Diego did!

Pant, Pant

2011-01-16T10:21:00.000-08:00

Whew! What an unseasonably warm ride. It's the MIDDLE OF JANUARY and we were riding in t-shirts and tank tops today!!! Highs were easily in the mid-60's and the poor fuzzy horses were certainly feeling it.

S and I took Taz and Dig over to "the gym" today near Fort Churchill. LOVE winter riding out here. The gym is a series of long sandy hills. All the trails intersect and connect together, so it's pretty easy to make as many loops and circles as you may want to get in a killer workout. There's no water, so you either need to loop back to the trailer (a bit of one-way repeat), or just plan on a shorter ride. For now, 10 miles is a butt-kicking workout for the boys and we're all pretty much ready to be done after a few hours.

S has a GPS, so here's the link to the ride. We did 10.8 miles with 2,000 feet elevation change in 2:45. This is Taz's heart-rate data, since I don't have a GPS. I *DID* get my HRM batteries all replaced though so Dig was also "wired for sound" as I like to call it. Overall, his pulses are higher while working, but only by about 10-12 bpm or so. While riding, we trot (or slow canter) all the uphills, which is HARD WORK for the horses, and then walk the ridgetops and downhills to get back to the next uphill pull. Sort of long interval boughts. Our overall average pace would be a bit higher, but we went exploring a bit at the end, and ended up having to get off and walk on foot down a rocky hillside that was too steep to try to ride down. There was also a bit of standing around to figure out exactly how we were going to get from here-to-there. ;)

I've ridden out here over 20 times now, this was a favorite spot to bring Sinatra, and I have never seen dirt bikes before. I've heard some, but never ran across them. Today we had trail encounters with no less than 10 motorized vehicles. The first was the worst, along the ridgetop without much room to get off trail, along comes an OLD dirtbike (aluminum fenders/body) ridden by an even older guy, grey beard flying in the wind. In an effort to be nice, he turned the bike off and was coasting downhill toward us. This actually probably made the whole thing scarier for the horses, since now it was more or less silent except for some odd whirring noises. I felt Dig bunch beneath me and asked him to stop, which he graciously did. After talking a bit, he was able to put his feet down on either side and walk the bike past with no issues. The next set was a group of 5 that came over a hilltop onto the adjoining trail. Here we had a nice wide area to sit and wait as they all went by. After the last one had passed, I asked Dig to "chase" them down the trail. The next set, we let by and were turning onto the trail to follow when Dig under his own accord spun around and took off trotting after them. =) Good boy!

Back in the Saddle, First Ride of 2011

2011-01-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

Wow!!! I cannot believe that it has been since my birthday in the middle of November since Diego and I have been out! As things happen, we had a bunch of winter weather come in for the end of November and most of December. Then with all the holidays, shopping, being out of town, etc. time just flew by! I didn't think to move the trailer down from its regular parking spot next to the barn before the weather hit, so had to wait for most of the ice/snow to disappear, and the mud to freeze, before I could move it down onto the gravel portion of the driveway. This means I now have to back it around the 90-degree curve from the street into the driveway, and up our funky S-shaped driveway, onto the ledge, avoiding my husband's work truck, whenever I get back from a ride - but it's worth it in order to get the trailer out in the winter without turning the concrete drive into a mud bog from all the mess up near the barn.

This Sunday, the Reno Blogging Buddies, Zach, Funder and I all got together and rode out from the Lemmon Valley arena. Last weekend (1/2), I was having some personal clumsy spells, including falling while ice skating, and then falling while coming down the stairs in the garage, so I just took Diego over to a local arena to run around and stretch his legs on his own. Knowing that I haven't ridden in.... um.... 7 WEEKS, I decided to get over to Lemmon Valley a bit early and let Diego run around over there before tacking up. Instead, the arena was frozen and a bit slick, so Dig just kind of half-heartedly trotted around. While I was tacking up, a bunch of kids came over and started playing basketball in the court, which is behind a screen of trees so Dig could hear but not really SEE them. This lead to some additional excitement and I ended up hand-walking him for a bit when we all finally set off down the trail.

After walking for about a mile or so, I mounted up. I'll give him a bit of the benefit here, since it had been a while, but he always acts like he's never been ridden before for the first few minutes. All tense and tight. Did some circles around in the sage and then I (begged) asked that we head up the nearest big hill. The horses all settled in pretty well while working up the hill. On the way down back to the valley, we saw a DEAD BODY!!! Laying right next to the trail! It was very disconcerting to ride up to a severed torso, arms splayed wide, with the legs dangling off into the trail. We were all a bit freaked out, understandably, until it was discovered to be a scarecrow-alike "dummy" that some people had created and used for target practice. Gah! Talk about random exposure training. Thankfully all the horses did quite well, other than giving the "body" a fairly wide berth.

Once back down onto the flats, all the horses rediscovered their "go" gear. I ended up taking Dig off the side of the trail and trotting weaving in and out of the sagebrush while Zach and Funder stayed on the parallel trail. It was great to help refocus his mind on ME while still giving him the chance to go forward without getting too crazy about it. We had a couple small temper tantrums, which pretty much were just hopping and a bit of head flinging. Once we looped back onto the more main roads, we had to alternate walking with trotting due to the mud and ice that was still in abundance.

Overall, we did about 9 miles in 2 hours or so. A pretty slow ride but most of the walking was all necessary either due to being fresh or the footing. It was a nice start to the year and hopefully the weather will cooperate so we can get back into the swing of things.

Resolutions

2011-01-03T16:36:00.000-08:00

Not really my thing, but I might as well put some ideas out there. Perhaps by committing them to writing and the public Blogosphere, I'll be even more likely to stick with them! Perhaps... =)

Finish a 50 mile AERC ride on Diego. Since I didn't meet any of those goals from last year (except managing Moonshine), I refuse to be specific as to which ride - although I have a few already in mind. ;) Heck, I already have an entire "ideal 2011 ride schedule" planned in my mind, but I'm refusing to commit THAT to writing lest the gremlins are reading this blog.... which I'm sure they must!
Eat "better." Not too specific, since I don't like to feel guilty about my food. I tried the whole primal thing, but was having way too much guilt every time I ate something "non-primal", that the entire thing was just making me depressed. I have a family that I shop and cook for, neither of my boys, especially my 8 year old son, need nor WANT to eat primal - and personally I just love carbs too much to give them up entirely. So rather than try to commit to an eating style which will bring me no joy when I "cheat" (and I can't do the whole 80/20 thing, mentally it's cheating and I have guilt), I shall resolve to just make better food choices. Small steps. Buy and consume more fresh produce, especially veggies, and watch my portions better.
Track my training miles better. Thankfully I've been mostly riding with friends who have a GPS and post the stats on Garmin Connect, so I've been able to go back and find most of the 2010 rides and have started an Excel sheet. I also bought a small two-year calendar with a waterproof cover to keep in the trailer.
Blog more. This includes taking some time to finish the 20-something posts I have in draft status from last year. My problem, I'm too wordy. Start to do more short and to the point, or at least try.

And with that.... I'm done! =)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

All that needs to be said. "If Today Was Your Last Day" by Nickleback (one of my all time favorites)

My best friend gave me the best advice

He said each day's a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you'll never live it twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day

Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are

So do whatever it takes
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life
Let nothin' stand in your way
Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?

Leave old pictures in the past

Donate every dime you have?

Would you call old friends you never see?

Reminisce of memories

Would you forgive your enemies?

Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?

Swear up and down to God above

That you finally fall in love

If today was your last day

You might be an Endurance Rider if...

2010-11-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Mel over at Boots and Saddles did a post on signs you might be an Endurance Rider that made me remember a similar topic on Ridecamp of the same thread several years ago. Complied here for your enjoyment:

You might be an Endurance Rider if...

Crysta Turnage
• You buy bottles at the store based upon if the empty will make a good scoop or not.
• You have a low maintenance hairstyle that allows you to go six months between $12 trims at Supercuts but you don't bat an eye when you have to spend $80 with the farrier every six weeks.
• You cringe to spend over $30 on a pair of your own shoes, but can't pass up one Easyboot at that price.
• Your spouse has stopped even trying to keep track of your horse related expenses, and now does their best to not notice them.
• Your horse has been to school/daycare because you were out riding until the very last minute before you had to pick your child up.
• The meals you make for your family at home in the crock-pot on "riding days" somewhat resemble the mash you feed your horse at a vet check, but both are just as eagerly eaten.
• You've gleefully left a path of mud, horse hair, and other assorted debris through a public setting.
• You've met someone from your "normal" life while wearing tights in public (Oops, I was just going to run in REAL quick!), and only been slightly embarrassed.
• You're reading this list, laughing, and nodding your head yes!

Cindy Stafford
• You can list 10 different colors to describe your horse's pee
• You know more about your horse's nutrition than your own
• You know your horse's resting and working heart rate, but dang it if you can think of the last time you had your blood pressure taken
• You think nothing of preparing a dozen different ingredients for your horse's mash, but a 3 course meal for you consists of a banana, a snack bar and a Gatorade.

Chrystal Woodhouse
• You ask for a GPS (yes you already have one but they have a NEW wristwatch model!!:-)) or heart rate monitor for Christmas

Jamie Ward
• Most your wardrobe consists of ride t-shirts.
• Your shoe's have holes in them but ALL you horses have a brand new pair

Heidi Larson
• When it's near Christmas and you're considering a new horse so you can have a back-up!!
• When the tack vendor has a sale and you "have" to get something new, just because your horse "must" be tired of his current colors!

Maryanne Gabbani
• Your "good" shoes are a clean pair of Ariats

Dawn Carrie
• You've driven to work with the horse trailer hooked up to your truck because you plan to take off work early to ride, and having the trailer already hooked up will save you 5 minutes once you get home.
• You walk into a restaurant for lunch or dinner after a training ride wearing your tights and grungy t-shirt and sporting "helmet hair" and don't think twice about it. And, your husband, who is with you, is wearing the same outfit.
• You've browsed the "hair accessories" section at Wal-Mart, looking for neat-colored hair elastics (for braiding your horse's mane) that will match your biothane tack.
• Your husband hangs up from a phone call with his parents and says, "They want to have a family get-together this spring. I said I'd get back to them with dates we can make it. What's the ride schedule?" And you immediately rattle off the ride names and dates for the next 6 months.

Carla Richardson
• You're so used to having the trailer hooked to your truck that when you're NOT pulling it, it feels strange and you keep glancing back expecting to see it there.
• You wake up early in the morning and the first thing you do is look out to see what the weather is doing, is it going to be a ride day or cleaning the tack day. (Notice I didn't say clean the house day!)

April
• When your husband is driving a full-sized truck, you repeatedly reprimand him for taking corners "too fast"; only to have him exasperatedly say (again), "We are not hauling horses!"

Pauline
• You go out of your way to this ONE supermarket, three times as far as your usual one, because they sell Ajax floor cleaner in bottles which are perfect for sloshing AND match your tack (orange in my case)
• The one time a year you dress normally, you get stopped by the police driving thru the woods on your way home, because they don't recognize you
• You quickly scan the racks of any tack shop or trade stand and if they don't have anything plastic in flashy colors you're not interested
• You spend long winter nights in front of the fire debating which color tack would suit your new horse best
• The garden shed is filled with crates, slosh bottles and various jerry cans, all clean and marked with your name, to the roof - the lawn mower and other expensive equipment are filthy, rusty and sleep outside
• When you meet other riders in the forest they gape at you and forget to say good morning
• The best discussions you have with friends involve electrolytes and HR monitors
• Before the vets comes you spend three hours scraping the mud off your horses
• You've perfected the art of buying the perfect polo shirt which is long enough to cover your diaper bum but not so wide as to get stuck on branches when travelling at speed thru forest
• When you get up at three in the morning and make the mistake of putting on the lights in the house you can hear the horses calling for breakfast, thinking they are going to a RIDE
• And of course, permanent helmet head, electrolyte stains on your shirts, flies on your teeth, and when out with normal friends you're the only one comfortable sitting on a rock because your bottom is so calloused ( or because you're wearing your tights)

Eating for endurance: What, when and why

2010-10-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

Another good article, but I would caution against all the sugary and processed foods they seem to recommend. I've found I feel and perform much better consuming REAL FOOD instead of gels and sugary drinks. Some carbs are good, but you need proteins and fats in order to get through a full day out on the trail.

I find it a bit contradictory that they recommend "consuming sports drinks, gels, bananas, hard candies, peppermint patties and other carb-based foods during exercise" in one sentence, and then caution that "if you consume too much sugar (>250 calories/hour), the high dose might slow the rate at which fluids leave your stomach, causing sloshing, discomfort" just a few paragraphs later. Watch the sugar, especially fructose found in many sports drinks. It can be the perfect recipe to feeling very nauseaous later I've discovered. I always dilute any sports drinks and find I get less sick on those with a higher potassium to sodium ratio.

Eating for endurance: What, when and why Active.com

Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D.
For Active.com

Some athletes consider food their reward at the end of the day; they save up their appetite for a huge feast at dinnertime. Wiser athletes treat food as fuel; they knowledgeably fuel before, during and after exercise. They get more out of their workouts and prevent needless fatigue. If that is your goal, keep reading!

What to eat before you exercise

Contrary to popular belief, pre-exercise food does NOT simply sit in the stomach and hinder athletic performance. Rather, it enhances stamina and endurance. The following study confirms this point:

On two occasions, athletes exercised moderately hard until they were exhausted. In one trial, they ate a 400-calorie breakfast three hours before exercising. In the second trial, they simply had a dinner the night before. When they exercised "on empty," they biked for only 109 minutes, as compared to 136 minutes with the breakfast. That's almost half an hour longer! Exercising without fuel left them lagging. (Med Sci Sports Exerc 31(3):464, 1999)

Even if you eat five minutes before exercise, you'll digest the snack and burn it during exercise, assuming you will be exercising at a pace you can maintain for more than 30 minutes. This means, you can enjoy a granola bar and banana on the way to the gym to fuel your workout. Research suggests this pre-exercise snack can help you perform 10 percent harder in the last 10 minutes of a one-hour workout. Go for it!

Your goal is to target 0.5 grams carbohydrate per pound of body weight within the hour before you exercise. This means, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should target about 300 calories. This is far more than most athletes consume.

Obviously, the amount will depend on your stomach's tolerance to pre-exercise fuel. If you have a finicky stomach, liquids or semi-solids (Boost, yogurt, applesauce, pudding) might empty from the stomach quicker than oatmeal, bagels, bananas, animal crackers or graham crackers. The trick is to teach your intestinal track to tolerate the pre-exercise food so you can enjoy higher energy but avoid undesired pit stops.

Eating during exercise

If you are exercising longer than an hour, plan to consume carbs and fluids during exercise to maintain energy and prevent dehydration and needless fatigue. Depending on your body size, intensity of exercise and intestinal tolerance, you'll want to target about 100 to 250 calories of carbohydrates per hour after the first hour of a two- or three-hour event.

If necessary, set your watch to beep every 15 to 20 minutes as a reminder to consume eight ounces of a sports drink, a Tootsie Roll or part of an energy bar and water. If you are doing an Ironman or ultra-distance event, you'll need to consume even more (400 to 500 calories/hour).

During a moderate to hard endurance workout, carbohydrates in muscle glycogen and blood glucose supply about half of the energy. As you deplete muscle glycogen, you increasingly rely on glucose (sugar) in your blood for energy. By consuming sports drinks, gels, bananas, hard candies, peppermint patties and other carb-based foods during exercise, you will fuel your muscles, maintain normal blood sugar and prevent the dreaded bonk.

Your brain relies on the glucose in your blood for energy; keeping your brain fed helps you think clearly, concentrate well, remain focused -- and perform better. Do NOT "hold off" until after your workout to eat. Rather, fuel during workouts. For example, cyclists should eat while on the bike. Coaches should give teams a snack break during long (over two hours) practices.

Your body doesn't care if you ingest solid or liquid carbohydrates -- both are equally effective forms of fuel. You just have to learn which sports snacks settle best for your body -- gels, gummy bears, dried figs, sugar wafers, tea with honey, sports drinks, or perhaps defizzed cola. If you get your energy from concentrated calories, as opposed to sports drinks, be sure to drink additional fluids. That is, athletes who eat energy bars (or gels) during exercise can too easily under-hydrate.

Despite popular belief, sugar (as in sports drinks, jelly beans, licorice) can be a positive snack during exercise and is unlikely to cause you to "crash" (experience hypoglycemia). That's because sugar taken during exercise results in only small increases in both insulin and blood glucose. Yet, if you consume too much sugar (>250 calories/hour), the high dose might slow the rate at which fluids leave your stomach, causing sloshing, discomfort. (If you experience GI distress, slow down and work at an easier pace.)

Post-exercise food

If you will not be exercising again for a day or two, you need not worry about rapid refueling. But if you work out hard twice a day, you should consume post-exercise carbohydrates as soon as tolerable -- ideally 0.5 grams carbohydrate per pound body weight every hour, for four to five hours (300 calories per hour, if you weigh 150 pounds). Consuming some protein along with the carbs stimulates faster glycogen replacement and optimizes muscular repair and growth.

Some commercial recovery foods tout the benefits of whey protein. Current research indicates no advantage of whey over casein in terms of muscle growth. (Tipton, Med Sci Sports 36(12)2073, 2004) Yes, you can buy commercial recovery foods that contain protein, but you can just as effectively enjoy cereal with milk, a bagel with peanut butter or pasta with meat sauce. These foods offer carbs with an accompaniment of protein (a ratio of 40 gm carb, 10 gm pro).

If you prefer liquids for recovery foods, choose Instant Breakfast, chocolate milk, Boost, yogurt or fruit smoothies; they are tasty sources of carbs, fluids and a little protein. The trick is to plan ahead and have the right foods and fluids readily available.

