rival at C
Arrival at Camp
We arrived at base camp about 2pm on Friday afternoon. The irony in this was that I had everything ready to go. Everything was packed, all we needed to do was hook up the trailer, pack the last-minute food items, and load the horse. Unfortunately, while driving my truck on Thursday, I noticed that a front-end under braking wobble was back! I wasn't feeling very good about driving with the trailer with that going on, so on Friday morning, the first thing we did was head over to Spring Valley Automotive and have Ed take a good look at it. Ed spent quite some time going over the truck, and determined that it was safe. The wobble is likely due to the rotors needing machined. Since I can prevent the wobble by not braking hard under certain conditions, I can probably let this go for a while. So, we came home and hooked up, and I dialed up the brakes on the trailer so I wouldn't need to depend on the truck brakes enough to cause the wobble.
My husband loves to camp under trees. There is one campsite at this camp that he really likes, which was surprisingly still available. We parked over there and unloaded Hoss. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that Hoss did not approve of the campsite. It was too far from other horses! Rather than put up with him being unhappy all night, we went ahead and moved. We found another site closer to horses and still under trees. It turned out there was a ridiculous amount of ants in the trees, but they didn't bite so it was livable.
While my husband set up the campsite (it's so nice when he's here; all I have to do is take care of the horse!) I took Hoss to be vetted in. His heart rate was 32 and he got all A's on all other parameters.
I took Hoss back to the trailer and gave him his dinner, plus leaving out enough food that I wouldn't have to feed him in the middle of the night. Then my husband and I went out to visit with people and check what Evelyn had for me. Well, Evelyn is truly an awesome and wonderful person. She had made me a pair of tights with this truly awesome green and yellow and black and white sorta shimmery material. Love 'em. She also made a vest for my son out of pink flame fabric and a tank top with similar material. My son got his stuff on Sunday morning. He loves both pieces very much. The vest, despite being a small, is still a bit big for him, but he's really the skinniest dude you ever saw.
I also bought an S hack and green fuzzie for Hoss. While I knew we wouldn't be starting out our day in the hack, I wanted to have it available when I felt he was ready for it. I fussed with it with the bit hangers until I got it right, then discovered that it won't fit in my saddle pack! Since the mid vet check is at camp, I left it in the front seat of my truck to be switched out at lunch.
It was warm and humid. There had been storms on Thursday, and there had been a cloudburst Friday at ride camp. While driving up there, we had driven through a pretty significant bit of rain. However, the weather report suggested that Saturday would be, if not clear, then acceptable.
My husband cooked dinner for us before the ride meeting, so he wouldn't have to do that in the dark. We brought a lovely London broil with us, which turned out to be significantly larger than we thought it was. We could've fed a lot of people with that steak! As it was, we brought more than half of it home.
After dinner I headed to the ride meeting. As I had anticipated, knowing this head vet well, heart rate criteria for the ride was set at 56 beats per minute. Finish criteria was 64. 56 is not my favorite. Hoss comes down to 60 quite readily, but it takes him longer to hit 56. However, he'd never taken more than ten minutes to meet criteria at the other rides with this criteria set, so I wasn't worried.
By this time I was pretty beat. I hadn't had a chance to really rest for a week, so I was running on empty. I turned in pretty early. My husband crawled in and watched his movie in the tent with me, but gave it up and we both curled up to sleep. This was the first time I was too warm in the tent. At my last ride in June, I was cold in the tent. This night, it was downright hot! We had the windows of the tent open and slept with the sleeping bags unzipped.
Hoss drank well over night. I had to refill his bucket four times, and I heard him pee at least three times. He rested quite nicely, too.
I never sleep well in the tent. This time was no exception. Despite being very tired, I just couldn't stay asleep. Every little noise woke me up. In addition, it seems like my bladder likes to keep me up under these conditions. I had to get up and walk off to the porta-potty several times. It worked out okay, since it gave me a chance to check and refill Hoss's water at the same time. This way, he didn't run out, which results in him banging his bucket against the trailer.
