September 2, 2009

Phebes Horsis Extra-ordinarious


We blend right into the scenery in that photo with all the green, black, and shadow..
Phebes will have the next three days riding off. I have 12 hour workdays the next two days, Mom stuff on Friday morning, and a rheumatologist to see Friday afternoon. I hate the days that I can't ride, but it does give her a chance to get over the hill climbing, sore muscles, and to add back weight which she loses when we ride.

My alter egos are at war.........wanting that clean completion this year vs. just forging ahead with lessons and starting over next year with a sane and safe horse. Just reading I can see the answer, but every inch of me wants that 30 mile LD under our belt. *sigh* Even done at a crawl, I SO WANT IT.

~E.G.

9 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. I don't think it would hurt her to do a slow LD. Are you wanting to do Spook Run? Laura and I are planning on doing the DBDR Rerun in KY Sept. 26th. Just the LD. It's a tough course, even tougher than Clark. And it's very rocky. Which is giving me grief. My Renegades are still rubbing Stormy, even just after a few miles. And they come off just about as easily as the easyboots did. The easyboots with gaiters (both the epics and the bares) rubbed her even worse than the renegades do. So I'm either going to remove the gaiters, cut off the heal straps (because that is where she was being rubbed even with them cut down) and foam them on. I already have foam but haven't used it yet. Or go to shoes. Which I am really leaning towards. And I need someone to talk me out of it or that's just what I'm going to do for her. Her feet are getting tough. But not tough enough to do 25 miles at the Daniel Boone National forest at the speed I like to go. And If I shoe her a week before the ride, she should still have them on for the Spook Run ride as well.

    Can you do lessons AND do another LD this fall? That would be the best option. I do believe Daunna will be at Spook Run this year.

    Michelle Detmer

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  2. November really is quite a ways off! Even if you are just "schooling" and "taking lessons" and "training" it all adds condition.

    I don't know if you *have* to rule out a slow LD in November! Put the training/schooling goals first, and I bet it will all come together nicely, just in time.

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  3. It does seem that just as I get my *crap* together each year (horsey is better than ever, I'm fitter, I'm riding better etc.) that the season ends and I start all over in the spring. Bleah! Sounds like you are there too...

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  4. It's a financial call really. I can afford to have some lessons OR I can shoot for a fall ride. Can't afford to do both as I'm still paying off the vet bills from Spring (don't start me on my love hate relationship with the Visa but glad I had it with me pre and post C.Chase).

    Keeping my tail in the air! ~E.G.

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  5. EG- With only a short amount of time left for the season, I too am feeling like I would love to get my first LD under our girth...JB is really doing well right now and yet, there are only a couple rides left...

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  6. Sounds like a tough decision, but your horse is young. I think I'd go for the good foundation over the distance rides if I had to choose.

    Doc is 14 now and we are just starting distance riding. I am sure glad of his solid foundation. He settled right in at our first ride and I even arrived after 8 p.m. and didn't even start setting up camp until 9 p.m. because I wanted to listen in on the riders meeting. And I forgot my ground rod, so no electric, but he was fine all weekend without it. At this point he's been there and done a lot of things so this was actually quite a laid back relaxing event for us. It was nice not to have to worry about the little things and focus on the ride. I'm sure the longer distances will be different, especially if we have "weather."

    I'm hoping to do Spook Run - just can't figure out if it is a 25 LD or a 30 LD and is that a big leap from 15? After our ride last weekend, I felt we could do another 10, no problem, but not sure about another 15. And the course we did was VERY easy - mostly flat. So a more hilly course might be more of a leap.

    There's another ride in November I'm thinking about (Cave Country Canter). That would give me more time to condition, but it will also be dark early then and I'm not sure I could get any conditioning rides done duirng the week.

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  7. Experienced people will tell you that the jump from 15 to 30 is not so bad. Once you are really "up to speed" I don't think so either. As a beginning horse / rider team I found it to be more difficult. That is pretty much where I am with Phebes right now is the 15 mile distance, and haven't pushed past it.

    Corydon (O'Bannon Woods) is a tough but very beautiful ride. You will encounter a LOT OF rock in the form of crushed gravel that really chip away at the hoof unless the horse is booted or shod. I rode that one barefoot, and came through fine, but had to do some serious smoothing of the hoof post ride because of the chipping. I'd have been happier if I'd have had boots all the way around.

    The course at Henryville (Clark State Forest) is more challenging because of the big hills. I booted for it, but could have managed bare if I'd have just rode my own ride. There are a couple of straight flat sections where you can make good time if you have hoof protection. These are gravel service roads. If time isn't going to be a factor for you, then booting wouldn't be too important.

    Both rides are scheduled as 30 mile LD's vs. 25 miles. Don't know why but I found the push from 25 to 30 miles difficult from a rider perspective mostly. Hoping that lessons will make that easier for us both.

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  8. If you HAVE to choose. I'd say do the lessons. They are definately not as much fun. But very needful, especially if you haven't had them before. Maybe after you do the lessons you'll come into some money and be able to do a ride this fall as well, we hope!

    A friend of Daunna's did her first 15 mile CTR and it really hurt her. She said she'd have to go to the emergency room afterwards. Not sure if she was joking or really did. But she was not in shape for it at all. Her horse managed much better than her, but had a sore back since the rider just bounced all over it for 15 miles. Seems hard for me to believe 15miles is that hard. I have a 14 mile loop here at my place that I can do in about an hour and a half with ease for me and my horse. But we've been doing it once a week at least all summer long.

    Michelle Detmer

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  9. Michelle, Talk to me about how difficult it is in say....25 more years? It is a whole different experience *LOL*. I was unstoppable with my energy when I was 20-35 yrs. old. (skinnier too)
    Now one thing I will say is that I'd rather do 15 miles smoking along at a nice trot or canter, than 15 miles at a walk (just kill me now). How I am riding now vs. a month ago is remarkably easier than what I've done all my life and what I'm doing I managed through pointers here on the blog, and just blind experimentation. I doubt I'm show ring correct, but it is working for me and Phebes. I think I could face a 30 without it being so daunting if she wasn't in runaway mode. It is yet to be seen if I can control her in a group situation and I'm almost afraid to try it, though I know I will have to test it prior to any organized competition.

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