Post-exercise fluids

Preventing dehydration during exercise is preferable to treating dehydration post-exercise. But if you failed to drink adequately (as indicated by scanty, dark urine), you may need 24 to 48 hours to totally replace this loss. Fruit juices, smoothies and watery fruits are better than plain water because they offer carbs, protein, vitamins and other nutrients that optimize recovery and invest in good health.

If beer is your preference, be sure to first quench your thirst with orange juice, soft drinks or sports drinks and eat some carbs (pretzels, thick-crust pizza) so you get carbo-loaded, not just "loaded!" Or think again. Would you be wiser to simply enjoy the natural high of exercise?

Copyright Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., Feb. 2005

Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., counsels casual and competitive athletes at her private practice in Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill, MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook ($23) and Food Guide for Marathoners ($20) offer abundant fueling tips. To order: send check to PO Box 650124, W. Newton MA 02465, or go to www.nancyclarkrd.com.

Best Laid Plans

2010-09-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

What's that saying, "If you wanna hear God laugh, just tell Him your plans?"

Last Tuesday (9/21) I took Diego over to a local arena and let him run around and really stretch his legs. He loves to do this and I enjoy watching him clearly having a very good time. Even though it was dark (7:30 pm), I saddled him up when he was done and rode around for about 30 minutes or so. He did excellent and felt really good, very forward and wanting to go, but soft and listening. He did a few little boingities, but nothing much, which I was glad for since I've been riding in my Solstice (an english saddle) lately. Made firm plans to ride with Funder on Saturday (9/25) and do the 25 mile ride out in Red Rock, to check everything and make sure we were good to go for our first 50-miler at Comstock this coming Saturday, 10/2.

Well... so much for plans. Saturday I got Diego all booted up and ready to go, loaded into the trailer, picked up Funder and Dixie, and when we got to Red Rock, Diego came off the trailer lame. =( Pretty obvious consistent head bob on the left front, especially on a circle to the left. He felt good, and still wanted to "go", but I wasn't going to ride with him like that obviously, so instead he got to hang out in the convienently located cow corrals and I did P&R's. As it worked out, Dixie got a bit unmotivated as well, so Funder cut her ride short and didn't do the full 25. I have withdrawn my entry to Comstock.

While Diego looked better as the day wore on, and has continued to improve, I'm certainly not going to stress him with a long ride this weekend. As for now, I'm hand-walking him daily and will probably do a short ride on Thursday if he continues to look good. I'm thinking about maybe entering a ride later this month, but want to take him out for a ~20-miler at some point first in order to judge his continued soundness. We'll just take things easy for now and see how stuff develops. No more firm plans...

Riding or Racing

2010-09-15T10:46:00.001-07:00

Adapted from a different source. Perhaps the most eloquent way to put it that I have seen:

There are many endurance RIDERS, but only a few endurance RACERS. Many of us do these things to test ourselves and our horses. We do it for the love of the sport. Our only competitors are ourselves, the course, and the conditions. There have been many times when I was "racing", and no one else was aware of it.

Diego's Hooves 9/14/10

2010-09-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Photos are here as Blogger is a pain for uploading and formatting this many:
Diego's Hooves 091410

Looking for comments and suggestions. I just picked his hooves and then took him out and lunged him on the asphalt for about 5 minutes so you can see where he's striking the ground with his hoof. He does appear to have a nice even toe first landing on all four feet. He recently sloughed his frogs on the front feet; I'm waiting for the rears to follow suit... ? His feet are really dirty cause he walks into his manure pile every time to go poop. =P Even when I've just cleaned the corral, they'll look like this after a day or so.

We're three weeks out from the last trim. THESE ARE ALL PRE-TRIM, so I can take the suggestions into consideration when I trim him in the next day or two. Things I see that need work are:

Continue bringing back his toes on the front hooves. Needs an update to his mustang roll all around.
Continue to manage the flare on the fronts. I've been rasping out the sidewall in this area to alleviate any pressure and gradually working on rasping down from the outside of the hoof to eliminate this bulk.
I think I can take his entire front hoof shorter all the way around? Last time I rasped to be even with the heel of his frog, but in looking at these pics, I think I can take everything shorter still... ?
His bars are always a point on concern. They just continue to grow out at a faster rate than the rest of his hoof. I trimmed them back pretty heavily several months ago, they were very long and overlaid. Trimmed them down to below the level of the sole. Now they're not overlaid, but they continue to really grow. When I trimmed 3 weeks ago, I took them down to the level of his sole, you can see how much they've grown since then. Looks like I really need to take down the rears again. Why do they continue to grow like this and should I continue to take them down? I've read conflicting information on this. He seemed a bit sore when I first really pared them out.

Other thoughts or suggestions?

Happy 6th Birthday to Diego

2010-09-08T16:44:00.001-07:00

Today is Diego's 6th Birthday! Happy Birthday Diego!

As a yearling in Arizona

Watermelon "present" this morning. MMmm.... nom, nom, nom

He's looking a bit "well covered" right now. =) Excuse the filth, I was on my way to work this morning and didn't have time to brush off the night-time sleepy mess.

Diego says thank you. Happy Birthday Digs!

5 Tips to Speed Up Your Metabolism | Active.com

2010-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

Some good tips in here. Not quite sure why you should drink your water ice cold, and your green tea hot... ;)

5 Tips to Speed Up Your Metabolism Active.com

5 Tips to Speed Up Your Metabolism

By Jen Ator
Women's Health

Here's a secret: slaving away inside your body — right this minute — is your very own personal trainer working tirelessly to help you burn calories and shed fat. It's called your metabolism, and it's the sum of everything your body does. Each time you eat, enzymes in your body's cells break down the food and turn it into energy that keeps your heart beating, your mind thinking, and your legs churning during a grueling workout. The faster your metabolism runs, the more calories you burn. The more you burn, the easier it is to drop pounds. And get this — you can make your metabolism work harder, a lot harder, 24 hours a day.

To some degree, our bodies hum along at a preset speed determined by gender and genetics, but there's still plenty of wiggle room. "You have a huge amount of control over your metabolic rate," says John Berardi, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of The Metabolism Advantage. "You can't affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories a day by exercising properly and eating right." And by making a few changes to your routine.

To make those changes simpler, we enlisted the help of leading experts and came up with a round-the-clock, turn-up-the-burn plan complete with new moves that will throw your metabolism into overdrive.

1. When You Roll Out Of Bed
Eat (a good) breakfast Every. Single. Day. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode (it's paranoid like that), so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy, Berardi says. And the heartier your first meal is, the better. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat.

What should you be having? Morning munchies that are slow to digest and leave you feeling fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, like this power breakfast, recommended by Berardi: an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel-cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega-3-loaded fish oil.

Sip java: Sisterhood of the traveling spill-proof mugs, rejoice! A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing, says Robert Kenefick, Ph.D., a research physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Honestly, could there be a more perfect beverage?

Guzzle your water cold: Chase your morning joe with an ice-cold glass of H2O. Researchers at the University of Utah found that volunteers who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who quaffed only four glasses. Your body may burn a few calories heating the cold water to your core temperature, says Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center. Though the extra calories you burn drinking a single glass doesn't amount to much, making it a habit can add up to pounds lost with essentially zero additional effort.

2. When You're At Work
Pick protein for lunch: Cramming protein into every meal helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. Aim for about 30 grams of protein — the equivalent of about one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a four-ounce boneless chicken breast — at each meal.

Brew up some green tea: "It's the closest thing to a metabolism potion," says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever. The brew contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning. In one study, people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. According to other studies, consuming two to four cups of green tea per day may torch an extra 50 calories. That translates into about five pounds per year. Not bad for a few bags of leaves, eh? For maximum effect, let your tea steep for three minutes and drink it while it's still hot.

Undo damage with dairy: Hey, it happens. There are days when no salad on earth can possibly overcome the seductive power of French fries. But you can make up for it with a calcium-rich afternoon snack, like eight ounces of milk or six ounces of low-fat yogurt. Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently by increasing the rate at which it gets rid of fat as waste (yes, that kind), reports a study from the University of Copenhagen. Sorry, supplements don't have the same effect.

3. When You Go Food Shopping
Choose organic produce: You wouldn't fill your car engine with pesticides, right? Hell, no. Researchers in Canada found that dieters with the most organochlorides (chemicals found in pesticides) stored in their fat cells were the most susceptible to disruptions in mitochondrial activity and thyroid function. Translation: Their metabolism stalled. Can't afford a full organic swap? Go to foodnews.org/fulllist for the most (and the least) contaminated foods, then adjust your shopping list accordingly.

Seek heat: It turns out capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 percent. Stock up on chilies to add to salsas, and keep a jar of red pepper flakes on hand for topping pizzas, pastas, and stir-fries.

Grab some metal: Women lose iron during their period every month. That can throw a wrench into your metabolic machine, because iron helps carry oxygen to your muscles. If your levels run low, muscles don't get enough O2, your energy tanks, and your metabolism sputters, Shames says. Stock up on iron — fortified cereals, beans, and dark leafy greens like spinach, bok choy, and broccoli.

4. When You Work Out
Mix things up with intervals: You're always looking for a way to shorten your workout, right? Well, step up your intensity and you'll burn the same number of calories or more in less time. In one Australian study, female volunteers either rode a stationary bike for 40 minutes at a steady pace or for 20 minutes of intervals, alternating eight seconds of sprints and 12 seconds of easy pedaling. After 15 weeks, those who incorporated the sprints into their cardio workouts had lost three times as much body fat — including thigh and core flab — compared with those who exercised at a steady pace. Bursts of speed may stimulate a fat-burning response within the muscles, says lead researcher Ethlyn Gail Trapp, Ph.D. Whether you ride, run, or row, try ramping things up to rev your burn: Start by doing three eight-second all-out, can't-talk sprints with 12 seconds at an easy pace between each effort. Work your way up until you can do 10 sprints over 20 minutes.

Take it slow: This isn't easy, but when you strength train, count to 3 as you lower the weight back to the start position. Slowing things down increases the breakdown of muscle tissue — yeah, it sounds bad, but all that damage you're incurring is actually a good thing. The repair process pumps up your metabolism for as long as 72 hours after your session, according to researchers at Wayne State University. But pass on those featherweight dumbbells — you need to use weights that are heavy enough that you struggle to complete the final few reps.

Pop pills: Combining regular exercise with fish-oil supplements increases the activity of your fat-burning enzymes, reports a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volunteers took six grams of fish oil daily and worked out three times a week. After 12 weeks, they'd lost an average of 3.4 pounds, while those who exercised exclusively saw minimal shrinkage. Look for brands containing at least 300 milligrams of the fatty acid EPA and 200 milligrams of the fatty acid DHA per capsule. Pop two of these two hours before your workout.

5. When You Get Home
Eat Nemo's pals: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are loaded with hunger-quashing omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help trigger the rapid transfer of "I'm full" signals to your brain, according to the National Institutes of Health. Bonus: A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon nets you 90 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin D, which will help preserve your precious calorie-craving, metabolism-stoking muscle tissue.

Skip the second mojito: Another reason not to overimbibe — knocking back the equivalent of just two mixed drinks (or two glasses of wine or two bottles of beer) puts the brakes on fat burning by a whopping 73 percent. That's because your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores, report researchers from the University of California, Berkeley.

Hit the sack — early: When you sleep less than you should, you throw off the amounts of leptin and ghrelin — hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite — that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who snoozed fewer than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. So make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.

Bomb-proofing Clinic, Year 2

2010-08-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, Diego and I again attended the bomb proofing clinic hosted at the Wild Horse and Burro Expo. KBR Horse Training hosts these clinics free of charge, which is such an awesome service. Although being an Arabian, Diego isn't really the target audience for this location, I really appreciated their help last year. Attending that clinic was a turning point in our relationship, one where we both gained a lot of trust and respect for each other.

This year I attended with the goal being to actually RIDE through all of the obstacles. They had a different course laid out this year, with a few of the same obstacles and several new ones. I saddled Diego up in the parking lot and then headed over to the arena. We did ground work over all the obstacles first. Unlike a couple of weeks ago, this time Diego pretty much went right over or through what I was pointing him at, with maybe just a bit of a hesitation to smell and check it out first. Unknowingly, this would be one of the biggest disasters, and highlights of my day. One of the obstacles was a frame of PVC pipe that had five foam pool noodles dangling straight down from the cross-bar, a horse "car wash" if you will. I stepped through and then was using my stick to drive Diego through the obstacle from the ground. But as he went to come through, he stepped too close to the side frame, and caught the pole under the stirrup of the saddle. The entire obstacle started to tip forward and collapse on him! Diego bolted forward a few steps, but I was able to get him turned and was telling him "Easy, whoa" and after a 180, he stopped. The people who build the course know how to do it safely, and the poles pulled loose from the buckets they were set in by design. The top cross-bar was also not glued into place, so one of the "legs" had come off as well. Diego stopped with the remaining L-shape balanced across his withers, with the pool noodles dangling around his legs, and stood there while we were able to extricate him. The female clinician came over with high praise for both of us on handling the situation so well. After a few more confidence builders, I was able to take Diego back over and go through that obstacle successfully.

After getting through all the obstacles on the ground, I decided to mount up and tackle them under saddle. There were about four other horses sharing the arena with us, one of which was a newly adopted prison trained mustang who was being taught to load into a trailer. Several of the other horses were also BLM mustangs, I was the only one that was riding, everyone else was doing ground work.

Diego ended up being a Rockstar! He did so well with everything! We went over, under, or through every obstacle on the course. He was a bit hesitant to go through both of the noodle obstacles, the earlier car wash one and another where the noodles were sticking straight out and you had to ride through them, 3 on each side. He rushed a few times through that, and several times would stop and balk at it, but with persistence I could get him through again and again.

One of the scarier incidents for me came when we were navigating a flagged alleyway with a tarp to cross in the middle. We had already ridden through several times, but the mustang they were attempting to load was being worked with the trailer not to far from the end of this obstacle. Suddenly, the horse came flying back out of the trailer and got away from the handlers. I froze with Diego, hoping the now loose horse wouldn't come our direction. I was trying to figure out if I should do an emergency dismount, or just wait it out. It could have been a big wreck, but Diego and I just stood there and they caught the horse pretty quickly.

One of the last things we did was to load into the stock trailer they had parked in the arena. Dig loads very well into my 2H slant load, I generally just stand at the back and he walks himself in to the front stall and waits while I close the divider. So I sent him into the 4H stock trailer, and he walked in and stood in the middle. After about 15 seconds, still standing at the rear of the trailer, not touching him at all, I told him to "Back, back" and he proceeded to calmly back all the way out of the trailer. A lady who was standing there spectating commented, "Nice job." He really did just perfect with that .

Attending the clinic this year, Diego and I received a ton of compliments. Again this was a huge bonding experience for us. We really have become a team and we're placing our trust in each other. The relationship that's starting to develop is very special, made even more so by all the challenges we have overcome. I can't wait to see what adventures lie ahead!

Riding, Riding, Riding!

2010-08-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Whew! Nothing like making up for lost time! My friend S and I have made a weekly date for the most part and have been riding every Thursday after work. This week, when I was hooking up the trailer at lunch time (living close to where I work is SUCH an advantage), Diego was **so excited** to be going somewhere! He was running around in his corral, doing slide stops and 180 roll-backs that would make any reiner jealous. That was until he tried to do a slide, spin, accelerate a bit too quickly, and ended up falling over on his ass instead! LOL! I had to text S and let her know that Diego was so excited to go, that he fell over. Dork.

We went out to Washoe Lake and had a great 6-mile ride. We headed to the beach first. Diego was so relaxed in the parking lot, he could hardly bother to trot on the lunge, so I figured he was fine and we headed out. This meant that I ended up getting off and having to lead him down to the beach, and then eventually got off and lunged him ON the beach (in the deep sand, with my reins - certainly not ideal) because he was becoming wound tighter and tighter. After he got to get some bucks and running out of his system, I got back on and he settled quickly and we had a very nice rest of the ride. We walk/jogged down most of the length of the beach (about 2 miles) and then cut over and took one of my favorite trails, a twisty single-track through the sage, back to the parking area. We ended up trotting nearly that entire section, about 3 miles total. That was probably the longest sustained trot that Diego had done to date. I didn't have my HRM on and tried to check his heart rate back at the trailer, but was thwarted by extremely loud gut sounds and the sound of him rubbing his face on the trailer, so I gave up after hearing about 5 seconds and realizing he was somewhere below 60. =)

Then on Saturday, Funder and I had a most awesome ride out in Lemmon Valley. Here's a link to our ride. Funder and Dixie rode over and met us at the arena, so Diego and I ended up doing about 20 miles instead of 23, but it was most excellent. We did a modified version of the original Rides of March trail, before they moved out to the Red Rock area. It has been since 2007 that I tried to ride that loop, so my navigational skills were okay, but a bit rusty. We also knowingly took the less rocky/slightly easier route a couple of times. We saw the same two guys on dirt bikes no less than four times, and Diego was well behaved each time, although as it worked out I was either dismounted or they saw us and took a slightly different trail. We went across the valley to one of the spring-fed cow troughs and the horses got to enjoy a bunch of fresh green grass, certainly a luxury in these parts.

I'm not quite happy with how Diego moves in his Easyboots. For now, I'm still using the old style boots with the buckles and no gaiters. Mainly because I have a bunch of these and haven't made the investment to purchase a set of 4 Gloves yet. As it is, I think because he's wacked himself a couple of times with the hardware, he tends to move somewhat short strided, or dog trots with his hind legs not tracking straight with his fronts. However, the boots did stay on well the entire time, including some deep mud at the water stop. He unbuckles his rear boots on occasion, but I haven't lost one yet (knock on wood), even when unbuckled. However, on the way back, after a rocky off-trail stretch, he started limping occasionally on his left front. I got off and pulled all 4 boots, and while he was better, he would still occasionally bobble. After I got home, and all the mud and filth was gone , I noticed that he had a very small fingernail sized rock (which I couldn't see on the trail) wedged in his heel on that hoof, so hopefully nothing major and an easy fix.

