Another Beautiful Day!

At one of our favorite overlooks~

It's always fun showing people who haven't been there - some of the views from what I still call "Victoria".  Heather had been wanting to make the drive up, so I offered to act as trail guide.  We left mid-morning & soon found that her super Arab gelding & Farah matched each other well.  Both with a nice moving out walk & fast trots - but Rafik does win the "collected canter" portion of the ride, with a rocking-chair gait that anyone would be envious of :-)  Farah does have a very nice canter too - but as I do - she prefers trot!   Both horses were listening to us - behaving very well & we had so much fun galloping along side by side.  Rafik showing off his beautiful training, Heather deserves to be proud of her work with him.  The golden girl & I are still a work in progress :-)  

The settings on my Garmin sometimes seem to have a mind of their own, so the ride didn't get recorded - but we did my usual 11+ mile loop with a good moving pace, somewhat lowered by our taking several stops for photos!  I managed to loose the lens from my favorite sunglasses, so spent a while looking for it to no avail.  Seems I do something to end up buying at least one new pair a year - no matter how hard I try!  Did pick up another pair with shatterproof lens on the way home.  Nice day, good ride ~

Old Habits Die Hard!

Farah at the Wetland~

Funny how easy it was to get back into my conditioning routine for Farah's Limited Distance debut.  After all - it's what I've done - for a very long time!  Fighting her for the 25-miles was something that I was not used to.   (Khari was such a professional & knew her job so well, that I would set a pace & away we went.)  Farah hasn't yet had the experience to figure out that there are many more miles out there!  :-)  Actually -  I don't want her to find out - at least not at top-ten endurance speed.

So today, we slowed down, we enjoyed the ride, we worked on the basics.  I worked on some of the techniques that I've been trying so hard to learn - the finesse of Light Hands Horsemanship.   I like the idea of a partnership built on trust & reward.  Lightness was certainly a casualty of Bare Bones!

Beautiful yellows~

Once Farah figured out that we weren't going to be blasting around the woods, she settled in - started listening & we had a really Super ride!  She held her collection on a loose rein - moved into the trot without sacrificing that collection & paid attention to where she put her feet.  A large doe crossed our path on the way home - it was one of those quiet, still, cool afternoons that are my favorite of our Washington "Summer"!

Farah is Awarded High Vet Score

Farah on final trot-out

What great news on a Monday morning!  The ride was so HOT, that Butch had us packed up when I came in off the ride.  He vetted Farah for her completion, but Dick Root, DVM was so impressed with her that when I asked the question;  "Should we bring her back for BC judging?"  He responded with a loud "Yes!"  That meant the prescribed hour wait - which would delay our departure - but how often do you get the opportunity to show for BC on a young horses first ride?  Butch spend the hour grooming her while Farah consumed mass quantities of everything he put in front of her.

 Dr. Root checking CRI

We took her back to Dick & it took all of Butch's skill to keep all four of her feet on the ground long enough for the exam!  I knew we were behind the curve time wise - 7th place doesn't give you those added points on time, when compared to the winner's time.  Then, there's the weight difference between you & the heaviest rider - I knew I was not the heaviest.  Even so, we had fun showing her & she had fun being shown :-)

Tail still swinging!

We left for home right after; I asked Heidi to send me my paperwork.  So - it came as a surprise when I checked Facebook & found where a friend - who'd stayed for awards - posted that we had received high Vet Score!  Yippee!  
Thanks to my husband for his help & support, Farrier - Art Morris (Who came over Thursday evening to replace shoes ahead of schedule.) & Dean Essex, DVM - who's taught me well.  Nice to have Farah receive the recognition.

My Garmin Stats~ 

Post scrip - just heard from the RM that we only missed BC by 1.0 point :-)

The Deed is Done~

Bare Bones 25-mi. Limited Distance

We arrived in ride camp about 1:30 p.m. on Fri., after a long drive through a lot of Sea Fair traffic.  Found a spot next to Amanda to set up & had plenty of time before vet-in.  Good to see & visit with friends old & new.  Farah showed well for Dick Root DVM, & vetted in with one A- in gut sounds, after the four hour drive down. The distance for this ride had been changed from 25, to 30 - then back to 25-miles.  At registration, there were 50 riders in the 25, 25 & in the 50.

