The Wet Rides of April

Most of April was warm and dry here in Virginia, but wet weather figured prominently at both endurance rides I tackled that month.

On April 9, my riding buddy Brigid, an eventing enthusiast, was looking forward to going with me to her first endurance ride at the Fair Hill International venue in northeast Maryland. While competing in the Foxcatcher 50 miler, she'd get to see much of their eventing course. I'd also find out if the OsPhos shot I'd gotten for Siena would help her remain sound past the 30 mile mark so I could offer her to a young rider trying to start her FEI qualifications at the Biltmore 50 (1 star) on May 7.

To avoid Washington D.C./Baltimore traffic, Brigid, Lily and I left my place before 4 am the Friday before the ride and arrived in Fair Hill in record time. The weather was dry and pleasant throughout the day as we took Gryphon and Siena on warmup rides and visited with friends old and new. I was especially grateful to Felesha Mannino and Roger Wolfe for coaching Lily on her equitation and figuring out how best to create a wedge stirrup so that her left ankle (impacted by cerebral palsy)  could handle more miles in the saddle so she can hopefully tackle a limited distance ride on Shiloh later this year.

Primal scream of anguish or joy of extremes? You decide

Saturday's forecast was dreadful, with a nearly 100% chance of a sleet/snow/rain mix the entire day, and many who had pre-entered decided to stay home. Nonetheless, 32 intrepid souls started the 50 miler at 7 a.m. under gloomy skies. Brigid and I set out at a sedate trot, with Richard Stone and Felesha Mannino joining us to create a foursome who stayed together for much of that 25-mile loop. About 15 miles in, precipitation started falling just as we reached the edge of a big green field for the 10-minute gate & go. Sleety rain was coming as us sideways as we remounted, and within 5 miles I was soaked. Felesha grabbed this photo of me & Gryphon crossing the Little Elk River during a few magical moments as fluffy white flakes filled the air around us.

Coming into the first vet check, Felesha dismounted to keep her stallion at a slower pace. Gryphon was tight on his right hind (which has a minor conformation flaw), and I rubbed unsuccessfully trying to work out the muscle cramp -- we ended up getting pulled. But Siena was fine and after finding Brigid dry clothes and a fresh set of gloves, she and Richard set out on the next loop of 15 miles.

Richard's wife Amy and I went under ride management's big tent to warm up and work on drying horse blankets, gloves, etc. as the snow turned to heavy rain. Amy had synced her phone to Richard's using "Map My Ride," so could follow where they were on course. A little over two hours later, two cold and wet but cheerful riders arrived. Lily took care of drying and warming Brigid while I saw to Siena, who was completely sound with all As on her vet card.

The precipitation had slacked off by the time the two "baby endurance riders" (Richard had only done one previous 50) set out on their last loop of 10 miles. Gryphon was restless in his pen, so Amy and Lily helped me pack it up in preparation for leaving. He circled for 20 minutes after we walked him over to the big grassy finish area to wait for our riders, but eventually settled and started chomping grass, much better than allowing him to fret back at basecamp. Even though I train my horses to compete solo, there's no avoiding bonding issues when both are at a ride, but at least I was able to compensate somewhat for his anxiety.

We missed the first to finish rider, but cheered on the next six. Brigid and Ricky tied for 8th just before 4 p.m. in a ride time of 7:09. No one was happier than me when Siena trotted out sound and received her first completion since last June, and I immediately texted Stephanie Buckley in Maine to share the good news that her daughter Sarah could count on Siena for Biltmore.

The weather was fine on the drive home and we made it back by 9 p.m. Brigid slept most of the way back & texted me the next day that her body was one big bruise, but otherwise she loved her experience and wanted to do this again!

The weekend before the April 22-23 No Frills ride, I'd dropped Gryphon off at my friend Lisa's following our USA Northeast benefit trail ride. Early on Friday, Lily and I again headed up before dawn, this time with an empty rig (the look on Shiloh and Siena's faces as I pulled out was priceless!)

We volunteered at the away hold (Vance's Cove) until late afternoon, when I caught a lift back to basecamp to take Gryphon out for a short warmup ride and vet in. I'd had little sleep the night before, so skipped the ride meeting and was asleep before 9 p.m. in a spare bed in Lisa's basement (Lily and Felesha stayed up later and slept in my trailer).

Before dawn the next morning, I could hear heavy rain coming down as I fixed a much-needed  cup of coffee in Lisa's kitchen. Unlike all the poor souls camping out, I had the benefit of using a dry stall to tack up Gryphon. The rain briefly let up just before the 7 a.m. start, with many of us 30 or so riders in the 55-mile all trying to rationalize that at least the hard packed road that we used the first 5 miles would be softer now that it had gotten rained on.

Even though my socks were soaked within 10 minutes as the rain resumed, I enjoyed riding with Maria Muzzio (who was taking her horse Lance's on his first 50). It was so foggy that no views from the ridge crest trail could be seen. Scrambling down the steep descent, I waited several minutes for Maria, then as Gryphon grew increasingly restive, rode the last mile into the away vet check alone, vetting through with no issues. (Maria & Lance arrived several minutes later and opted to continue at a slower pace.) It stopped raining and I traded Lily my raincoat for her dry socks, only to have the rain start again as my 10:34 out time neared. No problem, just grab a spare garbage bag, poke some armholes and make due!

No points for style at an endurance ride!

The second loop of No Frills is nearly 25 miles and infamously tough. It had been several years since I'd had a chance to compete here, but remembered each section well, a psychological advantage for sure! After covering the first 12 miles at a sedate pace, I ended up third in line of a large group of maybe 10 horses. The singletrack trail meant we all had to stop and wait any time a horse wanted to drink from an available puddle.