Overall, it was a perfect conditioning ride. The weather couldn't have been better, although it got a bit windy at the end, it was fun and kept us all nice and cool. We did see one lightening strike, which made for a good excuse to hurry back. Both Funder and I have our sights set on a first 50 at Comstock. It will be a first for everyone except me, but I'm really looking forward to it. Both horses should be able to handle the distance just fine, especially with another month or so of conditioning.

The New Rules of Hydration | Active.com

2010-08-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Great article about guidelines for personal hydration:

The New Rules of Hydration Active.com

Remember when the only guideline for staying hydrated during exercise was to drink--and drink often? And plain water took the podium as the perfect sports drink? Thanks to new insights on how our bodies process fluids and other nutrients while we're working up a sweat, the conventional wisdom on when and what to drink is evolving. And although the rules may have changed, the objective remains the same: improved performance and optimal health.

Here's a look at the old and new views on hydration.

Old: Drink ahead of your thirst.
New: Drink according to your thirst.

For years, sports nutrition experts advised athletes to drink "ahead of thirst," that is, to drink before getting thirsty and more frequently than what thirst dictated during exercise. Experts warned that by the time you feel thirsty, you've already become dehydrated. However, recent studies show that being in this state of slight dehydration has no negative impact on performance or health.

For example, in a study from the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, runners did three two-hour workouts while drinking a sports drink at three different rates: by thirst (roughly 13 oz. per hour), at a moderate rate (about four oz. every 15 to 20 minutes), and at a high rate (about 10 oz. every 15 to 20 minutes).

The study found no significant differences in core body temperature (rising body temperature hastens dehydration) or finishing times among the three trials. However, during the high-rate trial two of the eight runners suffered severe stomach distress and couldn't finish the workout, suggesting that drinking too much too often can cause problems.

"The idea that thirst comes too late is a marketing ploy of the sports-drink industry," says Tim Noakes, M.D., a professor of sport and exercise science at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. While thirst is not a perfect indicator of hydration status, it does appear to be a good indicator of the optimal drinking rate during exercise, according to Noakes. "The answer is just drink as your thirst dictates."

Old: Aim to completely prevent dehydration.
New: Aim to slow dehydration.

You've probably been told to drink enough fluid during exercise to completely make up for what you lose through sweat. In other words, the goal is to weigh the same before and after your workout. But the latest research has revealed three problems with this advice.

First, when athletes drink according to thirst, they usually replace only 60 to 70 percent of the fluid they lose, but studies have shown that this state of slight dehydration does not harm performance or health.

Second, the recommendation to drink enough fluid to prevent weight-loss is based on the false assumption that all the weight lost is from body fluid evaporating as sweat. However, recent studies show that a significant amount (as much as 60 percent) is actually due to the loss of water stored with fat and carbohydrate molecules, which is released from the muscles when these stores are converted to energy. Although it contributes to sweat and weight loss during exercise, this kind of fluid loss has no dehydrating effect because it doesn't reduce blood volume.

Third, the problem with drinking to completely prevent dehydration is that it tends to dilute the concentration of sodium and other electrolytes in the blood, especially during prolonged exercise of more than two hours. Electrolytes are dissolved minerals that regulate your body's fluids, helping create the electrical impulses essential to physical activity. When you sweat, you release more sodium than any other electrolyte. Since even the most electrolyte-packed sports drink has a lower sodium concentration than sweat, when you replace sweat with a sports drink you essentially water down your blood. In extreme cases, blood sodium dilution leads to hyponatremia, a potentially fatal condition where fluid balance is thrown off to the point where cells literally become waterlogged, causing the brain to swell.

Therefore, instead of drinking to completely replace the fluid you sweat out during exercise, aim for keeping thirst at bay. Respond to your thirst right away with small amounts of sports drink, but don't allow your thirst to build to the point that you're forced to guzzle down a full bottle at one time. Taking a few sips about every 10 to 12 minutes will help you stay hydrated and avoid stomach upset.

Old: Use either a sports drink or water for hydration.
New: Use a sports drink instead of water.

Prior to 2003, USA Track & Field's hydration guidelines for runners suggested that water and sports drinks were equally good choices for hydration during intense physical activity. But, based on new research concerning the risks of blood sodium dilution, the USATF revised its hydration guidelines stating, "A sports drink with sodium and other electrolytes is preferred." Athletes in other sports are now following these guidelines as well.

In short, sports drinks simply hydrate better than water does. Your body absorbs fluids through the gut and into the bloodstream faster when their osmolality, the concentration of dissolved particles in a fluid, more closely matches the osmolality of body fluids such as blood. Because a sports drink contains dissolved minerals (key electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphate) and carbohydrates, it's absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly than water, which has fewer or no dissolved particles.

Moreover, electrolytes and other nutrients play important roles in regulating fluid in the body. They help determine how much fluid enters muscle fibers and cells, and how much remains in the blood. That's why sports drinks do a better job than water of helping the body maintain an optimal fluid balance.

Water is fine for short (less than an hour) workouts of easy to moderate intensity in which you don't sweat a lot. But in any workout where sweat losses are substantial, and especially in warm weather, use a sports drink.

Old: Protein exacerbates dehydration.
New: Protein enhances hydration.

The first generation of sports drinks contained no protein because it was believed to slow the absorption of fluid into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestine. But new evidence suggests that a small amount of protein actually enhances both fluid absorption and retention in athletes.

A recent study from the Universidad Catolica San Antonio in Spain found that a carb-protein sports drink actually entered the bloodstream significantly faster than a carb-only sports drink when used by cyclists pedaling at a moderately high intensity level.

In another study from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, athletes retained a carb-protein sports drink 15 percent better than a carb-only drink, meaning 15 percent less of it was wasted in the bladder. "A small amount of protein in a sports drink may enhance absorption and retention by increasing osmolality," says Robert Portman, Ph.D., and CEO of PacificHealth Labs, manufacturer of the protein-powered Accelerade sports drink.

"Small" is the operative word. Packing your water bottle with protein powder is not the secret to peak performance. Too much protein slows absorption and hampers hydration. Research shows that sports drinks containing only about five grams of protein per 12 oz. not only re-hydrate better, but also reduce muscle damage and increase endurance compared to drinks without protein. Recently, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommended the use of protein-added sports drinks by both competitive athletes and daily exercisers.

Old: Caffeine exacerbates dehydration.
New: Caffeine does not affect dehydration.

Caffeine is a known diuretic, which means it increases urine production and has a dehydrating effect. But research has also shown that during exercise, the body is able to circumvent the diuretic influence of caffeine, which can boost athletic performance by stimulating the nervous system and reducing perceived effort.

A new study conducted at the University of Birmingham in England found that caffeine increases the rate at which supplemental carbohydrates (those consumed during the workout as opposed to those already stored in the body) are burned during exercise. In the study, cyclists received either a 6 percent glucose solution or a six percent glucose solution plus caffeine during a two-hour indoor cycling test.

Researchers found that the rate at which the supplemental carbs were burned was 26 percent higher in the cyclists receiving carbs with caffeine, concluding that the caffeine may have increased the rate of glucose absorption in the intestine. By providing fuel to working muscles at an accelerated rate, caffeine helps athletes work harder for longer periods of time.

But don't overuse it. Reserve caffeine consumption for races and occasional high-intensity workouts. "The best use of caffeine as an ergogenic aid [energy booster] is prior to competition," says Jose Antonio, Ph.D, author of Supplements for Endurance Athletes. "The beneficial effects of caffeine on athletic performance are reduced with habituation, so the more often you rely on it, the less it will do for you."

Although no major sports drink brand contains caffeine, some flavors of sports gels do, such as Gu Chocolate Outrage, Strawberry Clif Shot, and Chocolate Accel Gel.

The Cardinal Rule

One principle of proper hydration hasn't changed: Practice makes perfect. Experiment with various hydration strategies to learn what works best for you. Try different sports drinks in varying amounts, and hydrate at different times during your workout to discover the optimal mix.

Matt Fitzgerald is a runner, triathlete, coach and author of several books on fitness and nutrition, including Performance Nutrition for Runners (Rodale, 2005).

Prepping for the first 50, Eating

2010-08-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

As noted in yesterday's post - eating and drinking are a necessity in order to keep ourselves going down the trail. As riders, we often concoct very elaborate and well thought-out mixes and mashes for our horses, with a sprinkle of this, and a dash of that - ensuring that everything is to Shnoopykins desire - and then scrounge around for that 3 year old granola bar that's been riding around in our saddle packs as an afterthought for ourselves. While it may be entirely possible to get through a 6 hour LD on nothing but fluids, you are going to feel and perform much better with some fuel on board. This will just prove more true over longer distances.

There are some simple characteristics that foods must meet before I personally will consider them for rides. I have a sensitive stomach, and getting stuff down is sometimes a challenge.

Some people are able to happily eat anything during a ride; I am NOT one of those people. So I have some guidelines that foods must meet for me:
Must be easy to eat with one hand, generally without utensils. I'm lucky to even take the time to wash my hands during a ride, the idea of dragging out a fork and knife to consume anything is not that likely. If for some reason I DO eat these kinds of foods, such as during a 100 when I have crew, I'll most likely still be seen sitting or wandering around near my horse doing stuff with one hand and shoveling food in with the other. Much easier to have food that I can just hold in one hand and eat.
Must be moist. No cakes, cookies, chips, or crackers for this girl. I want something that's got a lot of natural moisture, or enough sauce and/or condiments to get down without a lot of additional assistance from chewing and saliva production.
Along those lines, must be easy to chew and get down. Nothing that requires a lot of mastication before it's ready to be swallowed - save the steaks for after the ride.
Not too sweet. I have a sensitive stomach during rides and too much sugar doesn't go over well. I generally prefer more salty and/or savory choices.

With that in mind, lets move on to what I actually like to eat, these are my own personal recommendations, as well as suggestions from several friends. For food to eat ON THE TRAIL:

Perhaps the most important thing we need to consider is not eating, but drinking. Staying hydrated is the first key to success. Nothing is going to function as well if you are dehydrated, so keeping those fluids coming in is key. A formula that seems to work for me, is to drink at least one of my 20 oz bottles for every 10 miles of trail. This will of course fluctuate depending upon the weather, but it's a good place to start. I've found that personally, I need to avoid Gatorade-brand drinks, but I do okay with a diluted mixture of Powerade (maybe less sugars, or the higher potassium to sodium ratio) or water. If you're drinking just plain water, don't forget to add some electrolytes - whether through eating salty foods, drinking something such as V8 at the checks, or through a capsule, such as these S-Caps which I've had a lot of success with: http://www.succeedscaps.com/main_scaps.html . I also really like their Clip2 sports drink, which contains some proteins and fats not found on commercial drinks at the local supermarket: http://www.succeedscaps.com/main_clip.html This has a very mild raspberry flavor, not sweet at all. Another concern with plain water is to ensure you are consuming adequate carbohydrates. The brain is the most glucose-hungry organ in the body, be sure you are keeping it fueled. That's why I prefer a diluted sports drink (or even juice), I know that I'll be consuming some carbs with my fluid intake.,

For food, you need to find something you can stomach and EAT it (don't just carry it all day - classic mistake). Avoid high fructose as this can cause a queasy stomach, although some people can eat anything. Suggestions: fruit (I love the little plastic fruit cups, I can pop the top a bit and slurp them out while trotting), cheeses (string cheese or the little circle Babybel cheeses, even cut up cheese cubes in a baggie), jerky or lunch meat (roll the slices and then put them in a baggie, easy to grab a "tube" and eat quickly), nuts, granola or other "bars" (I really like the ones that have a lot of fruit and nuts, can rinse these down pretty easily), croissant, "gummies" like gummy worms, bears, or fruit snacks. While some of these are obviously going to fair better in hot weather, you can easily get at least two hours out of them without needing to be in a cooler. Just keep that in mind and eat those items first - and make sure to throw them out AFTER the ride if you didn't! =)

Make sure you keep several packs of Gu or some such in your saddle packs. These work great as a quick emergency pick-me-up if you're starting to fade. When you start to feel punky, that means you should have had one about 30 minutes ago. ;) I do much better with REAL foods, and often don't need them at all, but these are great for when you realize you've already gone past the "should have ate something" stage and need something quick. They're also fairly easy to force down, although it's a bit like slurping warm snot out of a package. I tend to prefer the "lighter" flavors like vanilla or some of the fruit ones, but I know people that swear the chocolate is like eating frosting.

The key to the vet checks, is to have food easily available (ie READY TO EAT with no prep) in *smaller sized portions*.

1. Have some sort of nutritious drink at EVERY vet check. I prefer the lactose-free meal replacement type drinks or a V8 (either the classic or a fruit blend). The yogurt drinks come recommended as well, but I can't do too much dairy personally. These are quick and easy calories to get down and the V8s are packed full of natural elytes. On a cold ride, these do okay in the saddle bags as well. This is a quick easy way to get some calories down.

My new favorite is to buy a sub sandwich the day before and have them cut it into 2" sections, makes it easy to grab a section and nibble. Egg salad or tuna are good choices as well. Some people really like peanut butter (with jelly or fruit), but I've found it to be to "sticky" as a ride food for me.

Other favorites I've heard: fruit (especially cubed melon), pasta or potato salads, chips, candy bars, hot dogs or hamburgers (these are generally too heavy for me, can't do it), soups (excellent for cold rides), pickles (good source of elytes as well), cooked chicken, cold pizza, etc.

Okay, seriously, while looking for some pictures to liven this up (all are from her site), I stumbled across this blog, Another Lunch, which is all about "bento" lunches, or little containers that house the entire meal. It looks like she's got some really great ideas on here... and those lunchboxes are awesome!

Do you have any favorite ride foods? What are some of your saddle bag stand-bys? What's been the best vet check food you've had?

Prepping for the first 50, Runner's Advice - Training

2010-08-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

While technically Diego and I entered his first 50-miler in May (story is still in draft mode, I need to get working on it), I wasn't that optimistic about our finishing, and truly did the ride in order to 1) ride with companions I knew I could trust, who were going slow and 2) just see how far we could get while everyone was still happy. As things worked out, Diego performed brilliantly for me for 25 very tough miles, and then was a little off at the vet check. The vet thought it was first one leg, then changed her mind to the other after a one-hour recheck (so very minor), and although we were cleared to go on, I chose to pull him rather than risk 5 year old unseasoned legs on something iffy.

BUT... now it's late summer, and the fall rides are coming up. And I find myself joyously free of the restrictions and commitment of school. So I have my eye set on getting to a 50-miler or two before the seasons turn for the worse and the snow starts to fly again. With that mindset, I turn back to one of my most favorite resources, Ultra RUNNERS. These are the men and women who, like us equestrians, aren't satisfied with the marathon distance and complete races of 25 - 100 miles (or more in some cases), on foot. If anyone knows how to train and prepare for distance events, its this crowd.

Some caveats, many runners are putting in much higher mileage, on much less rest, than I would use for my horses. Equines in general need more rest/light days, but, are also able to go farther a bit easier. After doing all the stuff I did with Sinatra, I have a hard time conditioning myself mentally to doing shorter rides. To me, pretty much anything under 10 miles is wasted time/effort (aka "junk miles"). I always preferred to get out and go longer (even if it was slower). I guess because that's what worked with my schedule, and what I thought was best for the type of riding I was going to eventually ask my horse to do. I need to change my mindset a bit while I'm still building Diego's base and realize that even if we didn't really GO anywhere, the fact that I got him out and rode for an hour (or 3-4, even if it is in circles in the arena, or very slow down the trail) is all still beneficial to him. However, I don't believe that is the type of riding that is going to be MOST beneficial to us in completing our first 50. On to the training advice:

Karl King:
If you took a survey of how list members trained prior to their first 50 miler, you'd probably find a wide range of training plans. Which says that there is no one sure-fire way, but many ways to prepare. So, don't agonize over details.

Most runners come to this sport with a metabolism trained for speed: I.E. burn lots of carbohydrate fast. What you need for ultras is a metabolism trained for endurance: I.E. be stingy on carbo burning and burn fat instead. Any damn fool can run fast for 20 miles. To run well for 50 requires a specific type of response from the endocrine system. You can train your body to deliver that, but only if you run long enough to get tired and hungry. For most runners that implies doing 3 or 4 runs in the range of 25-30 miles.
The same holds true for our horses, we need to condition their systems to the longer distance.

At the same time as you are training your endocrine system to respond to stress, you need to train your mind to get an endurance attitude. Those same 25-30 mile long runs will do that. One needs to experience the fatigue, and develop the resolve to run on in spite of it, learning that by relaxing and concentrating on form, you can keep moving forward when any sensible person would have stopped.

When my longest run was 13 miles, a marathon seemed nearly impossible.
When my longest run was 26 miles, 50 miles seemed nearly impossible.
When my longest run was 50 miles, 100 miles seemed nearly impossible.
When my longest run was 100 miles, 50 miles seemed like a nice, long training run.
Don't let the distance scare you; run from aid station to aid station (or vet check to vet check, or even water stop to water stop) and the distance will take care of itself.

Andy Mac:
Practice eating and drinking and carrying water. Very important.

Just keep moving. Depending on the cutoff, you don't have to move very fast to finish a 50 miler. At Ice Age, the required pace was just under 15 minutes/mile. You could hike that fast, although it might be hard to keep it up for 8 hours. But you don't have to run most of it or run too fast to finish; the key is to just keep going.

Eric Robinson:
I am faster when using a walk mix. Beyond the standard stuff (walk the significant uphills), I have a very simple rule: never run more than ten minutes in a row! My walk break might be 30 seconds or 10 minutes; I generally walk until I feel a palpable recovery (which in the middle stages of an ultra takes maybe 2-3 minutes). The ten minutes of running is not a "goal", but a maximum. If I've been running for 7 minutes but there is a slight incline ahead (one that I might otherwise be tempted to run), I will probably take my walk break immediately and then mentally reset the clock to zero.

