Behind....Ride Season 2017

I have been slack in my duties of keeping up this blog. Eli, Jazeb, and I have had an amazing year so far.

We started out the season at the inaugural running of Take No Prisoners at Kings Mountain State Park. Tim Worden and Vance Stine did a marvelous job of putting on this ride. This is one of the locations where I train and so Eli and I were very comfortable there. Sarah and I drove in for the ride that morning since it is only 45 minutes away. Sarah and Puff did the LD and Eli and I did the 50.

Eli was incredibly strong all day and we finished the 50 in a sub 8 hour ride time. The trail is very technical with lots of roots and stobs where they have built up a new trail. Eli only has two more years till he receives his decade team award.

A few weeks later, we all headed up to Leatherwood. This time Jazeb was up for action in the LD. I had a great time riding with Deb, Sarah, and Rebecca. Dody and Anita were doing the 50 on Itchy and Shag. We camped out at the trail barn and had a generally awesome weekend. I like to alternate my boys at rides so Jazeb was tackling his first competition at Leatherwood and let me tell you that he excelled in all avenues. He walked calmly out of camp and steadily picked horses off all day long. His heart rate recoveries continue to be amazing. He is a great LD horse because you can come in off trail, drop tack, and head to the pulse box. No work required.

Dody and Itchy, Deb and Sasha, Patricia and Jazeb, Sarah and Puff, Anita and Shag...with Super Crew Clara! Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

 Jazeb and Sasha coming in. Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

 Jazeb Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

 Photo by John Pearman

 Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

Two weeks after Leatherwood, Sarah and I headed to Sandhills for the LD with Eli and Puff. Eli really rocked the trail and probably should have done the 50. His vet card was all As with great recoveries. I also got to try out my "new to me" Gore horse trailer. It is 8 ft tall and is an oversized warmblood straight load. It is "almost" a 2+1 but doesn't have a side ramp. The room in the back for staging proved invaluable and we had a great time camping.

Eli rocking it out...Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

 Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

Now, on to some summer camping trips and we'll pick back up in the fall at South Mountains, Biltmore, and Carolina Ride.

Blog Hop: Racknabout Stable

Aarene Storms has challenged us to take her Blog Hop Challenge, so here goes.
Instructions:

• Answer the questions (below) on your own blog, and leave a link to that post in the comments here.
• In your post, invite readers to answer the questions on THEIR blogs, and link those blogs to yours AND to here.
• Let's see how far this can travel!
• Pictures!  Let's see lots of pictures of people and horses!

*  Introduce yourself!

*  Introduce your horse(s)!

*  What's your favorite horse sport?  Do you cross train in other activities?

*  Who else in your family rides?

*  What's your proudest equestrian accomplishment?

*  What was your lowest moment as a horse owner/rider?

*  What's the most important small thing you ever learned in a lesson?

*  Do you have any riding rituals or superstitions?

*  What are your short term goals for yourself/your horse?

*  Long term goals?

*  If time and money were no object, what is your dream equestrian vacation?

*  What kind of horse activities were you doing 10 years ago?

*  What kind of horse activities do you think you'll be doing 10 years from now?

*  What is the quirk about your horse that you like most?

____________________________________________________________________

*  Introduce yourself! I'm Patricia Clark. Lifelong equestrian. I have been riding endurance since 2008. I am also a high school social studies teacher and have a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. 

*  Introduce your horse(s)! My main man is East Meets West, standardbred extraordinaire. He has over 1500 AERC miles. My back up horse and Eli's side-kick is ND Jazeb Faserr, my black arabian gelding. I also have a speed racking horse stallion, Indiana Ram Jam. Rocky mountain horse, Golden Dust. Tennessee Walking Horse mares, My Precious Star and Twilight Revelation.

Ram Jam

 East Meets West

 ND Jazeb Faserr

*  What's your favorite horse sport?  Do you cross train in other activities?

Endurance. I have always done natural horsemanship training and pleasure riding. 

*  Who else in your family rides?

My sister. 

 

*  What's your proudest equestrian accomplishment?

Finishing the Alabama Yellowhammer 75 on East Meets West and the Biltmore 100 on Sierra Bey Wind. 

 

*  What was your lowest moment as a horse owner/rider?

The day that my heart mare had to be put to sleep due to an aneurysm that left her partially paralyzed. 

 

*  What's the most important small thing you ever learned in a lesson?

Always listen to my gut. The one time that I had a horse get into metabolic trouble with thumps, I did not listen to my gut that something just wasn't right. 
 

*  Do you have any riding rituals or superstitions?

I always have a successful endurance ride if I injure myself in some way the week prior! You don't really want to see a picture of any of these!

*  What are your short term goals for yourself/your horse?

Stay healthy and enjoy rides as they come. I'm also trying not to put pressure on myself to reach ego-based goals. I always strive to put the horses first. 

 

*  Long term goals?

Decade team with Eli. Three seasons to go!

 

*  If time and money were no object, what is your dream equestrian vacation?

Trip to Australia!

*  What kind of horse activities were you doing 10 years ago?

Trail riding (much more than a normal person) and breeding racking horses. 

 

*  What kind of horse activities do you think you'll be doing 10 years from now?

Endurance!

*  What is the quirk about your horse that you like most?

He "snortles." When anxious or very relaxed, he makes this little fluttering/snoring sound that is quite adorable. 

 

2016 Update

Well, I have to say that I have been extremely negligent on the blog this year. So, I'm going to give a photo rundown of what has ended up being a very successful year after our scare at Leatherwood. Eli is 100% and doing the best he ever has.

Biltmore 30 on Muscalotti owned by Rebecca Johnson

The morning after my Graduation from Gardner-Webb University with my doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction, I drove straight to Biltmore and had a really fun ride on Lotti.

In August, I ventured out to California and did my bucket list ride at Redwood National Park. I was honored to ride Champagne Supernova, a wonderful singlefooting gelding. We completed the 50 mile ride and had so much fun in Orick, CA.

Back on the East Coast, Eli and I conquered the very tough South Mountain 50 on our home turf. Wildfires have destroyed a majority of the trails recently, so these photos are very bittersweet. There are some pictures of Jazeb marking trail as well.

It was Jazeb's turn after that for a super fun ride at Sandhills Stampede in the 25 mile ride and he also did 30 at JDs Carolina ride and finished 8th.

 Eli wrapped up the year with a romp in the Broxton Bridge 25. Tons of horse and tons of fun.