SandhillsStampede30

Sandhills Stampede 30 mile Ride 2014

Dody and I decided to take Finn and Jazeb to the Sandhills Stampede and compete in the 30 mile ride this year. Jazeb had been battling some saddle fitting issues. He has a very short back, laid back shoulder and was tending to get loin sore. About three weeks before Sandhills, I tried a Freeform on him and he LOVED it. It took some getting used to on my part but I was willing to sacrifice for my baby boy. I ordered a knock off of the Freeform and it worked out beautifully for him and he completed the Stampede with all As on back.

New Saddle

 

We arrived on Friday morning and set up camp just below the arena at H. Cooper Black. The horses had corral panels and settled in to eating immediately. I was so proud of Jazeb and he ate and drank well on the entire trip. We were able to crew from our camping area and that made the ride so much more relaxing.

Jazeb in his corral

 

 He vetted in great with all As and he weighed a whopping 880lbs! That was up 80 lbs from last year. He has lots more muscle and strength than he did just a year ago at JDs Ride. I had a plan to take him down to the pond for the start so that he could ride out of camp and it worked very nicely. He had a slight hump in his back but he walked right out of it and was super on trail from the beginning. I was sponsoring a Junior rider, Caroline Guy, and we all rode together on the first loop and had a ball. We were out at 8am and back in camp by 10:45, covering the 19 mile loop in very good time. Jazeb did it easily and drank from the beginning at the first water tank. He vetted in with a 44 pulse and had all As except a B on gut.

ND Jazeb Faserr: Photo by Becky Pearman

We were out on loop 2 at 11:44 but we had lost Caroline because her horse was unfortunately lame at the first hold. This loop was the short white loop and with only 9 miles, we were back into camp at 1:26pm. He pulsed in with a 52 and then had a 44/44 CRI. He did a fantastic job all day and rode with great enthusiasm. I am unbelievably proud of my boy and how far he has come in the past 4 years.

Biltmore Fall Hope For Horses 50 Miler

Biltmore Hope for Horses 50 Mile Ride 2014

With lovely fall weather on tap for the fall Biltmore ride, I packed up and headed to Asheville, NC for the 50 mile ride. Eli was feeling terrific and was definitely sharp from his 30 mile ride at Iron Mountain Jubilee last month. He was also sporting his new size 3 Easyshoes on the front with steel behind. The set up worked beautifully for him.

View of the Biltmore House from Trail

&

Eli and I on trail

 

 

He vetted in at the preride with all As and a heart rate of 48. He was eating very well and enjoying all the lush grass that the Biltmore Equestrian Center has to offer. Loop 1 was 17.3 miles on Blue East. We were out at 7am and back in at 9:28, pulsed in at 9:33. 54/54 CRI.

Eli on the first loop. Photo by Becky Pearman

Back out on the second loop. 19.6 miles on Green West. We were out at 10:23 and back in at 1:44. This trail is very beautiful and takes you near the vineyards and farmlands of Biltmore Estate.

Crossing the Bridge: Photo by Tim Worden

 Eli on the Second Loop: Photo by Becky Pearman

 We were out on Loop 3, White River 13.9 miles at 2:40 and made it back at 5:28. Here we are walking back into camp after crossing the finish line. It is quite a long walk and we grazed our way back to the crew area. Pulsed in at 48 and was 44 at the vet. Finished with a great vet card. I am very proud of Eli for this ride.

Iron Mountain Jubilee 2014

Well, once again, the best laid plans often go off the rails at the last minute. I was actually planning on taking Jazeb to this ride because it is notoriously hot and humid here in the Southeast during August. However, Jazeb, who is the king of getting out of rides ended up with a sore back. Upon closer inspection, he definitely needs a different saddle. So, the back up horse returned to back up and Eli was up for the Iron Mountain Jubilee 30 mile ride.

Eli and Finn on their last conditioning ride before Iron Mountain

So, Dody and I decided that we would ride together. This would be Finn's 3rd official ride and he did amazing. We pulled into ride camp on Friday and had to park in the very back of the camping area. They had a wonderful turnout for this ride. We were drenched in sweat after setting up camp and realized that we would have to ride very smart on Saturday if the weather held the same pattern. Our friend Lara was out riding the 55 and when she came in we knew that the toughness of the trail and the weather would make for a very difficult ride. The horses vetted in great and were eating well. We remarked that it was so hot we never even made it down to play in the New River, instead opting for some A/C in the living quarters.

Eli being silly. Photo by Terri Strickland

On ride morning, we opted to hang out in back of camp and let the horses graze a bit as the front runners went out. We had an uneventful start on loose reins. We were riding out almost 15 miles to the away check at Camp Cripple Creek. The trail was really tough for the first 3 miles with lots of tight and muddy switchbacks that were only a few feet wide. The terrain on this ride varied from technical mountain trails, wide logging roads, rocky single track, steep climbs and grassy range lands full of cattle. Eli was none too keen about the cows and he felt like a keg of dynamite ready to explode. Young Finn led the way through the cattle and we made it out unscathed! We made it to the vet check in just over 2 1/2 hours.