At about 3:30 am, the wind had started to pick up. I got a distinct sense we were in for a wild ride! Pretty soon, I heard the rain. I sat up in a hurry and closed the tent windows so we wouldn't get too wet. I could see the lightning as it lit up the tent. The thunder was loud! I began to wonder if it was such a great idea to have set up the tent under the trees. At one point, we saw a truly huge lightning bolt light up the sky. The thunder came so quickly the light hadn't faded before it started. It felt like it was right above the tent.
All I could do was hope the rain would abate before the ride started. I had set up everything I needed the night before, so all I needed to do was dust off Hoss and saddle and I was ready to go. So I got up and prepared Hoss's beet pulp and set that out for him along with a flake of rye grass at about 5am. My husband got up and started working on breakfast. He had brought oatmeal for us for breakfast, but our camp stove is missing a part. Discovering that was thrilling, as it resulted in a rather spectacular propane explosion! So, he was heating water on the propane grill. I crawled back into the tent to get what little sleep I still could before the 6:30am ride start.
Loop One
My husband brought me breakfast in the tent and made sure I got to eat. I finally got up and dressed at 6:00am. I decided to wear my new tights. They're made of a different material than I'm used to. It quickly became evident that they need to be put on a little differently than the ones I'm used to. These go on more like nylons! Also, they're a little bit snug. They fit rather like a second skin. Still, once on, they're very comfortable. I expect that once I lose some weight, they'll fit nicely.
Of course, Hoss was wet when I threw the saddle over his back. I hadn't blanketed him. It was just way to warm, even with the rain. So, he just got rained on. He's a tough fellow. He showed no signs of being cold at all.
I mounted up and headed down toward the start. It was still raining a little and we were getting thunder and lightning. Ride management elected to delay the start of the ride 30 minutes, in hopes that the weather would improve a little bit. So, I headed back to camp, tied Hoss back up, and waited the extra half hour. At 7:00am, we finally started the ride.
It rained a good bit on the first loop. Despite the rain, it was still warm, and I only wore my rain jacket to keep from getting too wet. Getting wet leads too easily to getting cold, which can cause my shoulder to start giving me trouble. So, even though I was really a little too warm, I kept the jacket on.
The first loop is tough from the stand point that Hoss really wants to go! He wants to keep up with every horse he sees, and he's not listening to me. I think the first three miles or so, he did more distance up and down than he did forward. I wouldn't let him trot unless he would do so in an appropriate manner and not try to run away with me! He did the first loop, 14.5 miles, in 2 hours 15 minutes, which is close to 6.5 mph on average. A good average, but I'd like him to be able to do that without pulling my arms off.
When we got into the vet check, my husband was waiting for us. I handed Hoss off to him in the pulse check area, and headed off to the porta-potty. I'd been holding it for about 12 miles! It took a long time to get my turn; a lot of other riders had the same problem. I expected that once I got back to Hoss, he'd have come down. When I got out of the porta-potty, I was surprised to see my husband still standing with him in the pulse check area. I figured he didn't know that once Hoss had pulsed down, he could move him to where the food was. So I walked on over to find out what was going on. Well, Hoss hadn't come down. I was surprised. Hoss was not drinking, either.
Hoss came down at about 20 minutes after entering the vet check. This was somewhat worrisome for me. I was very much concerned that we wouldn't be continuing. I had to use sponged water to help cool him and get his heart rate down. I took him to the food area for our hold. Most riders take their horses to the vet right away, but I like to wait. Hoss is a big-bodied, round muscled horse. It takes longer to get him hydrated properly. I prefer to let him rest and wait 'til the last minute to take him to the vet. Also, if he was going to have trouble, I felt it would be more likely to show if he'd been resting for a while before being seen. So, I let him eat beet pulp and bran mash and carrots and hay for fifteen minutes before going to the vet.
The vet checked Hoss over, and had us trot out. Hoss is really bad about the trot-out at vet checks. He just doesn't see the point! So he got all A's except impulsion, which he got a B on. It's very aggravating that he's like this. It is a difficult problem to work on, as ride conditions are nearly impossible to emulate in training. I'm really going to have to work on this! The vet said he looked good, and sent us on our way.