The 1 hour run 10 minute walk that you describe (i.e. 60/10) would be way too long of a run for me; by the time I got around to walking, the hour of running would have done its damage.

It takes your body about three weeks to adapt to a long run. But you can do other things that respond to training much more quickly. E.g. practice walking technique, strengthening, maybe some faster running (speed work).

Quotes from: http://www.ultrunr.com/train50.html

Minden Trail Obstacle Clinic

2010-08-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

I took Diego to a trail obstacle "clinic" this weekend, which was pretty much I paid $30 to have access to some established obstacles and get some lunch. =) Not much coaching going on, although the lady coordinating seemed very knowledgeable and helpful, but was certainly willing to just let each of us go at our own pace. There were only 4 other riders, so it was a nice small group.

The obstacles provided:
- Big log (20 ft long by about 12" high)
- Large heavy duty tarp with a pallet-type platform and several poles laid out for step-overs
- Deflated soft-side swimming pool
- 10 x 10 square filled with plastic bottles (like empty soda bottles) to step on
- Many criss-crossing small logs
- 5 tractor tires to step into, hard interior parts removed so it was just the edges
- Large tractor tire with a wooden platform mounted on the top
- Pallet between two 55 gallon drums (a more narrow opening step up)
- Big dirt pile/mound, eventually they're hoping to create "stairs"
- Muddy water crossing, about 8" deep or so at deepest
- Wooden platform teeter totter
- Log drag, a 8' or so 4" log on a rope
- Wooden ladder-type obstacle (2x4"s in a long ladder on the ground)

We did ground work over all the obstacles first. I decided to start him with the nice easy log step-over first, just a big ole 12" log lying on the ground. Diego said, "Nope, not gonna do it. I can't. It's too hard." After much eye rolling and cussing on my behalf (and getting smacked with a soft cotton rope), he realized that indeed, he could step over the stupid log. We repeated the process on the tarp, an old dead deflated soft side pool, and then - heaven forbid - a water crossing. This horse LOVES water, but the soft squishy dirt/mud leading into the water was a horse eater for sure. By this point I had a training stick along and after some enthusiastic circles, Dig decided that maybe going in the water would be easier. Of course, once he was in there he drank, splashed, and thought about wallowing around, which was discouraged since I had my saddle on him. After that, all the other obstacles were easy - Mom had established I was **IN CHARGE** and he wasn't going to get away with crap.

After we did everything in hand, I got on and rode him through, over, and across everything. He didn't even blink - total Rockstar!!! He was awesome, we even did a log drag, although me getting handed the rope was fairly traumatic for him. One of the scariest obstacles, not mentioned above, for him was the person sitting in a lawn chair, oh horrors! Until he talked and Diego realized it wasn't a troll. After we had all played around for about an hour or so, we rode down the easement and went across a real bridge, with no sides, just a bunch of rail road ties all bolted together over a small ditch, about 10 feet long. Diego went across with no hesitation. Harder than that, was trying to get him into the ditch along the side of the road. I had to get off and drive him again on the ground, and he did eventually go down and across, only to turn around and LEAP back to the other side. I was glad I had 30 ft of rope to play out to him as he jumped across from embankment to embankment, nearly at the height of my head. Decided to not try that one under saddle. ;)

At the end of the day, after I had already pulled my saddle and hosed him off, they had the (small, fairly tame) cows turned out in the arena. We went in there on foot and OH BOY!!! Diego was having SO MUCH FUN! =) He was arching his neck and just chasing after them, I was running around laughing my head off trying to keep up. He got the hang of it pretty quick and we even "cut" a cow along the fence line for a few seconds. I definitely want to do some more of that with him, you could practically see him smiling once he realized he could chase them away.

I need to get him out and just do some nice, steady, long trotting miles one of these times. I've been doing a lot of slow, confidence-building stuff with him lately. He's really become a horse I'm looking forward to riding more and more every time. I've started to really be able to trust him.

New Old Riding Buddies

2010-08-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I had the chance to go riding with a good friend of mine, who I hadn't ridden with in about 3 or 4 years. S and her horse Taz were new riders looking to get started in the sport back in 2006. She and I conditioned a lot together that winter/spring, with me on my good seasoned horse Sinatra. I rode with her while she did her first LD and 50, and then we ended up having different rides and goals for the rest of the season and didn't compete together again. Life came along, and between getting some issues worked out with Taz, S and her husband had fraternal twin boys so riding took a back seat for a while. We've remained in touch, but hadn't had the opportunity to ride together. S came and volunteered at Moonshine for me, and we made plans then to definitely get the horse boys out together soon.

To be honest, I was a bit leery about taking Diego over and riding with S. When we were riding several years ago, Taz was a hot blooded youngster. S has put a lot of training on him, but he's still very competitive and likes to go. One of those amazing natural athletes that trots out at 10-12-14 mph with zero effort. I knew that Taz had a lot of time off while S was pregnant and home with young boys, and wasn't exactly sure how things were going to go with a green horse (Diego) plus a hot horse (Taz). I found it a bit ironic that now *I* was the one with the young, green horse, and that Taz was being slated to act as the babysitter. Taz and Diego are exactly (almost to the day) 5 years apart (5 and 10). As it worked out, things went just fine.

I trailered over to S's house in the morning. She offered to let Diego run around in Taz's corral, since it had been a couple of weeks since he's got to stretch his legs and GO (walks around the neighborhood and lunging at home don't cut it). I told her it would probably be fine to put Taz in there as well, Dig is very submissive and the corral is sufficiently large that it shouldn't be an issue. They both had a good time and flew around. The corral is cut into a hillside, and has a pretty steep portion. Watching Diego try to negotiate that at speed revealed how young he is, he appeared to just throw his legs around everywhere, not quite sure how to collect himself up and still gallop down. Both horses are very similar in size, color, and build. It was fun watching the "twins" run around.

After blowing off some steam we saddled up. Leaving S's house, we go straight up a fairly steep and rocky hill. I hand walked Diego up the first bit past the last neighbor's house, and then got on in a somewhat flat and wide area. Did a few circles in the sagebrush, a couple of bends in each direction, check the brakes and steering and then we headed up the hill. The steep and technical footing made both horses concentrate on where they were going. Once we reached the top, we took a slightly rocky single-lane dirt road along the edge of the hillside. It was a bit dicey for a bit. Both horses were feeling good; Diego was a bit tense but was listening. I was kind of worried because if anything were to happen, we only had the width of the road to negotiate issues on. Taz was in the lead, but would periodically stop and then back up. For the most part I was able to either be far enough back that it wasn't an issue, or I could back Diego or turn him around to get out of the way. Dig wasn't quite sure what to think the first time that happened. Then, once when we started trotting, Taz put his head down and started bucking a bit. Diego did one or two bucks as well before I got his head and then jumped off and held him. S stayed on and I got back on pretty quickly.

Other than some bobbles at things, and that one instance of bucking, for the most part we just rode along at a nice walk and chatted. We came out to a small valley, and chose the much more unused road on the east side since there were people shooting off to the west. I think this was the old wagon road I've heard about in this area. We had to watch the footing on this stretch since there were periodic large holes. We ended up putting Diego in front, since he was being braver and wouldn't back up at scary looking rocks. He would give them a funny look, or stop to check them out, but for the most part went past like a pro. Just about the time I was thinking of cutting across the valley to the more well used trail on the other side, I recognized the hillside in front of us. We weren't far from an intersection in Washoe I had been telling S about, it was much closer than I had realized. We continued on, and I pointed out where the trail intersected the different directions to go to get to other trails and different types of conditioning (sand hills, rocks, the lake, etc). S hadn't ridden out this far by herself yet. We completed the turn and headed back. At one point, Taz was getting tired of all the walking so I told S to go ahead and let him run up the nice long hill in front of us. I jumped off to walk Diego, but it turns out I probably could have stayed on with no issues. I got out the carrots as she was leaving and Dig was more interested in food than his friend (he's really becoming bonded to ME, not other horses, which I love). I ended up getting back on and Dig walked very nicely to go catch up; S had turned around at the top and was walking back toward us.

Other than one other small issue with a blind corner, where no one wanted to go first , we got back without incident. I did have to laugh when S was kicking Taz to try to get him to go, and I could feel Diego flinching under me. And he got in trouble a bit when I reached back to tap him on the butt with my hand, and he... can't even call it a buck... hopped up with his back feet in protest. S laughed and said it was like he said, "Don't touch me *there!*" We rode the 7.5 mile loop in about an hour and a half, lots of walking interspersed with some trotting. It was a good first ride with the two boys and some good scouting to see how nicely the trail ties in to the rest of the system that I know. Really, if we stick to the main trail that we came back on, the footing gets really good pretty quickly. There's a lot of great loops and conditioning we can do from there, even getting down to the little lake if we want to. Water is the only concern, as there's no natural water on many of the loops at all.

S and I are going to try to get a regular weekday evening ride planned. We both have plans to get these horses going to some rides in the fall and its fun to have my "new" old riding partner back again. =)

GRADUATED!!!

2010-08-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well as of Friday, I should be officially done with school. It took me ten years to get my "four" year degree, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an Accounting major, but I'm finally done. Took my last final on Friday and submitted my essay. Assuming I didn't totally bomb both, then I should have passed my final class. It hasn't quite sunk in yet...

I've obviously disappeared off the blogging realm for the past few months. Getting through this last semester has been difficult and very time consuming. Taking classes of the summer is always a struggle, both due to the condensed nature of the courses (i.e. covering a 16-week course in 5 weeks) as well as having a lot of extra-curricular activities, such as BBQs, camping trips, and Tevis - where I helped with the webcast. Riding has taken a back-burner as well, with Diego only getting out about once a month. I'll try to post some updates soon and hopefully will be able to keep things more up to date from now on. =)

Yay!!! I'm done with school!!! !!! !!! I still can't quite believe it!

Formation Riding Clinic

2010-07-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well Diego and I did something TOTALLY different today and went to a Formation Riding Clinic, think Drill Team stuff. I got there early enough to let him run around loose in the arena and get all his ya-yas out. He was still pretty jumpy when I first went to mount up, and then we got put in the direct middle of the group of 13 at the first line up; all I could think at first was how big of a wreck that could be. Thankfully Dig does "whoa" and stand very well.

The instructor was a retired mounted police officer, and just did a REALLY great job and kept everything very slow for a while and then we built up skills from there. By the end of the day, we were walking and trotting in colums of 1, 2, 4 & 8 and could put ourselves into and out of the columns at the walk and trot. We also did several different turns and ways to line up and reverse. We all had a chance to be at the front, middle, and back, and rotated the partners we were with throughout the day. We had a GREAT time and Diego was so good. I think we both had a lot of fun!

Oh, and at first I was a bit hesitant to go, not knowing the group that was hosting it, High Desert Horsemen. I wasn't sure if it was going to be all QH's with jeans and cowboys hats or what, but actually it was a really fun low-key group. I think there was one other Arab, several mustangs, some QH, some jeans, some cowboy hats, but also a lot of helmets and aussie and endurance saddles and I wasn't the only one in tights. =) Although I think I was the only one with bright blue tack. ;) I'm looking forward to doing more with this group. They have a big two-day despooking clinic in Oct or Nov that I can hardly wait to do. Just fun, fun all around!!!

Ride Preparation Checklist

2010-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! Time is flying and the Washoe ride is already this weekend! Only a few more days left to get stuff packed and ready to go. I thought I'd share my normal pre-ride checklist of things to do. I'm a bit of an obsessive list maker, since I'm not the best at remembering everything if it's not written down. This list is mainly the tasks I need to accomplish before I'm ready to leave for a ride, and the general time frame I like to accomplish them (although I have been known to be running around Friday afternoon cursing and throwing random crap in the trailer):

Two Days Before Leaving
Shop for people food and drinks
Purchase any necessary items for rider, camper, rig or horse
Collect tack and items to be washed
- Saddle pad(s)
- Pommel and/or cantle packs
- Bridle and bit
- Halter, leadrope & reins
- Half chaps
- Horse blankets/coolers/rump rug
- Splint boots
- Girth(s)
- Water bottles
- Elyte Syringes
Most of this goes straight in the washer and air dries. The bit, bottles and syringes go in the dishwasher (often the bottles and syringes are already washed, ready to go from prior use). Biothane tack can go in either.

Inventory crew box and saddle packs, resupply as necessary (post coming on this)

Give a wet mash with electrolytes or additional salt added, this is to help get the horse drinking additional fluids so he's pre-loaded as much as possible on his hydration. The extra salts aren't going to still be in his system by ride time, but they're going to encourage drinking for now.

If my horse was on a more restricted diet, I would also increase the hay ration for the next several days, making sure he had free choice hay available. As it is, he has free choice hay daily.

One Day Prior to Leaving
Do any cooking or assembly necessary for rider food
Prepare ziploc baggies with horse's dry grain/mash ingredients, load into trailer
Stuff hay in bale bag, wrestle into trailer
Clip horse as necessary
Pack rider clothes and other gear, load into camper
Repack washed tack items into appropriate locations
Give wet mash with added salts

Before Leaving for Ride
DRINK FLUIDS - historically, I get busy doing "stuff" and end this day dehydrated. If I make it a point to drink plenty in advance, then I start AND finish my ride the next day in much better shape.

Preload elyte syringes if you do that kind of thing. Each horse is different and you need to find what works best for you. With Sinatra, he preferred to eat his in with his mash - he HATED being syringed and giving them with a "filler" just made it worse. Just plain elytes with water and then a good rinse worked best for him. I'm going to have to see what works best for Diego. I prefer to give them in their feed **IF** they'll eat it.

Give horse a bath if weather permits (I've also done this in advance and then used a light sheet to help keep him clean, really it's about when the best forecast is since I don't have hot running water).

Pre-fill water bottles for ride
Pack all food items
Ensure all critical items are in trailer and/or camper - saddle, girth, bridle, pad, helmet, clothes, shoes, horse and human food. Half that you could borrow in a pinch if needed and the rest is really just fluff (but it's fluff I LIKE to have, don't get me wrong).
Make sure I have necessary paperwork and/or directions to the ride
Don't forget to load the horse...

At the Ride Site
DRINK - my goal is to make sure I drank *at least* 64 oz of fluids before bed tonight...
Unload and set up camp
Get checked and vetted in
Re-attach pommel and/or cantle packs
Go for a brief ride if time allows
Determine if crew box will be needed, add any last minute items if so (i.e. ziploc baggie of grain for horse, people lunch, additional drinks, etc) - drop crew box in designated spot
Give wet mash with electrolytes in the evening
Eat a good dinner
Set out my clothes for in the morning
GO VISIT AND SOCIALIZE!
Try to get to bed at a decent time

Do you have a special pre-ride routine that you use? What about any key items of preparation that you just can't do without?

Moonshine Loop from Lemmon Valley

2010-04-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Funder and I had a GREAT ride out in Lemmon Valley on Sunday (4/18). She brought her GPS and was able to map the route. Her total route shows 19.5 miles, but she rode over and met us at the arena, and rode back when done, so Diego and I probably did around 17 or so. This is one of my favorite loops to do, and thus why I use it on the endurance ride I manage, the Nevada Moonshine Night Ride. It's probably been at least two years since I did the loop, if not three, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I remembered all the turns and which way we needed to go without any issues at all. It was also a great scouting trip to see what kind of condition the trail was in for our upcoming ride in June (6/26/2010).

Getting over to the arena in the morning was probably the hardest part of my day! I've just been so stressed and overwhelmed with work and school lately, and now have been battling a head/chest cold on top of everything else, so it didn't take much to ruin my morning. Having the truck die and refuse to start (older battery which has now been replaced) and needing to call hubby to come rescue me was just about the final straw. I had a momentary debate with myself on if I still wanted to go riding, or just go curl up in bed, and after a call to Funder where it was determined that she WAS willing to wait an extra hour or so for me to get all my crap situated (BLESS HER), I decided to still go.

And am I GLAD I did!!! Once we started riding, it was just an absolutely gorgeous day to be out! The desert is about as green as it gets right now. Riding past all the interesting rock formations, on a beautiful sandy dirt road, with the blue-blue sky above, the snowy mountains in front, and the warm sun shining down... Aaahhh!! JUST what I needed! To top off all the happiness and sunshine, I had the BEST ride on Diego that I've ever had yet! He really was just a super-star all day long. At one point, Dixie really spooked about a funky looking tree stump that was off the trail. I've been wondering how Dig would react to another horse spooking at something. Turns out his response was to look at what Dixie was looking at, go "Huh? Wha..? Hhmm, nothing" and then continue to mosey on down the trail. =)

We then had our first encounter with dirt bikes, and the rider was SO NICE, it could not have gone better. I had dismounted as soon as I heard the bike, but probably didn't even need to. He shut off his bike from a little ways back and coasted to a stop, then the first thing he did was start talking (asked us a question about directions). Immediately the horses were able to identify this weird creature as at least "somewhat human". We walked over and talked with him for a little while, then he asked us if he could start the bike. He started it back up (it was a quieter street legal version) and rode off nice and slow. Neither horse seemed to mind or care at all. Just a great first experience for Dig to have (outside of seeing AJ and Taren ride around up near his corral). Later, he got to see several other bikes and quads going by at a distance, and ride over to a group of guys relaxing with their bikes after their ride.

Another good encounter was when another rider and a very forward Arab mare caught up to us and then jigged/trotted off down the road, and Diego calmly watched them go. Funder had to put her mare behind Diego for a bit since Dixie thought she should go catch that other horse. ;) Two horses was fine, but three was a race! Dig was just in "chill" mode today and nothing seemed to phase him.

Speaking of "race", Diego and I got to do a bit more cantering yesterday as well. Previously, we've only cantered maybe three strides here or there in a few random rides. Things were going so well yesterday that I let him pick up the canter and encouraged him to keep going with it a few different times. He's getting the hang of it. Often, he would only go a few strides, and then transition back to a trot on his own. Once, I had to bring him back down when, as we cantered past a pipeline marker laying on the ground, he got a bit more UP than forward with it, but all in all we were doing very well learning our new "gear".