Who is that masked mare?  :-)

At the pre-ride meeting, the start times for the rides were moved up an hour to allow us to try to beat the heat.  Our start time was 6:30 a.m. - almost like doing a 50 :-)  I was up early & we had Farah saddled & moving 30-min. early.  Originally - I'd wanted to start her on her own, but after speaking to Amanda, found out that most of the trail was single track - limiting places to pass.  Farah made it plain that she knew her riding partner was there, so Amanda kindly allowed us to accompany her.  We left just behind the front runners at a nice trot, then pulled aside at the first clearing for riders to pass.  At the far end of the field, those riders were bunched up in a knot - no one's horse wanting to cross the muddy puddle of water that was between the field & the trails. 

Cato leads the way, Farah follows~

Amanda asked for space & Cato crossed with Farah right behind him.  Once on the trail, Cato moved into his big ground covering trot & Farah was not going to be left behind!  We cruised the first loop, but started slowing down before coming in to camp.  I had to remind myself that it was heart-rate, that determined our placement.  Farah was high - but came down to criteria quickly, maintaining our place.

During the 45-min. hold - she ate everything Butch put in front of her & was drinking well.  Again, Amanda & I left together.  Bringing up the rear was no fun, Farah fighting every stride to stay too close.  We were passed by a small group just over mid-way through the loop.  The day was heating up, it seemed a long haul to water - once there Farah tried out all four barrels & took a good drink from each.   We enjoyed every stretch of trail through the woods - trying to absorb the cool.

Coming off the top of the Orange/Yellow loop we arrived at an intersection with many ribbons!  I decided to call Butch & see if I could get some clarification on the correct path back to camp after meeting a couple riders who'd already been lost.  Nice to have the connection when you need it.  Just over a mile further on - we were back!  Farah pulsed down quickly & completed 7th place.  Butch stripped her tack & she vetted through with great scores. 

At the finish - pulsing down - photo compliments of Heather

Dr. Root told us to bring her back for BC judging.  She showed incredibly well - but was so excited & full of herself that her CRI's were relatively high.  Dick just smiled & said that was the trade-off on a mare who was so fit, young & excited :-)  My last 25-mile ride was in 2006, Khari's first ride at Renegade.  Now, all these years later - I've finally earned the AERC 250-mi. Limited Distance patch :-)  

Butch trotting Farah out for her completion

Ride stats rough;  52 riders in the LD, only 24 completed - 13 over time.  The heat made it tough this year, the mud / rain last year :-)  It was a couple days after the ride when I learned that Farah was awarded High Vet Score!

Going it Alone~

Farah at the Monument

I'm still not used to the joy of tree-top flying rides.  For so many years, to have a really good ride, meant having the right riding partner.  Not since Jasrada, have I enjoyed the pure bliss of moving out on an incredible mare - alone.  Those who know me best, know that I don't often brag-up my horse.  It gets old quickly - we all love our horses & of course we think they're the best!  They are too!  For us!  

This time though, Farah deserves honorable mention - at least in my mind :-)  I set out to just see what she would do.  The reins were loose the entire ride.  Leaving at a 13.9 mph trot that lasted until the first of the climbs then settled into 8-9.  She trotted the seven-miles I found for her to the monument - going back to the old "training-loop" that Diane & I used to do.  By the time we got there, we were just under seven-miles with a average speed of 8.9.  Coming to the only water puddle on the mountain, Farah let me know that yes!  She wanted a drink!  She was smart about it, taking a few swallows, waiting a moment, then taking more.  Once done she picked up a trot again on her own!  At the monument, she was hungry & started grazing right away.  

Ride Laps

Lynn had thought she was clicking on our ride Monday & I needed to confirm that she was.  Not wanting to push my luck, we slowed down for the second part of the ride, but even so - finished the 11-mile loop with an average moving speed of 7.0 & moving time of 1:36.  Good thing I've given up Endurance!  Otherwise I'd be sooo tempted :-)   Regardless - I think we're ready for the 30 mi. LD at Bare Bones.