Loop 2
I knew Hoss wasn't doing as well as I'd like. He hadn't had a drink, which I don't like at all. So, I headed him out with the plan of keeping him slower. The second loop is 10.5 miles. There is a little "lollipop" loop that comes back around to the vet check. I rode him through that, only asking for a trot on the flat and downhills (not steep ones, though). When we got back to the vet check, I took him back to the pulse check area to see if he'd drink. He did dip his nose and took a little swallow, though not as much as I'd like to see.
We headed back out across the road and continued on. On this second loop, there is a long, steep uphill.
Partway up the hill, Hoss seemed to be breathing quite hard. I dismounted, and gave him a few minutes to blow before walking the rest of the way up. It's funny how we never realize just how steep a trail is until we have to walk it ourselves. Yup, that's one steep hill. I almost needed mountain-climbing gear! I got to the top and stayed on foot until we reached the water stop at the top. Another rider caught up to us and was marveling that I could walk along with my horse without holding his reins, and he'll just follow me.
At the water stop, Hoss finally tanked up. I breathed a little bit of a sigh of relief. This is a sign he's okay. Still, I didn't feel like he was out of the woods yet. He needed electrolytes, and I didn't have any on me. I had one dose, in a bran mash waiting for him at the trailer. We continued on our way down the road to the cookie stop, where he took another good drink and even splashed water with his head. We were doing great, coming in nice and slow, when we were passed by other horses going considerably faster, and he just got all sorts of mad about it. It was all I could do to keep him from trotting all the way down the hill and in to the vet check. In spite of this, his heart rate came down to 56 in ten minutes with the aid of cooling him with sponges. We did the second, 10.5 mile loop in 2 hours, so a little over 5 mph.
I took Hoss to the trailer and prepared his bran mash. Hoss slurped it down, and took a good drink from his bucket. Okay. Now I was starting to feel better about him, but still felt that I needed to be exceedingly careful with him. I went ahead and put his S hack on at this point. I took him back to the vet area at the end of our hour hold, and presented him to the vet. His heart rate was down to 46 at this point. Again, A's except for impulsion, which was still a B.
Loop Three
By the time we set out for the third loop, there wasn't another horse going our direction in sight. This did not make Hoss feel like he wanted to do this! Still, I got him to give me a good, steady trot on the flat and downhills. At the next water, he once again drank well. After the water stop, the trail got a little deep, and we were stuck walking. We eventually came to a gate. The kind constructed out of barbed wire that is held closed by wire. If you've never seen one, it looks for all the world like contiguous fence. The post at the end of the gate is held to another post by sticking the bottom end in a length of looped wire, then pulling the top of the post until you can loop a second length of looped wire over the top. This gate was supposed to be open.
We arrived at the gate and I was rather confused. There were a few hoof prints going up alongside the fence, but I could see a trail marker and more hoof prints on the other side of the gate. I decided that I was supposed to go through the gate and continue on the road. So, I dismounted and opened the gate. Hoss has never seen one of these gates before, and he was somewhat alarmed by it. When I asked him to come through, he decided he should go another way, and I had to catch up and lead him through. I closed the gate behind me and continued on my way. Hindsight being 20/20, I probably should have left the gate open. I wasn't sure if I was the last rider or not, but that really didn't matter. Drag riders would come out behind me and take care of these things. I figure some well-meaning person, unaware of the event going on, saw the opened gate and shut it.
I was pushing a little on this loop. We were out there all alone, tired and hot, and lacking motivation. I was beginning to fantasize that the coyotes and buzzards were watching us closely. While the map said 12 miles, I know that this ride manager tends to over-estimate early loops and under-estimate later ones. I also knew I had a cut-off time to beat. We had left vet check 2 a little after 1:00pm, and had until 3:45pm to be in vet check 3 and at criteria. Since Hoss had been having trouble coming down, I wanted to get in to vet check 3 with time to spare, by no later than 3:15pm.
At this point, although I didn't realize it at the time, I was getting very tired, and my memory is a bit fuzzy about some of the details. We finally got to another water stop, where Hoss again drank, though not a whole bunch, and a sign that advised us we had 1 mile to the vet check. Hallelujah! We walked all the way in.