The only downside to the ride was that we had a few boot issues. For now, I planning on keeping Diego barefoot, which means we'll be using hoof boots for rides. Since Easycare is coming out with a newer style Glove, which has an improved gaiter and thicker toe, I've been reluctant to invest in new boots until this new style is available. This means I've been making due with Sinatra's older, original style Easyboots, which are a size 1, and of which I have COPIOUS amounts (like 10+, really). Last weekend's ride at Peoria Flats with my mom clearly revealed that Diego needs an 0 rather than a 1 on his rears, so this weekend I left his rears bare and just booted his fronts. Except, that meant that he just wasn't moving right today. He felt like a girl trying to run in high heels, shorter choppy strides. I'm not sure if it's a function of those boots being too big as well (a possibility), or if it was because his hinds got sore on the harder packed roads after several miles. He did move out better on the softer footing, but still not quite like normal. The new and improved Gloves are now available in the size that I need for Dig, so I'm hoping to invest in a full set come next paycheck.

Overall, it was a really great day and I had a really great time. Just what I needed to do. When I woke up Monday morning to go to work, I actually felt like I had taken a mini-vacation, rather than spending half my weekend slaving away on a term paper. I told Funder, "You know, I think I'm really at that I LOVE MY PONY stage now!" =)

Going to Washoe

2010-04-22T11:40:00.001-07:00

Diego shall be making his official AERC debut at the Washoe Valley Endurance Rides on May 1st and 2nd. At this time, we've signed up to ride both days of LD (25-mile) rides. I know that he can easily handle the 25-mile distance, it's just the pace I'm a bit worried about. We'll be planning on taking most of the allowable time each day. Hopefully we'll finish strong the first day and have no qualms about going out the second. As of the 21st, they had 21 people signed up for the LD on Saturday and 7 for the LD on Sunday (pre-entries closed yesterday, so this number will probably go up a bit more). Whoo hoo! Funder is planning on joining us as well. We'll probably end up riding together, but Dixie is a bit faster paced than Diego, so while Funder has been willing to slow down to ride with us for the most part, perhaps we'll find someone else going equally as slow and she and Dixie can ride at their own prefered pace.

As of last night, the camper is now loaded on the truck. We're going out of town this weekend for a dirt bike race for hubby. I'm a bit undecided as to the hoof protection we're going to be using. The older size 1 easyboots I currently own seem to be just a bit too big for Diego. I think I'm going to end up foaming on some 0's all the way around. One less thing to worry about. I really want to get him going in some Gloves, but am leary to try using a gaitered boot during an actual ride when I haven't even been able to play around with them on a shorter training ride yet. For now, we'll go with what we know at least somewhat works.

Decisions, Decisions

2010-04-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

I've got a bunch of posts in draft status, some of which are pathetically only a title with a date and maybe a few brief notes. School and work have been keeping me swamped and I just haven't had time to write on my blog. But thankfully I pretty much HAVE been riding! Diego and I are both doing better and better and continuing to make improvements.

As ride season is getting underway, I find myself torn between wanting to get out there and get our first few AERC rides under our belts, and waffling on if I feel that we are ready or not. Diego and I haven't done a longer ride (over 10 miles) at anything resembling a ride pace since a 20-miler in February. We have done a pretty quick 10-miler, where he was JUST feeling "settled" and ready to keep going, about the time we were done and back in camp. We've also done a few harder, longer - but pretty much walk-only slower, rides that have varied between 10-15 miles and he never felt tired at all on any of those. But I'm still not sure he's ready for a 50...

Back in December I had posted a tentative ride schedule. Here's where we currently stand with that:

Rides of March - probably the 30-mile LD, this will be our first official AERC ride and the LD is sufficiently difficult that it should be a value-added experience for Diego.
Hubby and I ended up going to San Diego for a business conference this week and I wasn't in town. No ride.

High Desert (mid-April-ish) - Diego's first 50.
I just don't think he's going to be ready for his first 50 this weekend. I've also decided that I'd rather do my LD-distance training rides either at home or at a NEDA ride (which costs around $40) rather than pay AERC fees. We're planning on skipping it.

Washoe in May - probably only one day, these are good tough rides.
Was going to maybe do his first 50 here. Now I'm thinking about doing back-to-back LD rides instead. I won a free entry to one day, which means the AERC rate would equal about what I'm willing to pay to ride that shorter distance over two days... Also, with my previous horse, I had found that doing back-to-back shorter distance rides to be an excellent indicator on if we were ready to move up in distance. Thoughts???

Considering maybe an earlier June 50 - Cooley Ranch, NASTR?

Manage the Nevada Moonshine Night Ride June 26-27th

Tour de Washoo (July 3rd) - This ride was Sinatra and I's first 50. Would really like to ride the 50, maybe do some camping and such in the early summer to get Dig legged up and ready for his first 50 here as well. Not an overly difficult ride, but can be pretty tough due to the heat. We'll pencil this one in...

Bridgeport in August - this one I've wanted to do for YEARS but it has never worked out with my schedule. Hopefully this will be the year. I've marked trail on the first 20-mile loop before and it's just a beautiful ride in the Twin Lakes area of California. Lots of good friends usually attend this ride as well.
Still on the schedule.

High Desert in October (mid-Oct-ish) - Final two days to get the blankie, 50/50 each day
Still would like to do one and/or both days of this ride.

Mud and Cows and Canters - Oh My!

2010-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

Funder and I had a good adventure with the ponies on Friday. I picked her up and we trailered over the hill to the Indian Reservation, with plans to ride out from there and across the valley to do some hillwork on the other side. Most of the footing is very sandy in that area, so we were hoping to avoid most of the slop created by our recent pattern of wet weather. After getting tacked up, we encountered our first, and perhaps most challenging obstacle, not 200 yards from the trailer. The reservation had installed a cattle guard across the road since the last time I had been out that direction. I used to park just on the other side of the boundary fence (a barbed wire affair), but due to a deep and sloppy mud puddle, and no desire to mud-bog with the horse trailer, had instead chosen to park along the gravel road. This left us on the wrong side of the fence and cattle guard, with no gate in sight. After hemming and hawing, and looking around for a few minutes, I decided to see if we couldn't convince the horses to squeeze through the 18"-24" wide opening that was between the end fence post and a shorter, perhaps 2 ft high post that was the anchor point for the cattle guard. This meant that in reality, there was plenty of room for their bodies to fit, but they would have to be careful and negotiate the narrow space with their feet/legs.

Diego was first up to bat, and while he did try, he just couldn't convince himself that he indeed could go through that spot. The matter was a bit further complicated by having a small granite slab directly across from the opening, so they had to step through in one step, and then immediately turn toward the larger fence post to avoid the rock. Dig tried once, but when he rubbed the stirrup on the fence post, that pressure sent him back unsuccessfully. After a few minutes, F and Dixie decided to show us how it was done. Dixie gallantly bulldozed through the obstacle, knocking down the end fence post with a loud crack that left it supported at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Thanks Dix!!! ;) Diego realized he could fit through the newly improved larger opening and we were on our way.

The going was pretty sloppy, slippy clay mud on top of a firmer sandy base. So there wasn't a lot of suction, but there was a fair amount of slide. Certainly not ideal footing, but I was hopeful we would get to the more sandy terrain pretty quickly. At one point, I heard some warnings and cussing behind me and turned around in time to watch Dixie navigate down the road bank, slip with her front hooves, and then just gracefully fold up under herself and come to a rest laying on her belly, with F still up top. I was riding Diego at this point and he only jumped around a tiny bit. I started laughing at the whole situation, not just the identical expressions of "WTF?!?" on F and Dixie's faces, but that this is the second time in as many rides that the horse I've been riding with has gone down and ended up on the ground. What are the odds? Dixie got right back up without issue and we continued down and onto a lovely sandy road.

Knowing these roads and trails from living out this direction, the plan was the head southwest and ride a couple of the big long hills in the Lemmon Valley area. Once we made the turn onto the south bound road, it wasn't long until we encountered the herd of 20-30 cattle that winter in this area. Now, I know that Diego has seen cows before, but they were still cause for much excitement. I was on foot and we snorted and pranced our way toward the cows. Unfortunately, cows being cows, instead of merely parting like the Red Sea at our approach, they turned and continued down the road in front of us, the same direction we were heading (sigh). I tried to be positive about getting some miles in under my own feet and just continued down the road. After a bit, Diego seemed to be less afraid of the cows, and more interested in them, but I was starting to realize how much this past couple of weeks of work+school were weighing on me, and I was **TIRED** and just didn't feel like trying to deal with it while mounted. Once the cows finally exited the stage, we continued on toward the next road (a trail I use for my Moonshine Ride). I went to mount up and just had to take a moment to breathe and gather myself. At that point, all I wanted to do was lay down and take a nap in the sand. I didn't WANT to ride my stupid, jumpy, green horse. =( I just wanted to be able to sit on my butt and relax. I was tired and suddenly the whole idea just seemed a lot more like work than fun. Bummer.

But swing my leg over I did. With the philosophy that a tired horse is a less jumpy horse, we pointed them up the hill and started to trot. At one point, F and Dixie were in front of us and Diego tucked his head and cantered for a couple of strides. I pulled him back down the second his tail disappeared underneath him in a big tuck, and thankfully he was a good polite boy and complied with my request. F asked me how it was, since we had recently been talking about "is it time to canter" and really, it wasn't too bad. Diego seems to be exceptionally smooth in all of his gaits. We'll still stick with short uphill bits for now though. ;) Diego went in front for a while and again I was impressed with how non-spooky and bold he could be. He almost seems to do BETTER in the front, since his big spooky monsters still tend to attack from behind. Perhaps having another horse behind him is his confidence booster, rather than needing to follow? This thought is a BIG breakthrough for me. All of a sudden the light bulb just came on!!! This does seem to follow his reaction pattern when riding with other horses.

We made it up to the main intersection of the trail and then headed south downhill. DIEGO HAS THE MOST AWESOME DOWNHILL WALK!!! He was just FLOWING, so fast and so smooth. It was just a hair under a trot, and he would try to put in a little jog step every now and then but just lifting my reins was enough to slow him down. At one point, they spooked up a jackrabbit and Diego cut his front feet to the right, a la reining horse, but didn't even budge with his hind end. As we were starting to get near the bottom of the hill, my cell phone rang and it was my hubby wondering where I was. When he told me what time it was, I was flabbergasted! Time had just flown by and we needed to get headed back toward the trailer, not continuing away from it. So we did an about-face and started the horses up the long climb to the top of the mountain. This is the hill that's about 5 miles in on the old Rides of March trail for those that have done that ride. It's about a 1,000 ft climb in about a mile or a mile and a half. A good, strong workout for the horses. They did great, only having to stop a few times to catch their breath. I was most impressed with Diego, he did much better than I would have expected, lucky Arab genes (I'll have to do a post about conditioning a non-Arab vs. Arab once I have a couple of AERC rides on Diego).

This hill has several false summits, but eventually we made it to the top and turned onto the correct side trail down into the adjacent sandy wash. It had been a couple of years since I had ridden that trail (at least two), so I had to look around a bit since it was wider than I remembered and had a new trail on the opposite side of a facing hill. After looking around for a bit, and assuring F (who wasn't worried) that everything connects anyways, we continued on down. It was the correct turn off and we dismounted and handwalked the horses down the back side and almost back down to the road where the cows were. Along this stretch, F got to see the less lovely side of the Nevada desert as we encountered an old dead fridge (with the door still on, a lovely fake cherrywood affair that was a death trap for sure), several old TV's and other assorted junk. I hate that people feel the need to dump their trash on our trails. =(

After getting toward the bottom of the wash and mounting back up, we discussed whether to take the sandy road where all the cows were, or perhaps take the other main road, which had no cows but I suspected would be a lot muddier. We ended up just heading cross ways diagonal across the open plains. And they were open plains, F said she was reminded of scenes of riding in Africa and half suspected to see zebra's any minute. It DID look a lot like that. Very low lying sage, but other than that, just a couple random juniper trees dotted the landscape. Diego was on cow-alert, and just couldn't bring himself to relax, instead having to continually sweep the horizon to spot the random cows that were scattered (a LONG ways away) on both sides. Other than tensing up and doing his now characteristic "one-stride bolt" (he humps his back up and hops forward one step), he wasn't really misbehaving per se. But it's so hard to RELAX when the horse is tense, and I was really having to TRY to relax, which is an oxymoron to say the least. At one point, we rode down into a more low-lying area, and he couldn't SEE the stinkin' cows, but was convinced they were rushing in to surround us for a blood-thirsty attack. After much eye-rolling and circles on my part, we survived to discover that no, the cows were actually NOT plotting diabolical schemes, had barely moved at all, and were more interested in eating.

The remaining trip back to the trailer was pretty low-key. I rode Diego through his first big puddle, which was a non-issue since he seems to love playing in the water. We rode through most of the more slippery mud this time. He was getting a bit tense having to balance himself, plus Dixie was on the opposite side of the road (their friend's but not totally attached, but he is still aware of where she is). Getting back through the Gate of Death was much easier headed this direction. We stood the post back up after we were both through to at least fake it looking normal (and it pretty much does).

During the ride, I was very much having a low-spot mentally. I was fatigued from the past couple of weeks and just not prepared to deal with green horse antics. I was depressed about how long it had taken us to ride a relatively short distance (9.64 miles in 3:04). I wasn't thinking that Diego would be mentally ready/able to deal with doing an actual ride by Rides of March. Just more focused on the negative. After sleeping a large part of this weekend, and now writing this entry, I have a more positive outlook on things. We did walk nearly 90% of this ride, and I was on foot for at least a couple of miles. The poor footing in portions and dealing with the cows really slowed us down. Diego settled much more at the NEDA ride after we were able to trot out a couple of miles, we didn't really have that opportunity during this ride. He hadn't even been out of the paddock for two weeks due to poor weather conditions. My breakthrough on putting him in the front (or at least middle) is a big key element as well. For now, we'll continue to plug along towards our goals and take things one ride at a time.

Mental Training for the Rider

2010-01-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

Reposted from: HorseCity.com

Mental Training for the Rider
by Charles Wilhelm
www.charleswilhelm.com

The first thing when talking about mental training for the rider is that I believe we all need to understand we must be very positive thinking in our abilities. We must believe absolutely in what we are able to do. And that means recognizing what are abilities actually are no matter the level. At the same time, we have to bring into account negativity. Why negativity? Because while we want to be extremely positive about our own abilities, we also have to be realistic about where the horse is in its own training. Once we are truly aware of both the positives and the negatives in our relationship, we then also need to not become overly attached to those ideas and allow them to interfere with our intentions, meaning the exercises we have planned.

Intent and Focus

Clear intentions in training are vital. We need to identify what we intend our goals to be. And that includes where to start, how to get there, and where to end. We absolutely have to prepare our mental state to stay focused on these goals rather than to react to the environment around us. You may be working with your horse and have another horse get totally out of control, or hear another rider shouting at someone but you have to stay utterly focused on the horse you are working with. Find your center and stay on track with your own work. Don't allow yourself to get distracted and you will find your horse is much less likely to get distracted as well. If you are focused, your horse will be focused it really is that straightforward.

Many people don't recognize what intentions really mean in terms of horsemanship and yet that really is the magic in training. The dictionary definition of the word intention is: "A course of action that one intends to follow. An aim that guides action; an objective." So when we are clear in our minds as to what our intentions are, our goals about how to achieve those intentions become clear as well. The mental process actually provides physical form. And as the horse reads body language the positioning of your body makes the magical communication happen with the horse. For example, when out trail riding, if your intention is to turn right and go through a gate, you need to already see yourself doing it in your mind's eye before you begin actually doing it. The process may have some difficulty in the horse not understanding or getting confused, but if you stay focused on going through the gate as you imagine it, it greatly helps the horse as they need purpose. One of the things that we have talked about before, is that with any exercise we do, we have to be able to picture our doing it every step. So imagine riding up to the gate, step, pivot, go through the gate, step, pivot to close the gate, move out away from the gate. If we cannot picture it, we will not be successful. If you can only see yourself going through the gate, then that's all you should do. Only do what you can actually perceive. Adjust your goals to meet your own ability to imagine.

Focus on Good Behavior

Another important aspect of your own mental training is not to get involved in the negative behavior of the horse. For example, if I have a rude, belligerent horse I do not get caught up in his negative behavior. I remain focused on the goals of the training only. If we are working in the round pen and he is bolting or charging, I am focused only on getting the response I want, which is for the horse to be relaxed, to have rhythm, balance, cadence, and that he wants to be with me. I am not worrying about the other behaviors just focused on what I need to do to achieve my goals. And frankly, that's often just a question of time, which is irrelevant to a horse. They operate on their own time. But again the mental image is key. You have to imagine the behavior and response you intend to get from the horse. It's the same with real estate. You can go out and look at a house as it is, or see it as it's meant to be. Do you get caught up on a brown lawn and peeling paint, or can you imagine the house after you have worked on it and see how it could look/should look? It's vital to learn to use our imagination to succeed and that's available to everyone we just don't seem to use it often with our horses.

Take the Chance, Accept the Risk

One of the reasons probably is that we get so fixated on fear and intimidation. But the reality is, those are very normal feelings when being around horses! But as a professional or even just a serious horse-lover, you have to be willing to take that extra step, whether it's to go into a show arena or out on the trail. You have to simply get on the horse one day, and to allow the practice of handling horses to take on its own life. But at some point, you have to be willing to take that chance, to accept the risk. And to do that - you have to be able to imagine yourself doing it with crystal clarity.