Camp Cripple Creek

This was ideal place for an away vet check. The humidity was really getting to us though. Thankfully at that point the skies remained overcast. We took about 10 minutes to pulse down and vetted through with no trouble. Finn ate everything in sight and Eli nibbled but was distracted by all the range land movement. After a 50 minute hold, we saddled up and headed back out for the return trip home.

The first 5 miles leaving Camp Cripple Creek were very hill and full of rocks so it was slow going in places. The sun came out and both horses were blowing on the hills to dissipate heat. We electrolyted as needed, sponged a lot and walked most of the hills. We knew as we had done this ride before that you have to keep up a steady pace or you will end up over time. We came in at 2:30 and had till 3:15 to complete. We pulled tack just after meeting our in timer and started cooling the horses out at a shady water bucket. We walked over slowly and they both pulsed down within a minute of reaching the pulse box. Finn ended up 12th and Eli was 13th. We were very proud of the boys for winning this war of attrition at Iron Mountain. There were 30 horses in this ride and only 20 finished.

Final Pulse in: Photo by Roberta Young

Overall, this was a fantastically run ride and we had a blast on trail although as usual, I got a bit overheated in the late afternoon. Eli also weighed in at his highest ever at 1050. He lost down to 990 during the ride and gained back to 1010 on Sunday morning.

Eli on the range lands: Photo by Nancy Sluys

Why Endurance?

                                                               Why Endurance?

Patricia Clark and Lara Worden riding at St. Helena's Island

      The sweet sound of hay munching fills the air as you lay in your bed full of anticipation. A thousand thoughts flood your mind as you imagine how the day will go. Did you pack everything you need? Will the weather work out? Will luck be on your side? Will your ride plan go astray or will you hold fast to the adage “ride your own ride?” A grand adventure awaits each ride morning. The day could hold great success and validation of the partnership with your horse or perhaps you will find that rock with your name on it and have to call it quits early. One of the many reasons that I love endurance riding is because of the multitude of possible experiences. Every ride with my horse provides a chance to grow as an equestrian, bond with my horse and see the most beautiful trails that America has to offer.

      Each ride morning when I place my foot in the stirrup and swing over onto my horse, I know that I will be creating memories to last a lifetime. I keep a journal with all my ride cards and as I flip through, I can always remember the moments of jubilation or learning that happened on that trip. I love endurance because I can challenge myself and my horse at any level. I love all the distances offered by AERC and am likely to chose a different one each time! Think back to the moment you earned your first completion, the first time you accidentally top-tenned, the time you barely finished with time to spare, the moment you knew that you were on a great horse because he had pulled you through the ride. All of those small and large moments serve to create the identity of endurance. As a family that can show up and assemble a community in the middle of the most scenic areas of our country within a matter of hours, we share unique experiences that bind us together and create lasting bonds to others in the organization. 

Patricia Clark and Eli, Dody Sutton and Itchy, Lara Worden and Slick
Photo by Becky Pearman Photography

      An obvious obsession with horses has proven to be the main reason that I love endurance. What other equestrian sport requires so much time devoted to developing a partnership with one animal? There is literally no place I would rather be than out in the wilderness on the back of my favorite horse. What other sport could allow me to ride 100 miles on the beautiful Biltmore Estate, 75 miles through the most pristine forests of Alabama, 50 miles in the shadow of spanish moss in South Carolina or 30 miles across the ridges of the Virginia mountains? What other sport would allow me to see the true bravery of my horse as he transitioned from life as a racehorse, to life as my endurance partner? I will forever remember the pride that I felt when he finished his first LD and realize that was as huge an accomplishment as when he would eventually complete 75 mile rides. I love endurance because every moment in the saddle, every time I hear the call that the “trail is open,” every vet check, and every single footfall on trail signifies that I am living my life to the fullest.

     Magical moments happen all the time if we pay attention. Riding through the winds of Hurricane Irene when she swept across the mountains; trusting my mount on trails so dark that I could not see horse ears in front of me; sharing the trail with good friends and helping each other through the day; and every other moment in between. There are also moments that aren't magical but very humbling. Moments frozen in time when you wish you could go back and change something. A front shoe ripped and twisted and a puncture to the sole; that first rider option because of trail conditions; and the time we had to wait on trail for help because I knew something was wrong and we should go no further. We should never pretend that endurance is easy. It shouldn't be and as long as we learn from our mistakes, we are on the right path. 

