Thursday, June 25, 2015

If the horse is ready, then I'm ready

In an interview leading up to this year's Belmont Stakes, and his third chance at a Triple Crown win, jockey Victor Espinoza said, "I learned that if the horse is not ready there is not much that I can do. If the horse is ready then I am ready".

Well, Luba was ready for 50 miles at Summer Solstice. The trick was me having the courage to try.

It took us about 7 hours to get to ride camp, but the mares both travelled well. We were welcomed by our peeps who had saved us a nice shady spot. Both horses vetted through fine on Saturday morning, and Luba's HR was 32, lower than her usual 36 for initial vetting.  However, she seemed a little stiff in her transition. Dr. Bri recommended a big dose of BCAA, and I also kept her moving, stretching, backing up as much as possible and used the red light on  her.

And I started to lose my nerve. What if she was heading back to tie up territory? Maybe I should drop down to the 25 or pull the plug on the ride completely?

Lucky for me, my friend and mentor, Wendy, staged an intervention and talked me down off the ledge. She encouraged me to stay in the 50, and ride with her and Stephanie, who would be riding Mae, a TB mare in their first 50.  A slow steady bubble wrap 50. You can do this.

Luba loosened up as the day went on, and by late afternoon she had jello muscles. I took a deep breath and saddled up for an untie ride, using our new 5-5-5 untie ride protocol: walk 5 minutes, medium trot 5 minutes, fast trot 5 minutes. This protocol comes from Dr. Erica McKenzie of Oregon State, who does research on tying up in Arabian endurance horses. She says several riders now swear by fairly vigorous brief exercise to bring a horse back from a short rest, or tie up or to prevent tie up in the days leading up to an event - short enough not to overload or tie up the horse, but enough to avoid rest.

Luba felt great. 

If the horse is ready, then I'm ready.


On Sunday morning, we walked calmly out of camp after the front runners had taken off. My heart was in my throat for the first 5 miles of trail. After that,  I could feel the tension draining down and out my arms and legs as we floated down the trail. If the horse is ready, then I'm ready.


Walking out of camp at the start of Summer Solstice 50, Dufferin Forest, Mansfield, ON.                                              Photo: wendywebbphotography.com


Wendy's gelding seemed a bit off after 25 miles, so she headed back to camp.  Stephanie and Mae and Luba and I completed the last 25 miles together, with enough gas in the tank to do the last loop a bit faster.

Although we only had about a month of consistent conditioning and she hadn't seen many hills, Luba completed all A's. Big thanks to everyone who helped crew us: Charlotte, Rob and Camille, Maurice, Karl, Phil, Marcel, Kelly and anyone else whose names may have slipped my mind but whose kindness is always in my heart.




Not only was this our comeback ride after the tie up, but it also marked our 7th consecutive year of endurance riding and took us a step closer to becoming an AERC Decade Team, the Horse Gods willing.

Denny Emerson of Tamarak Hill Farm posted this quote and commentary that resonated with me upon our return from the ride. We can stay home and let Luba be a pasture potato, or we can dare greatly.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." ~ President Theodore Roosevelt

"Sure, it's taking a risk to try, because you might fail, but if you DON'T try, you've already failed, so what the hell, give it a shot.

Your mother will still love you! hahahaha"



Sunday, June 14, 2015

Offering for the Horse Gods

Offering to the Horse Gods to ward off tie up


Luba's tie up at Cayuse Canter was exactly 4 weeks ago to the day, on May 17. 

Today, I made a shrine to the Horse Gods to bless our trip to Summer Solstice next weekend. We have entered the 50 on Sunday. The trail is two 12-13 mile loops, done twice, always coming back to ride camp for vetting and holds. So the plan is to ride one loop at a time.

Is Luba ready for a 50? That, my friends, is the $64,000 Question.

Luba went back to work on May 21, and I have been religious about consistent work and progressive loading in our conditioning. We had our first trip to St Lazare to ride with Wendy and friends on May 31, and went to Larose Forest and back to St Lazare last weekend, logging 21 miles over the weekend.

We have had a few schooling lessons too. Today, we worked on transitions, shoulder in, haunches in and had an intro to side passing in our group lesson with Teacher/Magician Sonja at Horses of the Sun

Then we ponied MissT at an easy trot for 6 miles on the perimeter track at the farm, carefully avoiding the part of the track near the creek after the horses were nearly carried off by swarms of deer flies the first time we went by.  We also walked on our way by the grove so as not to startle the equine therapy riders.

Energy good. Recoveries on track. And most importantly, muscles loose.


So I am making offerings to the Horse Gods and thinking visualizing a positive outcome for Summer Solstice. 

I believe in Pronoia - a philosophy that I discovered many years ago thanks to astrologer, Rob Breszny, and his Beauty and Truth Lab. Pronoia is the opposite of paranoia. 

Pronoia - The universe is conspiring to shower you with blessings. Really!

Check it out. PRONOIA.


And just for good measure, I also plan to create a shrine to Rabbit, the Fear Caller. Keep him happy, well-fed and snoozing for the rest of the ride season. 

NO BUBBLE WRAP.
GIDDY-UP!



"To some tribes Rabbit is known as Fear Caller because he brings whatever he fears most to himself. He’ll see Coyote and will tell him to stay away because he’s afraid of him. When Coyote doesn’t hear, Rabbit calls louder and louder until coyote notices, then preys on him." 
- Jill Stefko

Image: Sal Brownfield