This is an especially common problem with many of the riders who return to horses as adults. They often feel like they want to give up, or get overwhelmed quickly. And that's no surprise. It seemed so easy to ride when we were young, and falling off was never a big deal. Now that we are older and don't bounce so good there is even more danger in handling and riding horses. So when you have those times of feeling overwhelmed or giving up, all it really means is that you need to back up in your relationship with the horse, and return to the basics until you are more comfortable. Can that mean you may be doing just groundwork for six months? Maybe. So what? I have a client who was extremely fearful. She returned to riding in her late 40's and got hurt trail riding shortly afterwards. But rather than giving up, she spent a year working her horse from the ground, and then finally riding in the round pen, then the arena, and then at about the end of that year, went back out on the trail. She has been she riding everywhere on the trail ever since! She did not give up. She instead reset her goals to be in line with what she could imagine herself doing. And slowly as her confidence built, she was able to imagine herself being more and more ambitious in her goals. Finally she broke through the fear barrier altogether and is now living her dream with her horse.

Your Mental State

It's easy to lose confidence when we push ourselves beyond what we can imagine ourselves doing. So have confidence in what your abilities truly are, define your intentions based on those abilities, imagine yourself accomplishing your intentions, and then stay completely focused on working with those goals every time you are with your horse.

Your mental state and preparation for your horse's training really is the most important thing that will determine your success, or failures. What you can imagine yourself doing, you can achieve! So don't be afraid to dream big when it comes to your relationship with your horse. Believe in yourself, be patient, persistent and those dreams will come true.

_________________________________

About Charles Wilhelm

Known as the creator of Ultimate Foundation Training, Charles combines the best of traditional, classical and natural horsemanship into a methodology that is applicable to any riding discipline. His extensive background includes: Dressage, Working Cow Horse, Reining, Western Pleasure and Trail. He is known for communicating and motivating people as well as his astounding natural abilities with a horse. He believes "It's Never, Ever the Horse's Fault" and his training methods reflect that belief. Charles specializes in re-schooling horses with often-severe issues.

Charles has a weekly television show, writes monthly columns, has two books and numerous training DVDs. He performs clinics and demonstrations at venues throughout the country. He offers extensive hands-on learning programs for every level of horsemanship that reflect his motto "Success Through Knowledge".

Click here for Charles Wilhelm's site.

The Old Epiphany Thing

2010-01-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

This came to me via a friend of a friend type thing (Fran is a friend of my mom's). Written by Fran Odom with Odom's Mountain Horse Ranch. She wrote this back in 2006 and it was something so profound that I saved it at the time. I rediscovered it today and am sharing with you. Read it once, read it again, then read it one more time. There is some VERY deep and interesting thoughts here. Emphasis in blue are mine:

Hi,
I had a new understanding come to me today. In working Hijo in the round pen, I noticed we had a long way to go. His turns to the inside were poor. When cued, he would stop straight, look at me, sometimes decide I was indicating to reverse, step around on his front feet and move off.

My first analysis determined that his move was not on his hinds stepping under, therefore I was getting nothing from him. This disclosed that somehow, some way I needed to drive him into the movement so that the momentum did not cease as he reversed to the inside. In observing his way of going I noticed it was haltingly always prepared to stop. Interpreting that attitude into future activities meant he would not go when needed nor would he stop when needed.

I decided to push for a canter – until he believed in me. It took a long time and many stops and goes before it came. But in the end the side that was so darn difficult indeed did a lovely wide inside turn never halting the movement. That was very pleasing. He learned it and repeated it well thereafter. However….

Going in the opposite direction has ALWAYS, since day one, been an issue to this horse. He did/does not like the look of life on that side. At any given moment he will attempt to turn and reverse. His inside turn is naturally inclined due to this preference; the goal was to keep him moving. He could make 7 or 8 laps and should I move an eyelash he would give it the old college try, even considering going over the top rail. He really didn’t want to go that direction.

Some of my exercises would be to ask for the outside turn instead (because the inside was his preference) and then an inside and continue forward (a 360).

As I observed his consistent effort to choose his own change in direction, I began to think about what affect I would have on him if I stopped too soon OR if I did not correct him until he became comfortable in the direction I requested.

The answer to that thought is fairly profound to me at this point. It may sound too simple. This horse needed to believe in me. Over and over he tested mostly because he didn’t feel comfortable on one side. He needed to not only do it but believe he could do it. When he would stop and try to reverse, his correction and being set back on course by me was the support he needed. For some reason as he went round and round, he believed it would end because he couldn’t do it without end (this type of belief the horse holds is that devil named Resistance). It was a responsibility of mine to stay long enough while he did it until……..

Until he began to feel well maybe I CAN do it… He tells himself and me his change of thought by licking his lips, stretching his neck, relaxing in the movement, taking direction and returning to it without stress or argument. He begins to get the feel of that direction and finding it comfortable.

The part I play in it is a commitment to him both by staying with him and being there for him when he thinks he must fail (quit) and pushing him onward until it no longer is an issue. In so doing he knows that I know his every moment of “weakness” wherein I made him strong. I was right there every single time and not once did I let him make that mistake. He can believe in me because I believed in him. It is only through this work and support can the horse grow in confidence. ~ C here: Go read that one again.

We humans think that when they do it wrong, we are being kind to not notice. Instead if we notice and correct it, the horse is comforted by that act. His comfort is knowing you are right there every second to support him.

I never viewed this effort as making a weak animal strong. I never realized the depth of the instinct to resist and hold onto an idea of not giving in. I now see the “do what you gotta do until you can get out of there!” resistance.

I never understood how letting the horse not do it perfectly was undermining his entire outlook and confidence. Because as long as he does not feel himself let go and stop resisting, he is learning how long it takes to hold out.

Back when I successfully got his GOOD inside turn on the difficult side, I stopped to allow him a little breather. During that time I asked him to come in to me. He couldn’t. After he worked through going the other direction without interruption, when I stopped him he came right in. The round pen is very revealing if you open your eyes and see what really is happening.

I still do not feel that I expressed all of the lesson I learned today. It’s pretty deep to see the difference between fake it and give it all. Had Jerry Tindell (Fran's instructor) not stayed so long with that red horse in the round pen, I would not have seen what was necessary to know when the give happened. The impact on the horse must really be something for it to experience. I know that if Sport had experienced all this in the beginning it would not have taken him so long to get this far.

I am a fairly stubborn person. I learned to hold out. Period.

To change, to soften, to release an idea, to reconsider, to try, those are not easy to do when holding out is the way of life. I can understand the lifted load a horse must feel when he has gone through the process. Once through the process he learned the answer. Now he holds the answer and can use it every time he is asked and use it with confidence! That must be empowering!!!

Well I am finished trying to explain now. I hope that something I said held meaning…and perhaps opened a small door for someone.

Two Steps Forward... Here Comes the One Back

2010-01-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

The little set backs just seem to be a part of life, but that doesn't mean I have to like them does it?

Friday, I made plans with one of my friends to go riding. We originally agreed to meet at a local arena and ride around there. I dug out my copy of 101 Arena Exercises and even dog-eared a few that I had plans to work on. Then, I actually GOT to the arena - or where the arena had been. Now there was a lovely fenced in pond. How quaint. Diego and I waded out to see just how bad the footing was. There was about 2" +/- of standing water on top of the very soupy sand/mud base. It didn't seem slippery at all (good), just really, really wet. I unclipped Diego after the first 20 feet and waded over to the slightly drier island which was along one of the fence lines. Poor baby was stranded in the puddle and stayed there looking around without moving for several minutes. Dork.

Once he realized the Horseness Monster was not going to swim out of the murky depths, he had fun running around the arena. He looked like one of those calendar shoots with the water flying as the horse majestically gallops down the beach, except there was no beach and he's a hairy dirty furball right now. Sarah showed up after a few minutes and turned her two horses that she had brought out as well. They had fun running around together and Diego made us laugh by doing mare squeals when Dandy tried to sniff his arm pit. Sarah and I discussed our riding options, the arena wasn't slippery at all - just really wet, and decided to go ahead and trailer out to Washoe Lake to ride down the beach instead. After a few minutes of wrangling, we were able to catch all three - but not before Diego decided he was **HOT** and rolled in the water/sand/mud combo. GREAT! At least he only got one side before frantic screaming mother chased him up.

So we trailered out to Washoe, which Diego has been to only once before. Thankfully he somewhat dried in the trailer on the way over there and I was able to curry and brush most of the sand off. Saddled up and then decided to go ahead and mount up in the parking lot right away without doing any lunging or hand-walking first, since he had already had the chance to run around. He was actually pretty good, much more scooty than normal, but listening for the most part. My problem was that I was mounted a bit before Sarah was ready to go (she was riding one and ponying the other), and Diego go impatient while waiting. As I could feel his tension start building, I decided to go ahead and get off and walk him to the beach instead. I'm glad I did, because Sarah got to the beach first - to discover a loose dog that tried to jump up on her ponied horse. That potentially would have been a VERY bad situation on Diego, who doesn't like dogs as it is.

The loose dog was leashed by the time I got to the beach and I walked Diego down the beach for a while. Eventually I went ahead and got on and we had a pretty good ride. He tucked his butt and scooted forward several different times, and never really relaxed. He also pretty much refused to go in front at all. I kept him over in the deep sand for the most part and we would just walk along and then trot a short bit to catch up with Sarah's super fast walking gaited horses. Dig was too anxious to really walk out at all. He did do well with the few obstacles we encountered, such as some drift-branches, taller grasses, and some flying birds. He would give them the "helicopter ear" by tipping his ear out parallel to the ground as we rode by, but other than that didn't seem overly concerned. He just didn't **feel** as nice and relaxed as he has the past few rides.

Once we turned around and headed back, we had a bit of a funny incident when my cell phone rang. It was strapped to my ankle and Diego kept trying to turn to see "what was making that noise?!?" Except the noise would then turn and still be behind him. I got him to settle and then hopped off to return the call - no point in trying to kill myself by talking on the phone while riding my green horse. Sarah got a way ahead while I was talking, and I briefly debated about mounting up and trying to catch up, but thoughts of Diego bolting off with me hanging off the side nixed that idea. I WILL be brave with this horse at some point, I WILL. For now, I'm playing everything extra safe.

The other new thing that Diego got to experience was being ridden in the rain. It sprinkled a bit on the way down the beach, and then started to rain harder on us as we were nearly back. Mr. I Love My Barn And Don't Do Wet was not overly thrilled to say the least. He had his head tucked and his ears back in displeasure. Poor baby. =) I dismounted again as we started to get back to the trailers (not really sure why in hindsight), but it was good practice as I let Sarah get ahead and out of sight, and then took a slightly different way back. It was good for Diego to realize that he was out there with ME, not with THEM, and that he still needed to be paying attention to me and my demands. We had a lesson in remembering not to run over Mom and stop when she stops while jogging on the sandy single-track back to the trailer.

Overall, it was a good ride and a good day. Just not as excellent as the past few rides have been. I was surprise at how much more buddied-up Diego was with Sarah's horses compared to when riding with Funder. He also was more spooky and tense than normal, but like I told hubby when I got home, it was also a good lesson for me in realizing that I CAN cope with that behavior and he didn't ever get worse. Writing this has also helped put the day into perspective. Overall, a success.

Looking Back

2010-01-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

I'm still glowing from last weekend. Having these great rides are exactly what Diego and I both need right now. This has really been a big year of ups and downs for us. I happened to think today that I've been blogging our progress for over a year now, so I went back and looked at what we were doing around this time last year. A year ago yesterday, Jan 4, 2009, we had just trotted under saddle for the very first time. I remember how tentative he was about riding with other horses. How he would stop and freeze up when they were close enough to pass us. How getting him to trot for 5-10 steps at a time was a big accomplishment.

Now, I can look back at last weekend, how he trotted along on a loose rein for several blocks at a time. How he OFFERED to pick up the trot again, and how happy I was to have such a forward-going horse who seemed to really enjoy being out and being ridden. How successfully he leapfrogged back and forth with another horse. How he actually did a pretty good job of holding it together for his first official ride start.

While I certainly didn't accomplish everything I was hoping to, we are most definitely getting there. Baby steps. One thing that has continued to amaze me is how our relationship has really blossomed and grown in the past few months. Dig has a softer look about his eye, and I've noticed that he's started to turn to me in moments of unsureity for guidance. Even small things, like remaining standing parallel to the fence when I walk up to feed, rather than turning to face me head on, and allowing me to scratch his back and withers over the fence are small improvements I haven't taken the time to appreciate.

Looking forward to the future.

Epic Win - Still Smiling

2010-01-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

I have to steal the title that Funder used, because it was exactly that. We took Diego and her horse Dixie to the NEDA (National Endurance Driving Assoc) ride this past Saturday and just had a highly successful day, even if our mileage ended up a bit under the original goal. We had originally planned on riding the 20-mile ride, but the fact that Silver Springs still had a FOOT of snow off the trails, and that 90% of the ride was along back-country roads that were packed snow and prone to icy conditions if you weren't along the berm, settling for 12 miles was the perfect solution.

I left early and went out to pick up Funder and we trailered over to Silver Springs. I was thankful for the 4wd on the truck as we turned off the dry roads and onto packed snow for the last 1/2 mile to the house where the ride was being hosted. We were the second trailer there, I wanted to have plenty of time to get Diego saddled and settled before the ride started. Both horses were calm and relaxed for the most part while we were getting ready. I took Diego over to the unplowed driveway across the street (the ride site had been scraped with a tractor blade and was a thin layer of snow/ice) and lunged him for a while before the ride started. He was a little rushy but relaxed and not to worried for the most part. The Arab tail was less than perpendicular to the ground, so things looked good.

He got a little snorty when the carts (3 in total) left, they're similar to homemade chariots and I'm pretty positive he had never seen a cart before, but really he was very brave and stood his ground as they went by. Then the bigger pack of riders (I think there was about 20) left and as I set off on foot (per my original plan), I found that I had a Macy's Balloon attached to the end of my reins rather than a horse. He was prancing along barely touching the ground, snorting, blowing, and his tail was flipped up somewhere between his ears. Thankfully all our groundwork has paid off and he was respectful of my space and wasn't pulling on me too bad, getting a bit ahead at times but a sharp jerk on the lead had him stopping and backing up - only to start again. Once we went 100 yards down the trail and turned a corner, there was a nice fresh patch of deep snow that I decided would be perfect to work off some of this excess energy. So we went off the trail and proceeded to trot and run in circles for a little while. I did try to be respectful of the other riders and have Diego stop and stand when I noticed that he was working up the other horses trying to pass. It was a little difficult in that there wasn't really a good place to do that in camp, so finding a spot along the trail was my best option. Either way, we all survived and after a short while I was able to continue leading him down the trail.

In less than a mile (thankfully, walking through snow is a good work-out), Dig was doing a pretty respectable job of paying more attention to me than to the other horses, so I decided it was safe to get on. We continued down to the next intersection where the trail turned right and I mounted up in the big four-way stop. I was so thankful that F and Dixie were still with us, I appreciated her being patient and putting up with "young, green horse with no brain". Dixie was being a model citizen and setting a good example for Diego. I mounted with no issues and rode the opposite way of the main pack, did a few circles, turns, checked the brakes, and then we headed off the correct direction since all systems were go at that point. Diego was still tense, but he was listening.

After another mile or so, things were going well so I asked Dig to trot a few steps for me. He did well and didn't get too rushy or try to take off. So then I was able to ask for a few more, and eventually we worked into longer and longer sections of trotting. As we were riding along back roads and passing various houses, this was an excellent experience for both horses. We had to ride past mailboxes, garbage cans, creative yard decorations, barking dogs, burned out trailers, abandoned cars, and even a couple of pigs (which I don't think Diego SAW, although I did). Dig was a very brave boy and him and Dixie were able to take equal turns leading. Often, when one was "stuck" looking at something, the other one would be able to bravely continue onward.

Dixie and Diego actually did a pretty good job together. They both had a buddy, but are also both independent enough that we were able to leap frog each other very effectively. Unfortunately, we really need to work on our pacing. Although at the walk we were able to stay together pretty well (Dix walks a little faster), anything faster than a walk just wasn't working out that well. Surprisingly, Diego hasn't realized he can TROT like a real horse under saddle, instead offering more of a 6-7 mph jog for the most part. Dixie would normally probably be able to do a slow rack at this speed, but couldn't on the ice that well (poor thing did have one good "Bambi on ice" slip that she's thankfully no worse for). Her trot was in the 9 mph range, which Diego just couldn't keep up with. So Dig and I would jog ahead, then Dixie would trot to catch up, or pass us and then walk, and then we would jog by - wash, rinse, repeat. Hopefully things will work out as we ride together more and on better footing.

One thing that riding on the snowy roads allowed me to do was to really work with Diego on our lateral work, leg yields, and steering. There's nothing like trying to ride in an 18" deeper snow path next to a more packed tire track along the side of the road, or stay in the deeper portion in the middle of the road, to find out how well your directional signals work. I was very pleased to notice that Dig's are installed fairly well and that he does listen to them most of the time. We did have a little debate about if his hind end was indeed connected to his front end, and he realized that I would boot him to remind him that it was. =)

Once we finished the 10-mile loop and got back to the trailer, we offered them water. Diego swished more than drank I think, but the weather was very cold and he wasn't that sweaty. I think the HIGH for the day out there was around 33* F. We gave them have a small snack, left their saddles on, and after 30 minutes or so, mounted back up and rode back down the trail aways. F had this most excellent idea, that way they wouldn't think that just because they were back at the trailer, they were done. While Diego had been starting to drag a little coming back, offering to stop randomly, he perked right up and trotted out of camp like a champ. They both were very forward and no one had any issues about leaving (although Dixie's "camp-dar" was in full effect she was wondering exactly WHY we were leaving). We rode out of camp for a little over a mile and then turned around and came back. All-in-all, while we probably could have repeated the loop with no issues, we ended the day with happy, healthy horses that weren't stressed or overtired by their experience. An Epic Win for sure!

P.S. Oh - and Diego survived having velcro open behind him with no issues. His only real spook (which resulted in a tuck and scoot forward and made me laugh at him) was when F got off of Dix as we finished the first loop. Dork.