Patricia and Eli
Photo by Becky Pearman Photography

      Loving endurance comes naturally. I have ridden horses my entire life. I cannot remember a moment that did not involve them. Having tried a variety of disciplines, none so satisfied my constant need to be in the company of horses as has Endurance riding. Good friends, amazing vets, dedicated ride managers and that all encompassing relationship with my horse propel me down the trail. I will always love my horse first, but I also love the sport of endurance because it strengthens that relationship and allows me opportunities I could have never imagined. Whether I am trotting the beautiful Appalachian mountains, the low country of South Carolina, the pine forests of Alabama or the rugged highlands of Virginia, I am at home in the saddle as my horse eagerly heads down the trail for a new adventure. So, love your horse, love the trail and continue to love Endurance Riding.

Biltmore Challenge 2014

I had not initially planned on going to the Biltmore ride this year. I did not want to take off work and sometimes the weather has not historically worked out for the first Saturday in May. However, due to predictions for very heavy rain during the week prior to the ride, management had to make the tough call to move the Friday ride to Sunday and cancel the Limited Distance events due to perceived limitations on parking if the 3-6 inches of rain arrived. Fortunately for us, the bad weather did not materialize although many people were very disappointed that their rides were cancelled. The good news for me, proved to be that I could now make it to the 55 on Sunday. I had signed up to administer the SAT Test at my school on Saturday morning, but my friend Dody and I left on Saturday afternoon around 2pm for Biltmore Estate.

We arrived and promptly set about arranging our crew materials, carrying a days worth of supplies to the vet check and getting registered and vetted in. Eli looked great and had gained weight since his last ride. He was up 50lbs. He gave us a scare at the beginning by rolling rather vigorously in his pen. Our neighbor checked him out and then I took him up to the vets. He was fine and actually just hates gnats so much that he does drop and roll. He does have an intense dislike for camping as he misses the luxuries of his home barn!

Our vet check area

 

Crew Area looking back toward camp

Dody and I were riding Itchy and Eli. It was Itchy's first ride back since last year so we planned to take it easy. We also wanted an easy and relaxed first loop so we waited about 5-10 minutes after the start to head out. This was an absolutely beautiful thing as they both trotted out of camp on loose reins and stayed cool and collected throughout the ride. It was a good thing as at Biltmore Estate you will encounter all sorts of tourists, bicycles, Segways, strollers, what seemed like thousands of geese with their offspring, kamikaze squirrels, kayaks, cows, goats, sheep, and all sorts of traffic. We were out on our first loop at 6:15am to go across the river to the Blue Loop which had quite a bit of slick grass and hard gravel roads. The trails were lovely though and we got to ride through the vineyard at dawn.

We finished this 15 mile loop in about 2 hrs 15 and vetted through with no problems. Eli had a 48/44 CRI and was eating well. This ride was a 4 loop 50 with 40 minute holds. We were out next on the 17 mile loop again across the river on on Orange. We saw the lovely rolling farmland of the estate and I got to work on getting Eli "cow" broke. He was pretty sure they were going to kill him but he made it. We came in off this loop in about 2 hrs 30 min and Eli vetted through super. On to the hold and then out on the toughest loop of the day, 12 miles on short red with lots of climbs and roots, roots and more roots. It was approaching 80 and the saving grace of the day was a stiff wind and low humidity. Dody was feeling a little sick and we hung out a little at the vet check to make sure she was doing okay. We went out on the last 10 mile loop around 4:37 and boy was Eli ready to eat. I had changed him over to the hackamore and we ate sporadically all around this lovely loop. It rode by canola fields in bloom and had a lovely view of the back of the Biltmore House. We did have a mishap on this loop. We were approaching the trail directly behind the house and luckily we were walking because Eli collapsed out from under me. The ground caved beneath us and he went into a hole almost up his elbow. Somehow, he was back out before I could even react but I was so afraid that he had injured himself. Luckily, he seems to be 100% fine.

Dody by the canola fields on the White Loop

 We came in sometime after 6:30pm and finished with sound and healthy horses. We had such a nice relaxing ride although I was very sorry that Dody wasn't feeling well but I'm so proud of her for gutting it out. Eli vetted through with As at the end and he looks really good today and is eating everything in sight. Now, time for a well deserved rest as the heat of the summer descends upon us. Until next time!

Photo by Becky Siler Pearman

Eli and Itchy

 Photo Becky Siler Pearman

Sandhills 2014

Sandhills Spring Fling Ride Story 2014

After such a great 50 mile completion at Red Barn Run, Eli and I opted to do a fun 25 mile ride two weeks later at Sandhills Spring Fling. This ride takes place at the gorgeous H. Cooper Black Recreation Area in Patrick, SC. This was the site of the AERC National Championship ride a few years ago. The forecast was calling for a high temperature of 81 degrees with a "real feel" of 86. On ride day, I was very glad that we had opted for the shorter distance. I was already overheating by noon.

Waiting to head out....