Once again, I used a sponge on Hoss to help get his heart rate down. It took him 8 minutes at this check. I took him to food and encouraged him to eat. He wasn't as interested as I'd've liked to see. I can't recall if he drank in the vet check or not.
I presented him to the vet at the end of our 20 minute hold. Other than his skin tent being less than ideal, and his mucous membranes a little sticky, he looked good. If his heart rate had been spiking or there were other signs, I would have pulled, but the vet felt he looked okay, just to take it easy. At this point, I had more than three hours to complete the last 13 miles. While we couldn't walk it, there was no reason to suspect he wouldn't make it. This time, he got Bs on mucous membranes, gut sounds, and impulsion. Now I know I need to be careful to get this horse through this ride.
Loop Four
We headed out on the eight mile loop that comes back to vet check 3 for a five minute hold. It was a pleasant enough section of trail. Plenty of flat and easy downhills where Hoss could trot. We ended up catching up to a pair of horses and "hooked up" with them. I don't recall how long this loop took us. At the tail end of the
loop, when we got back on the dirt road, Hoss suddenly seemed to perk up and started trotting.
Back at the vet check for the 5 minute hold, Hoss took a good drink and was questing about for food. Unfortunately, since the vet check was technically shut down, there was water but no hay. I let him eat whatever he could find while I filled my water bottles up. At the end of our 5 minutes, we headed on back out.
It turned out that those of us in the 5 minute hold at that point represented the last riders. No one else left behind us. After we left the hold, Hoss started trotting again, looking at horses ahead of us about half a mile. I encouraged it, because this was a sign he was feeling better, and the road was downhill at this point. On the uphills, I encouraged him to walk. We now only had 5 miles to go, and about an hour and a half to do it. That distance, in that time, we could do walking. Still, I wanted to get him back in to camp with time to spare. I went ahead and stayed with the ladies we had hooked up with on the loop out of vet check 3. We were in dead last at this point!
Since the end was virtually all downhill, we were able to get some good trotting done. Hoss was snatching at every plant on the trail, seeking something, anything to eat. That, too, I considered a good sign. He hadn't had much interest in food since the lunch stop, and I was a little worried. Now he was more himself, seeking food anywhere he could get it.
We got back to basecamp and the end of the ride a little after 6:30pm. The vet was glad to see us and the other riders, as we represented the last horses he had to see. Of course, technically, I had an hour to present Hoss to the vet. However, I was just as tired as he was, and wanted to be done, so once Hoss's heart rate was down to 64 I presented him. He earned much worse scores at this point. More B's, and a C+ on gut sounds. Since Hoss had been looking for food all the way back on the last 5 miles, I felt that he'd turned the corner and would be fine. The vet agreed. I took Hoss back to the trailer and gave him alfalfa hay and another bran mash. I really wish I'd had more electrolytes to give him.
It was at this point that I realized just how tired I was. I turned away from Hoss to take something to the truck and found myself stumbling. My husband had already struck camp in anticipation of going home that night. I really needed to go home, as I sing in my church's choir and we were performing on Sunday morning. I considered having him set the tent back up, but I had a strong sense that I needed to get Hoss home. I went and ate dinner and sat through the awards, then checked on Hoss. He had peed and eaten most of his food. We scooped up what we could and put it in a hay bag, then loaded up and headed down.
I was very glad that I took Hoss home. While it would have been better for me to stay at camp another night, I think that Hoss was much better served by coming home. I was able to give him another dose of electrolytes in beet pulp. And, when I put him in the corral, he promptly dropped his head in the water bucket and took a huge drink. I will admit, I was glad to get to shower in my own shower and sleep in my own bed.
Over night, Hoss ate and drank quite well. I estimate that he drank a good 15 gallons over night. He was feeling fine, and ready to go back into the pasture with his buddies. I put out more beet pulp with electrolytes and hay and we went to church.
Overall, a good ride. I have learned that I will need to experiment a little with electrolytes with this horse. This is new for me. Phoenix never needed electrolytes other than what he got in his daily bucket feed. Hoss is a different horse, and I always knew there would be new things to learn. So, now on to the great electrolyte experiment!
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