Happy 101 - Happy 2010

2010-01-04T10:16:00.001-08:00

Endurance Granny bestowed the Happy 101 to me recently and I'm supposed to go through and list ten things that make me happy. This seems like an appropriate post to start the new year off as well.

My family - especially my husband and my son. Although they both are capable of driving me totally crazy (for very different reasons), I do most certainly love my boys and really miss them when they're not around. I also love the special relationship that they have together, it makes me very happy to see my husband as a loving and caring father. I'm also very blessed to have a wonderful relationship with my mom, who is probably my best friend. Although we certainly had our differences during "the teenage years", she and I now have a great relationship and she's one of the first people I want to share my joys, achievements, frustrations, and sorrows with.

My pets - specifically my puppy Molly, cat Sushi and horse Diego. I love my furry four-legged "children" and each for their special qualities that make me laugh. Just spending time with them allows me to destress and appreciate the more simple things in life. I'm a sucker for pets, scratches, cuddles and belly-rubs, and they all know it.

Riding - This past year has certainly brought challenges and I've had to evaluate my riding like I never have before. Learning to deal with my fear issues has been very educational for me, and I'm proud of myself for the successful steps that I have been taking. Riding has always been such a huge part of who I am (I WAS/AM the horse crazy little girl right from the beginning), that I never had to evaluate if riding was something that I would continue to do, but rather, I just needed to figure out what I needed to do in order to find my joy of riding again. Turns out it was as simple as getting back into the saddle and having small successes, then continuing to build upon those.

Friends - I consider myself very fortunate to have a small group of very close friends, and an ever-growing larger group of online friends. I'm very much a "people-person" and enjoy communicating with a variety of people, getting to read about others lives in their blogs, make new friends, offer advice, and learn from peoples' questions and challenges. My email and blog-role are a part of my daily life and I genuinely miss those connections when I'm offline for any length of time.

Cooking - yeah, I like to cook. I don't particularly like to bake (although I can for the most part), I just don't have the patience to measure and closely follow a recipe. Cooking for me is more about finding a recipe that sounds good, figuring out which of the ingredients I may or may not have on hand, throwing it all together, plus and minus the various substitutions I'm making (this is pretty standard) and then, thankfully, usually very much enjoying the finished product.

Technology - I kind of have to steal this one from Funder a bit. Although I'm certainly no techno-wizard, and I'm definitely a "PC", I do appreciate the advances in technology that our society has made. I'm old enough to remember and have used C:/ (oh yeah) and the old Lotus based spreadsheets and word processing programs. Remember black monitors with the gold or green font??? I do! Remember when we had the big 5 1/2" floppys? Yep! Things have come a long way and the ability to connect with people and accomplish tasks has improved so greatly its mind boggling. LOVE Office 2007, LOVE gmail, LOVE google reader! I will admit to still having a very old school flip phone, but an upgrade is certainly on my wish list!

Living in Reno - although I do sometimes miss the green, its not too far of a drive. I do love the stark beauty of the high desert landscape. I love living in a large valley surrounded by scenic mountain ranges. I like that we normally have 300+ sunny days a year. Reno has a lot of the "small town" feel, in that once you've lived here for a while it's easy to run into people you know, you establish relationships fairly easy, etc, but there's actually STUFF TO DO! I never seem to get bored up here, there's always something going on. I especially feel fortunate that we have so much nice riding in this area - not only a host of glorious trails to ride, but many different organized rides and activities to participate in as well.

Being independent - although I would much rather do someTHING with someONE, I do like the fact that I'm independent enough to still be perfectly content to do something by myself. I'm also proud of the fact that I can accomplish most tasks by myself.

Our remodeled house - hubby especially put a lot of time and effort into the house, it's beautiful. The colors are warm and welcoming. I love the wood floor that we picked out and how the bricks on the fireplace look after being sandblasted to remove the paint. Having the washing machine flood everything in May was extremely stressful, but the final outcome has been well worth the months of living in the bedroom. =)

My readers - okay, hokey! I mainly started this blog for myself, so I'm not the best about posting very often. I don't want it to become a chore, or something that needs to be done. But it does give me a smile every time I see I have a new follower or a new comment on a post. Thanks for being patient with me and playing along!

What about you? What are ten things that make you happy?

CHOKE!

2009-12-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

When I went out to feed last night, I could tell just by the way that Diego was walking in the dark that something wasn't right. He had his head lowered down to ground level and was making strange slobbery noises. I quickly flipped on the lights in the barn and took a look at him. He had foamy drool coming out of his mouth and was continually "yawning" and trying to chew, but was not swallowing from what I could see. I knew right away that he was choking.

Thankfully, Diego seemed to realize that I would be able to help him out and he stood pretty still for me to do some exploratory searching in his mouth (I never did bother to halter him during this whole ordeal). I was able to pull out a few longer pieces of hay and a semi-chewed wad that he had been working on. Note: He's been getting a 3-grain hay for the past couple of months and seems to really like it, but it is more coarse than the previous grass hay I had been buying and, being a 3-grain, has various seed heads and such. I massaged up and down his neck, but could not feel any obvious lumps or firmer spots. Eventually, I had to grab his tongue and pull it out one side of his mouth so that I could work my whole hand around in there. I found about a full, big handful of chewed up hay bits, seed heads, and some stems that was somehow wadded up underneath his tongue. Dig wasn't very fond of this portion of the procedure, but he tolerated it well and only threw his head up a few times.

After I had cleared his mouth, I just stood back and looked at him for a little while. He was still kind of licking and chewing, and his eyes were still somewhat stressed looking, but he no longer appeared to be in distress or straining. It was more like he was just checking things out and tentatively making sure stuff was still working. He never had any sort of nasal discharge during this, so I think I caught his choke pretty early and was beginning to believe that it was the wad under his tongue that was the main culprit. After a few minutes, where he relaxed further and quit chewing, I decided to give him a small bit of pelleted grain (small like pencil eraser sized pellets) to see if he could chew and swallow that down without any issues. He eagerly ate his grain, but started to put his teeth on the plywood around the panels on the inside of his barn area and make a funny face at me - something I've never seen him do before. Bits of slobbery grain drool were coming out of his mouth. I realized he may still have an impaction further down in his throat.

I'm not an expert on choke, having only dealt with it once before with Sinatra during a ride. I knew that horses aren't as worrisome as people when they choke, since generally their airway is not compromised and they can still breathe. However, horses are unable to vomit, so they can't force any obstruction up and out, but rather have to work it down for the most part. There is the worry that they may aspirate some particles into their lungs, which could lead to other problems. Since Diego seemed to be able to swallow for the most part without issues, I was hopeful that if I could get him to drink/slurp up a wet soupy bran-type mash, that it might help push down and clear whatever blockage he may still have. I was hopeful that the warm wet mixture would help to soak and relieve whatever might still be causing him problems.

So I hurried back down to the house and returned quickly with a big jug of hot water (thank you instant hot in the kitchen!). I poured this into a bucket with a mixture of his pelleted grain and some wheat bran, and added a nice scoop of electrolytes as well to help encourage further drinking. Diego was watching me eagerly, but still had a bit of a stressed look in his eye. After the mash had quickly soaked (it takes less than a minute for the pellets to come apart), I added some cold water so it wouldn't be too hot and gave it to Dig. As he slurped and drank the mixture down, I massaged his throat, finding a somewhat harder spot directly behind his jaw bones in his throatlatch area. Since firmly massaging my horses throats while they're eating/drinking is not part of my normal habit, I couldn't say for sure if that was "normal" or if that was some sort of blockage. Either way, I worked my hands firmly up and down his throat, massaging, pressing downward and generally trying to loosen any harder or more firm spots. When Diego was mostly finished, I noticed that he was shivering somewhat, I figured it was probably stress induced but I put my winter weight blanket on him anyways for good measure. I fed him some nice soft pasture grass hay (not the 3-grain) and watched while he finished his mash and started eating that. His eyes looked normal again, no longer stressed, and he seemed to be eating and swallowing just fine. No more drool, no more biting the fence. He was looking perfectly normal when I went out later to check on him before bed.

So disaster averted it seems. I'm now a bit worried about the 3-grain hay, of which I still have probably 15+ bales. Not sure if this was a freak occurrence, or something that may continue. I think I'll call the feed store today and see if I can possibly exchange it for something else.

New Toy? FAIL

2009-12-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

I bought one of those blow-up exercise ball things to play with and use around Diego as a de-spooking object. I also got an "anti-burst" ball, thinking that maybe I could leave it in his corral for him to play with. So this weekend, after a nice lunging session in our remaining slush and mud, I decided to blow up the ball and see how he reacted. He was mildy curious as I was pumping my little heart out, making strange whooshing sounds, but he merely deigned to look across at me with a "And just what are you up to now?" expression.

After it was all blown up (I was disappointed to realized exactly how SMALL the 65 cm ball was), I carried it over to Dig for him to check out. He walked over and sniffed the ball briefly for a millisecond and decided it wasn't worth his attention. So I lifted it up and dropped it over the top rail into the corral, about 4 feet in front of him. He looked at it, bored. So I asked him to put his head down and sniff it, he bumped it with his lip and proceeded to try to go back to napping. So I pushed and kicked the dang thing around (it has sand inside so you have to shove it) and he could hardly be bothered to watch what I was doing. After a bit, I put my hand under his chin (he was loose, not haltered) and had him walk over and "kick" the ball a couple of times by bumping it with a front leg. Overall, he was totally unamused and bored with the whole idea, if "This is stupid and I'm too mature to play" had a face, it was the one he had on.

The only reaction I got from him out of the whole thing was when I finally picked the ball up and threw it over the top corral panel rail and into the barn/shed, over his back and behind his head, where it bumped around and made a few small crashing sounds, at which point he had the decency to hop his back feet over 6 inches to the side so he could see that it was only the ball that made that noise.

So despooking - SUCCESS, toy - FAIL

Planning for next year

2009-12-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

I hate this time of year. Shorter days means it's dark by the time I get home and bad weather along with continued cold temperatures mean too much ice and snow on the roads for me to brave getting the trailer out. This is when not having access to trails (that are suitable for a green horse) or even a proper riding area at home are a major hinderance. They only plus side is that with still having 6+ inches of snow at home from different storms over the past two weekends, the footing out back is a lovely soft snowy (mess) that covers all the rocks and gravelly bits and Diego was very happy to run around and play on the lunge the other night.

All I do this time of year is plan and think about riding. Not getting out very much last year has be craving rides and being out on the trails very badly. I've been prone to pissy-ness and sporadic bad moods lately. I've also been very unmotivated with other aspects of my life, and then feel overwhelmed because those things aren't getting done. I'm practically positive it all has a direct correlation to lack of time in the saddle.

So, in an effort to cheer myself up - I'll post a tentative ride schedule for next season. Diego turned 5 in September, and since this will be his first season of endurance, our goals are pretty moderate to reflect that:

Rides of March - probably the 30-mile LD, this will be our first official AERC ride and the LD is sufficiently difficult that it should be a value-added experience for Diego.

High Desert (mid-April-ish) - Diego's first 50. This was
a 2-day last year, but we'll probably aim for our first 50 on Saturday and then just play Sunday by ear. I'm guessing we'll just do the one day though. The Ride Managers also host a two-day fall ride and if you ride a 50 for at least 3 days you get a blanket.

Washoe in May - probably only one day, these are good tough rides.

Manage the Nevada Moonshine Night Ride in June

Bridgeport in August - this one I've wanted to do for YEARS but it has never worked out with my schedule. Hopefully this will be the year. I've marked trail on the first 20-mile loop before and it's just a beautiful ride in the Twin Lakes area of California. Lots of good friends usually attend this ride as well.

High Desert in October (mid-Oct-ish) - Final two days to get the blankie, 50/50 each day

Other maybes:
Hat Creek Hustle in June
Tour de Washoo in July
Patriot's in September

If we do all the rides planned above, that would give Dig and I 250 miles for his first season. A lot less than many people start with, but I feel comfortable with this level of riding and mileage for him since he's still so young. Here's hoping that all my plans work out.

Just a note

2009-11-30T15:30:00.000-08:00

That I'm trying to post updates from all the way back in October. Since I started this blog for myself as an online training journal, I've been back-dating the posts to when they actually occurred. Depending upon how you read/subscribe to this blog, you may need to scroll down and back through the older posts.

Goal Setting

2009-11-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Now that Diego's home, I've had a lot of time to do some thinking. I believe that one of the main things I'm currently lacking in my training program with Dig are some goals. I've had too much of a "take it as it comes" approach to riding lately and haven't been focusing on any specifics, and working on the steps to achieve some set goals. So this post will be about goal setting, specifically working on some of what I believe to be Diego's (and my own) weak spots.

Lateral flexion: While Diego will yield very soft and willingly on the ground in both directions (no matter which side I stand on), he can still be a bit resistant under saddle. He's softest when I first mount up, but then, after we've been doing a lot of forward motion, when I ask him to yield, he's still pretty stiff through his neck. I've noticed that as we turn, he will somewhat give to the pressure, but is bending more at his withers/shoulders than he is through his neck. If I ask for more bend, then it tends to become a one-rein stop type of maneuver, where he collapses in and will more often than not pivot around several steps before he softens and gives. I need to find that middle ground, the bend without the collapse. Also, he still is very stiff when nervous and I've noticed that I'm a little hesitant to try to flex him when we're not in our comfort zone.

GOAL: Work on riding 10 - 20 m. circles with Diego, establishing a soft bend throughout his entire body, but focusing on his neck for now. Continue to work on flexing to the side at the halt (a la one-rein stop type), especially in new places/situations. Goal is to have a soft downward and directional tip of his nose in response to light rein pressure. Thought: "I wonder if riding an outward directional spiral will help? Establish the bend in the neck through the tight circle he offers and then gradually expand and loosen the shape, while maintaining the bend...."

Facing my fear issues: I'm sure this will continue to be a long process, but continue working on the small bits. I was making some saddle modifications and didn't have any stirrups on the other night, so I hopped on bareback. My first intent was to just SIT on him, which went well, so I thought, "Might as well walk around the corral once." I survived that, so we did another lap, then I asked for a change of direction, a halt, etc. Soon I went from being nervously perched on him - still holding onto the corral panel with one hand and a toe on the fence, to riding around without holding onto his mane or anything asking him for lateral flexion and working on yielding his hindquarters. =) Something very important I discovered - when I was focused on a very specific task, I didn't worry about other things and what was going on. I had a specific maneuver I was looking to accomplish and that was where my focus was.

GOAL: Hone my focus while riding. Start each ride with a particular goal(s) in mind and some specific tasks that I want to accomplish. Be willing to adjust and change my plan as need be, but just transition from one maneuver to another if the first is beyond our current abilities. At the end of each ride, evaluate what we were able to accomplish and what to work on for next time. WRITE THIS DOWN. Continue to take small steps with my riding and realize the little accomplishments.

More exposure on the trail: This one is pretty basic. Get him OUT. Make plans with friends, since I'm not brave/stupid enough to go it alone right now, and get him out and going down the trail more. Aim for once a week at least if possible.

School - Oct 15th

2009-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

From Bob:
We did our 3+ mile ride with a saddle tonight. We did some gentle hills, finishing at dark. We trotted most of the flat and uphill and walked all of the downhill. Diego led most of the way. He reluctantly led past a giant puddle that took up most of the road. LaLa led over some big dirt mounds that someone built to discourage motorcycles. Diego started out looking around a lot, but he was fairly relaxed the whole ride. He stopped in his tracks a few times to look at monsters (including a bicycle in the dark) but never really spooked. I rode on a loose rein with only occasional contact the whole ride. He was a really good boy! =)

See you Saturday!

School - Oct 14th

2009-10-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

From Bob:

Diego got a 12-minute ride in the back yard. He started out good and just got better. I was walking and trotting all kinds of patterns. Every time he anticipated what I was going to ask, I would do something else to keep him listening. The only thing he did wrong was jerking his head from side to side at the trot early in the ride. He was relaxed the whole time.

I'm going to try to take him out for 3+ miles on Thursday. I'll use a saddle and take Dovie and LaLa. Friday should be a ride like the one I did today.

School - Oct 12th, Me Riding

2009-10-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

I went out and rode Diego today after work. I almost didn't go, since I'm just not feeling right, like I'm trying to get sick (Note: I ended up getting REALLY sick and was pretty miserable the rest of the week). Plus it was windy and kind of cold today. But I really want to take Dig on the 10-mile 4H Trail Ride this Saturday (10/17) and I honestly need to get out and get on him if that's to be my goal. The weather is supposed to take a turn for the worse tomorrow (Tues.), so I sucked it up and went out this evening after work.

Actually, our ride tonight was much better than Sunday the 4th. Diego had to stop and watch the neighbor kids jumping on the trampoline in their backyard for a while, but after a bit it wasn't nearly so interesting. We did a lot of walking and trotting around the round pen and he did great. Only a couple of little scoots and MUCH better on the trotting this time. He felt more steady and secure, less worried about what I might be doing up top.

After a bit, I opened up the gate and rode him out and around the yard. When he would get tense, I would ride back toward the round pen and do a loop or two around the outside, or go into to the pen, around, and then back out. He eventually stayed more relaxed outside of the pen. For me, I don't want him to be tense at all when I'm riding, and when he gets tense, that's a sign to me that I need to change something to make him more comfortable. Either get him back into a more familiar environment, or go back to doing something more simple for a bit until he can relax again. When he's tense and worried, he's not learning very much and is very unfocused. Getting his focus back and getting him relaxed becomes my #1 priority.

Bob ended up getting on Surprise and riding around with us for a while as well. I rode Diego back into the round pen (with the gate open) and Bob rode around the outside. We both went the same direction, in opposite directions, at different speeds, etc. Bob would ride next to me and then I'd have Dig turn off and change direction, and come back along the rail going the opposite way. Or slow to a walk and have Surprise trot off and leave us. Diego didn't seem to care at all and was very relaxed and even seemed to be having fun playing the little game.