 Looks like I'm adjusting stirrups!

Eli vetted through the pre-ride vet check with a pulse of 42 and all As on his vet card. We chatted with old friends and new. We happened to be camped next to Penny Markle who had contacted us on Facebook about Standardbreds and I spent some time talking to her about our horses, New Vocations and what to expect when she competes with her standie for the first time in the fall. Eli stood patiently and graciously allowed us to continue our conversation and admire his demeanor. I hope to stay in touch with Penny and see her boy on the endurance trail.

On ride morning, Eli knew just what was happening. We were competing in a field of 53 horses. Sandhills is known for two things, deep sand and big hills. Many come to this ride thinking it will be easy because it is not in the mountains but looks can be deceiving. This is actually one of the toughest rides in our region. There is a great deal of sand that can cause lameness problems if you do not ride smart. We started off in mid-pack. I had my hands full on the first loop and we struggled to get into a comfortable zone away from other horses. He is always well mannered but he relaxes better when he can't spot horses up ahead of him. We came in to the first vet check in just under 2 hours for a 15 mile loop. He vetted through like a champ and we settled into our crew area in some shady pine trees.

Photo by Becky Pearman: First loop

The second loop was only 10 miles and we went out alone and rode alone for most of the loop. The trail was lovely with a mix of sandy dirt roads and some fun single track. We just took it easy and I let him cruise at his nice trot for most of the loop. We met a very nice lady on a paint horse. Her name was Heather Wilkerson and she had some questions for me about Eli and New Vocations. She commented on how steady and forward Eli was and she was very interested in standardbreds. I'm also staying in touch with her on Facebook. 

 

Walking out of camp nicely on the second loop!

Heading out on the second loop....much more relaxed! Photo by Becky Pearman

We came into camp alone. I always jump off and walk him in, loosen his girth and let him know that we are finished. In AERC LD competitions you have to pulse down to 60 before your time stops. It was quite warm and he pulsed down very well for a big horse. We placed 19th out of 53 horses with a ride time of 3 hours and 23 minutes.

I'm very proud of his performance this spring and we have talked to so many people about New Vocations and the great attributes of Standardbreds.

Until next time!
PS. Eli is getting ready to try out the new Easyshoe by Easycare. Stay tuned for the results!

Red Barn Run 2014

This was my first trip down to this very popular ride in the SE region. On board, we had Eli for the 50 and my friend Sarah was going to ride her mare, Puff, in her first LD. I had worked very hard packing everything and we drove about 6 hours to get to the quaint town of Chester, GA. Upon arriving at ride camp, we immediately had the sense of belonging and the gypsies of endurance began to arrive throughout the day. The community rose up around us and new friends and old came together for a wonderful and well run event. 

We spent the better part of Thursday setting up camp and making sure to get everything in the dry because they were calling for rain on Friday and Saturday. I set the back of the trailer up as an extra bedroom with a cot and I slept back there and found it quite comfy since I tend to get up to check horses constantly. The horses vetted through just fine and I prepared for my 50 on Friday. 

This ride was a 4 loop 50. It started at 7:30am with loops of 15, 10, 15 and 10. The first loop started off dry and I had a handful of horse. It was a little humid that morning and I came in off the first loop at 9:42. He vetted through with a 64/60 CRI and we were good to go for our next loop which was when it started raining. 

Photos from the vet check

 I rode the second and third loops mostly alone and Eli finally settled into a more relaxed state of mind. He started to eat up the ground and we began to pick off a few horses.The trails were still in good shape but there were places where we had to cross chest deep water and I saw some shorter horses struggle a bit with that.

I had it in mind that I was going to do a 7.5 hr 50 and I ended up with a ride time of 7 hrs 45 minutes, so I was happy with that given the rainy conditions. At many rides this would have placed us mid-pack but at this traditionally fast ride we were near the back of the pack. We had a fantastic day though and got to ride with my friend Lisa Robles and her daughter Paloma as she finished her first 50, full of smiles. 

Eli's CRIs for the rest of the day were all 54/54 and he finished in great shape. He isn't the least bit sore and looks great here at home. I had several people ask me what kind of horse he was since we were a bit further from home than we normally travel. I had a great time telling people about New Vocations and met some people with TB crosses that were interested in more information. Almost everyone at this ride guessed he was an Anglo and were surprised as usual that he is a Standardbred! 

Ride photo by Jessica Willis

 

 I can't recommend this ride enough. The Perry's are excellent hosts with wonderful comedy routines at the ride meetings and great hospitality. They made fire pits each night and provided a pavilion for riders to gather under to share their "war" stories from the day. If you haven't attended Red Barn, this is definitely one to place on your bucket list. 
I'm also attaching a few videos from the starts of the Saturday 50 and 25 mile rides.

Saturday 50 Mile Start 

Saturday LD Start