I'm looking forward to the trail ride this weekend. It will be a big milestone for us.

School - Oct 10th, a bit of excitement

2009-10-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

From Bob:
Today, Anjolina and Dovie took Carmel and LaLa to a 4-H show two blocks away. I headed to the park on Diego to expose him to more excitement. He really didn't want to go by himself, but he grudgingly did what I asked.

Just after making the left turn one block down, he stopped and then seemed to be willing to walk nicely. Suddenly, he spooked out from under me. It was a classic Arab sideways spook, not a deliberate bucking frenzy, or anything like that. I landed on my back, and he pulled away, slipped, and fell on his butt. He got up and trotted towards home as if nothing had happened. Judy, who lives next door, was riding her horse and helped me grab him. He has a few minor scrapes, and my back will probably be sore for a few days. No big deal for either of us.

I led him back to the park, found a mounting block, and got on. He was a little spooky until I found Carmel and LaLa. After that, he practically fell asleep watching the competition. Carmel didn't want to do anything without LaLa, so we rode LaLa and Diego into the arena for the "lineup" after one of the classes. Diego actually did better than LaLa, though that isn't saying much. I eventually rode him home without incident. When we got to the round pen, he wanted to stop and go in on his own. I made him do an extra lap and stop on my terms, not his.

When he stops, a light tap or two from the crop is working nicely. He moves forward without acting like he's thinking about exploding.

I should have told you, but we're giving him a little grain every night so he won't feel left out when everyone else gets theirs. (Awww)

School - Oct 9th

2009-10-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

From Bob:
We had another great ride today! Anjolina and I repeated Diego's longest trail ride, about 1.5 miles. I skipped the saddle today. The skittishness only lasted about 45 seconds. He opened and closed the gate as well as Penny does it. He didn't seem to care when we left the road to make room for an ATV. Diego led, followed, and went next to Carmel. He does best when he leads. We trotted about 40%. We had a couple of minor butt tucks, but no spooks. He was very relaxed the whole ride. Diego is a good boy!

:)

School - Oct 8th

2009-10-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Some earlier communication between Bob and I:

Bob:
I think he'll be ready for the 4-H 10-mile ride next weekend (17th or 18th). It's up to you which one of us rides him.

Me:
I definitely want Dig to do the 4-H ride. Have you ridden him with your saddle yet? I’m interested to see if he’s sticky/weird with you about that like he was with me on Sunday. Would one day be preferable over the other to come and ride?

Note: On Sunday, when I would go to move around, trot, or lean forward - Diego would throw on the brakes and totally stop. He was pretty tense and I spent a lot of time just walking him around in circles while I flopped around and moved all over as much as I felt comfortable doing.

I believe horses care more about your body language than what you put on their backs. The first time Surprise ever saw a saddle, I walked into her stall, let her examine it, and then put it on (no halter). I put on a bridle, led her out of the stall, and took her for a five-mile ride. To this day, she has never reacted to the saddle.

I'll probably try my saddle on him this weekend. I'm also planning a solo trail ride and a little cantering soon.

With Diego, when we were in Idaho and I was meeting him for the first time, I took him over to the trailer and tacked him up. He was fine, it was just him and I and, as far as I knew, he’d had a saddle on the week before (turned out this wasn’t true). We walked about 300 yards over to their round pen, again no issues, I turned him loose and all hell broke loose and he bucked around for a few minutes before I could get him to stop. That was NOT his first time wearing a saddle, and I had no prior expectations and had treated him like a broke horse. I didn't expect the saddle would have been an issue at all. Once he finally stopped, we had no further saddle or bucking issues.

Took him home, no trouble, no issues with the saddle or being tacked up. Never seemed to react again. Fast forward to June, I pull him out and go to throw the saddle up on him (it's been since early April since he was tacked up), and again he totally freaked out. My mom had a hold of him and they ended up going all over the yard, Diego was just a royal pain. He was also a little odd about it this past weekend, but it didn’t take much to get him to stand there and behave. I think he has a very sensitive back (or is sensitive ABOUT his back – two different issues in my mind). I’m hoping you’ll ride him a bit more in a saddle just because that’s what he needs to be used to for ME. ;) I’m also curious to see how he reacts to you leaning forward and moving around, like I was this weekend.

Sounds like I should put my saddle on him today or tomorrow, just to see what he does.

Update from later that day:

I put my saddle on, rode around the back yard with Anjolina, and then took him out on the trail by himself. As you suspected, he is more reluctant to go forward with the saddle. He sometimes backed when I wanted to walk or trot. He definitely didn't want to leave his mares behind.

We worked through everything without getting either of us upset. When I realized he wasn't going to do the entire trail ride that I had in mind, I made him walk forward and then turned him around on my terms, not his. He walked and trotted back nicely. We opened and closed the gate with a minimum of fuss both ways. I think he will be OK for the 4-H ride if he has a buddy or two. :)

School - Oct 7th

2009-10-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

From Bob:

Crysta:
Diego was extra good today!

I got back from Yosemite just after 6:00, and Anjolina was riding Carmel. Tammy showed up and I convinced everybody to go for a short trail ride. It took a while to get Penny and Diego ready. We didn't have much daylight, so we did our shortest trail ride.

The people across the street were roping cows, and I asked them not to do anything too exciting while Diego went by. They stopped as we rode past them. The first few minutes were a little tentative, but Diego settled down and led almost the entire way. On the way back, we had a car coming straight at us just as one of the riders across the street took after a cow. Diego just looked. He seemed half curious and half wary. No spook!

We opened and closed the gate on the way back into the yard. This was his best ride yet.

And then it was my turn

2009-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

The Sunday after the Comstock Ride, I took Diego back over to Bob and Dovie's house and I had the chance to ride him around for a while. Dig's right front leg was pretty puffy and a little warm to the touch. He had wacked it pretty good during his shenanigans on Friday and being tied to the trailer for the large part of the weekend probably didn't help with it stocking up. I also was pretty tired and not feeling quite right (too busy the past few days) so chose to just ride him around in the round pen for a short time.

We both had a good time.

Dig Goes Camping

2009-10-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Diego got to experience overnight camping at a ride site this past weekend while I managed the Comstock Endurance Ride out in Lemmon Valley. This should end up being a really value-added experience for him and his future career as an endurance horse (crossing fingers). It also worked out REALLY well logistically, since Diego has been staying just two blocks from ride camp, so I was able to bring my camper and trailer over empty, and then just walk around the corner more or less to go pick him up. I went and fetched him on Friday and he spent Friday and Saturday nights camped out with us. My mom came up from California and stayed in my camper with me, she brought her Tennessee Walker - Joe to ride as well, so Dig had a neighbor to keep him company when they weren't riding.

Overall, Diego did really well camping out. He only shook the trailer/camper once the first night, but by the time I got up to see what he was doing, he was standing there looking sleepy and innocent. There were a few things that needed to be worked out though:
1. Diego is not allowed to have a water bucket. These equal a play thing in his mind. I tried, but he just wouldn't leave it alone. I took it away when he picked it up and was holding it in his mouth, daring me, and then dropped it when I walked over to him - totally splashing me with the wave upon impact with the ground! =) From then on I had to walk him over to the community tank, a 200+ gallon affair that he still tried to pick up with his teeth and play with.
2. Diego's hay bag is prone to attacking him by attaching itself to the snap on his halter temporarily. This will occur when you are having the ride meeting and 30+ people are standing around not 10 feet from where Mr. Dramatic is tied. He will freak out, pull back, and fall over onto the ground, at which point - he realizes 30+ people are staring at him and he'll get up and look embarrassed.

On Saturday, the day of the ride, Bob came over and rode Diego around camp bareback for a while. It was pretty windy, but didn't seem to cause any additional issues. He did very well, taking most everything in stride. He even went in between the arena fence and the metal bleachers for watching the horse shows. Diego got to follow us as we moved a table and drug around some chairs, and served as the "test dummy" in the morning while we were trying to see if the heart rate monitors were working.

Overall I was very proud of my boy. He did great for his first "camping" trip and really took the whole environment of the ride in stride. Check that step off the list to becoming a future endurance mount!

School - Day 4

2009-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

From Bob, Monday, 9/28:

This was a big day for Diego. His feet look like he might have a little thrush. I cleaned them really well, trimmed a couple of "hangnails," and squirted some iodine to kill whatever might be living deep in the cracks. I was doing all this while he was turned out loose, and he only walked away once.

Diego spooked when I dumped the wheelbarrow full of manure, so I stalked him with it until I could wheel it within a foot of his back legs. He overreacted when I tapped him with the crop yesterday, so I spent some time alternating between rubbing him with it and moving him with it.
I started riding him around the back yard. He always starts out skittish and gets better the longer I ride him. He is getting better at the trot-to-walk transitions, but he is also starting to pull on the reins at the trot. I'm still riding him bareback, and he seems to want to go faster than I can sit the trot.

Dovie came out and offered to go for a trail ride, so we headed out. I got Diego to let me open and close the gate from his back, but it wasn't pretty. We ended up going about a mile and a half, trotting maybe 40% of the time.

Diego did great! LaLa was constantly threatening him, so we just let him lead. He stopped and looked when he saw a neighbor walking her loose dog. No problem. Walking down into a dry wash was no problem. It was almost dark when he gave me his first real spook. He sort of lurched forward, stopped, gave me a tiny buck, lurched forward again, and finally stopped. We composed ourselves and headed home. By this time, he was ignoring LaLa when she followed him really close.

He is a little strong at the trot, but he was really relaxed and well-behaved at the walk. The total ride time was 38 minutes. Dovie says he is awesome!

School and Thoughts from Bob

2009-09-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

From Bob on Monday, 9/28, after reading the rest of this blog. His comments are in black, my reply is in blue italics:

We know things behind or above Diego can set him off, so I'm doing stuff in front of him and then doing the same stuff behind him. I had the cart and bike behind him, just out of kicking range. I also sometimes make a point of being boisterous and scary when I'm on him. I'm going to try making sure that Diego knows the difference between casually touching him with a crop or stick and telling him to do something with it. His reaction to the crop the other night was a lot greater than need be.

Good. I try to move around a lot and wave my arms and such too. I was feeling pretty darn confident on him there for a while and really trying new things. Like you mentioned, the more of this kind of stuff, the sooner he'll realize it's nothing to worry about and will get over.

Your blog reinforced an opinion I've had all along. You have more fear and nervousness than Diego has. It's not easy, but at some point, you just have to say, "He's a good boy, I trust him, and I don't care whether he hops and tucks his butt once in a while." That trust makes the difference between Diego forgetting what made him hop and you becoming airborne. I know that's easier for me to say, when I've never really been hurt. But I swear it's true.

I know that a lot of the issue is me. I've just seen him be so explosive and really truly "loose it" a few times now. Just being able to put my foot in the stirrup when I first got him was a huge
accomplishment at the time. He's really 100% better than he was when I got him, but it's the few times when he just blows up that continue to worry me. You may not get to experience that side of him, I certainly hope you don't. Before I had my accident, my confidence was pretty high and I was thinking about how Dig was about as "trained" as Sinatra was when I bought him (in other words, not very but enough to start doing things with). Like Sinatra, I know he'll be a good boy 99% of the time, its just that 1% that continues to worry me for now.
Mentally, I feel very confident and ready to get back on and start doing things, but when "something" happens, I find I do still get tense and worried pretty quickly - which doesn't help Dig out any. I don't mind the little tuck and hop, but I've had it turn into the full out bucking a few different times now, so being able to remain relaxed through the first bit, and not grap up rein and crank on him is an issue I have. With Sinatra, I needed to get him stopped *NOW* when he would do that - so it wouldn't escalate, with Diego I think I need to relax and not react for a minute, because it's me reacting that's furthing the problem. Does that make sense?

One of my... I don't really want to call it an issue, because I don't see it as a problem, but perhaps "hangups" is that I WILL NOT BE JUST A PASSENGER. I want my horse looking to me for guidance and instruction *at all times*. This was my issue with Caramel when I got on her. She's used to being the boss, you can feel it in how she reacts to commands and just her overall attitude. My mom's horse Joe is the same way and I don't particularly like riding him either. Both of these horses are totally safe for their riders (my mom's never come off Joe), but I can't and won't trust a horse that treats me like that. It's just a "me" thing with how I was taught to ride.

School - Day 3

2009-09-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 9/27, from Bob:

Today we spent some time de-spooking him. I brought out Dovie's horse cart and walked all over the place pulling it behind me. He ignored it at a distance and was a little wary up close. He eventually came over and tried to eat it. I brought out my mountain bike and rode it around the yard. That went exactly the same as the cart.

Me: I’ve tried to do a LOT of de-spooking with Diego at home. I have noticed a big difference, but like I told Bob from the beginning, the #1 thing Dig needs continues to be exposure to new and different situations. My son Taren often rides his bike up near the corral, but he can’t to in a full circle around the corral and behind Diego, which is where I belive the main problem lies. Plus seeing an adult on a bike is a little different than a 7 year old, although I somehow doubt Bob was jumping off a plywood ramp, running over a 2” PVC pipe and/or doing “skids”. =)

Dovie thought moving the garden hose behind him might have caused yesterday's bath incident, so we played with the hose around him a little with the water off. I want to do more.

I spent 14 minutes on him today. He's getting less skittish. He does occasionally hop and tuck his butt underneath himself, but it never progresses into anything dangerous. A few minutes into the ride, he stopped and absolutely refused to move forward. He would back and flex left or right, but he wouldn't take a step forward. He seemed totally relaxed and just ignored me. Dovie got me a crop, and one very light tap on his butt got him moving again. We practiced trot-to-walk transitions. He's doing it most of the time, but it's really messy [Diego does trot to HALT transitions, it’s a pain. When he’s doing better, he’ll trot, halt for 0.5 seconds, then start walking, but still not very smooth]. I made a point of making noise, moving around, and especially fooling with my terrifying pockets while I was on him. He's doing fine.

School - Day 2

2009-09-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

From Bob:

Dovie gave all the horses baths today. Something set Diego off half way through the bath. He freaked and then settled down. I wasn't there, so you'll have to ask Dovie for the details.

Me: It seems it was dragging the hose behind him which caused the issue. He’s fine with the hose, I have to drag it in and out of his corral to fill up his water trough, so it’s a common enough occurrence. He’ll stand there while it goes under or in front of him, so I think this was a “something’s behind me” issue rather than a hose issue.

We just got back from a moonlight ride. We did the same ride we did three weeks ago. Every time I ride him, he starts out skittish and then gets better as the ride goes on. Tonight was no exception. He was looking around a lot, but didn't do anything stupid or dangerous. We trotted about 20%. That gave me a chance to practice trot-to-walk transitions and I had good success on the trail. I closed the gate from his back. He didn't seem to understand what I wanted, but the slamming gate didn't scare him.

I'm seeing the fear of monsters behind him that you told me about. I'm going to try to desensitize him to various monsters tomorrow (with nobody on him). He's really fun!

Getting Reaquainted

2009-09-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Since I originally started this blog to have a place for myself to journal Diego's training, I'm very pleased that Bob has given me permission to post his daily updates that I'm getting with how things are going for Diego. Bob and Dovie currently have 4 mares of their own (3 they own and the other belongs to a little girl that Dovie was giving lessons to). This is from Friday 9/25, the same day I originally dropped him off:

Diego was getting along with Penny, so I turned Penny and Surprise out. The girls ignored him until they finished every scrap of hay we spilled this morning. Diego and Surprise did the squealing thing and settled down to grooming each other. Penny ignored him. After I cleaned stalls, I put the girls back in their stalls. Suddenly, I heard lots of squealing and commotion between Penny and Diego. I didn't see what started it. I turned around just in time to see Diego kicking at Penny. He hit the fence and missed Penny.

Me: This resulted in a superficial scrape to his left hind. Bob sent me a picture and we both agreed it was pretty minor and to just keep an eye on it.

I put some Wonder Dust on his scrape. I also very lightly filed/rounded the edges of his feet to reduce chipping. I gave him a nice brushing, cleaned his feet, and put his bridle on, all while he was loose in the yard. He's a good boy. :)

I rode him in the back yard for 20 minutes. It was very much like three weeks ago, only better. We're learning to communicate and understand each other. We trotted more than half the time. I learned that the sound of me searching for a treat in my pocket scares him. I also learned that he goes faster towards the mares than he goes away from them. We have to learn how to go from trot to walk instead of trot to stop. We're making progress and having fun.

Me: Trot to walk was something else I had been working on with him. Try saying "Easy" in a nice slow tone, or "Easy, walk". You may have to say it a few times. That's his verbal cue for slow down but don't stop. It works about 90% of the time but hasn't been transferred to under saddle yet. Like I mentioned last time, since we've been doing so much groundwork I had to install verbal cues since I didn't have the benefit of my legs and not always two reins.

Off to school

2009-09-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Or at least, that's what it feels like to me. Took Diego over to Bob and Dovie's today. He's going to spend a few weeks over there and just get ridden and out on a much more consistent basis than I can possibly manage right now. Bob's excited, I'm excited, Diego doesn't have a clue what he's in for. =) I felt like I was dropping my child off for his first day of kindergarten. Bob has promised lots of updates, I know they have a moonlight ride planned for this evening. ;)

Next weekend is the Comstock Endurance Ride out of the Lemmon Valley arena, about 2 blocks from Bob and Dovie's house. Since I'm managing the ride and will be camping out and staying over there anyways, it's a perfect opportunity to bring Diego over and have him camp out and spend the night "endurance-style". He'll also get to hang out and watch the horses on the ride come in and out of camp for their vet checks. This was something I did with Sinatra early on in his training and was *INVALUABLE* for teaching him to settle in and relax while in camp and at a vet check. After about 6 hours of horses coming and going, trotting out, etc, it suddenly becomes pretty ho-hum and they learn that it's nothing to get excited over and you might as well just chill out and eat since you're tied to the trailer anyways.