A few miles before the checkpoint area stocked with horse feed and hay, I took the opportunity of a  wider section trail to pass those in front and let Gryphon pick his own pace. He zoomed along the singletrack and with his short legs was surefooted on all the rocks, putting a big smile on my face as sped along. At the checkpoint, I called out my number to Maitland the radio guy and gave Gryphon some electrolytes before resuming our zesty pace. The skies had cleared and I was able to leave my plastic bag raincoat behind.

Crossing a series of creeks, we passed friends Heather and Peggy. Gryphon he drank deeply before picking up his pace again. A few miles later, we caught up to Kelsey Lewis on Vinny, and I realized we were now well within Top Ten position. Gryphon was hungry by this point, so I dismounted to hand feed him carrots, a baggie of grain and roadside grass as we trudged up a long steep climb.

A few miles later, I began hearing a clinking noise as Gryphon's right hind shoe loosened (his conformation causes him to slide rather than set down the hoof, which over time wears off the nail heads.) Kelsey helped me keep an eye on the shoe and offered to loan me her Easyboot if needed.

Arriving in camp, her horse pulsed through faster than Gryphon, so I ended up leaving out at the same time as Claire Godwin on her 25-year old Mercury, who is even smaller than Gryphon. I enjoyed watching how efficiently Merc used his body, with his short front legs barely bending at the knee as his long hind stride propelled him steadily forward.

I could tell Gryphon's right hind was starting to cramp up and rode as carefully as possible since he resisted letting me slow his pace. Near the end, knowing we wouldn't have much of a chance to find a portajohn after entering camp and trying to get our horses untacked and through the completion exam as quickly as possible, we both agreed to a quick dismount to take care of business.

I'm grateful to the vet who gifted Gryphon with a completion even though his gait was "B-" and immediately rubbed some Surpass on his sore inside thigh, which quickly took effect. The rest of the afternoon was spent helping Kelsey prepare for her horse's best condition exam and visiting with various friends while sponging mud off my gear and packing up (a much simpler task than usual, since I didn't have to break down a corral!)

Next stop, Asheville NC!

How Shiloh Spent His 24th Birthday

Endurance riding can provide a number of goals to aim for. In 17 years of competition, I've met many, from seasonal points awards to longevity milestones. The Leatherwood Challenge this past Easter Weekend would test whether my old horse Shiloh could be un-retired yet again to make it through a tough 50 miles in the North Carolina mountains.

Shiloh & I started competing at AERC rides in 1999. He passed the 3,000-mile mark at the 2006 Biltmore, then needed annular ligament surgery just after reaching Decade Team status in 2010.



The Grumpy Old Man doing what he loves.

Post-surgery he initially wasn't sound for longer distances, so I thought his endurance career was over. But he made an amazing return during the summer of 2011, passing the 5,000-mile mark at Canter over the Mountain on Labor Day Weekend.

In March 2013, just after he turned 21, Shiloh was pulled of retirement to loan to Laura Horst of North Carolina for the Rabbit Run AERC ride in New Jersey. (She hoped to compete in as many Eastern states as possible before moving back to California.)


Shiloh went on to finish six more AERC rides that year, but it took him longer than usual to bounce back from JD's 50 at the end of the season, so I'd pretty much decided that would be his last AERC ride. He'd still get plenty of saddle time at relatively laid-back Southeast Virginia foxhunts, which have few jumps and are held during the cooler months of November-March.

In Sept. 2014, my husband and I moved to a great new home. North Carolina friends were caring for Shiloh and my other two horses stayed with a friend in Louisa County while we built fencing and horse shelters. By November, I was able to bring everyone home to ample pasture and the kind of TLC you can only give when your horses are just a few steps away in the front or back yard!

Watching the glow in Shiloh's eyes as we headed off to each weekend's hunt, I realized the "grumpy old man" (as he is affectionately known) still loved to get out and go places. Despite the occasional age-related stumble, he never took a lame step, and his strong topline belied that he was now in his early 20s.



Laura Horst expertly managed Shiloh's pace to ensure he completed.

At the 2016 AERC Convention, Laura Horst (who crewed for me at the 2014 Tevis) said she'd be visiting family in western NC over Easter and was looking for a horse to borrow for the Leatherwood Challenge.

"Shiloh's been having a great winter," I said, "I think I can get him fit enough in time!"

As foxhunting season wrapped up, I rode him several times a week on short local training rides, warming up slowly before adding speed work and as many "hills" as I could find around my flat section of Virginia. A friend and I were able to sneak away on a weekday in mid-March to squeeze in a proper mountain training ride at Graves Mountain, where Shiloh handled the Upper Dark Hollow climb with great recoveries. He completely knew what was up, and seemed calm but happy as we loaded him and Gryphon for the 6-hour haul to basecamp.

On Good Friday afternoon, Laura and I took Shiloh and Gryphon out for a test ride to check saddles (Laura opted to use the sturdy Boz I'd inherited from my friend Brenda). We agreed that I'd do all Shiloh's trot outs, and walk all the steep uphills. (Shiloh had a bad case of pharyngitis from being fed bad hay as a youngster, and I noticed he had a bit more labored breathing on long climbs than my other horses.)

Easter Saturday, which happened to be Shiloh's 24th birthday, dawned cloudy and fairly cool after several warm days. We patiently waited until most of the 50 or so 50-milers were out on trail ahead of us, and sedately plodded through the first loop, taking the better part of 3 hours to cover the 16 miles. I was thrilled when Shiloh pulsed quickly and earned all "As" on his vet card.

The second loop was 19 miles and took just over 3 hours, with some flatter sections near the end that helped us make up a bit of time. The sun came out briefly, and so did our sponges, but mild breezes and clouds returned in time for the second vet check, helping Shiloh pulse quickly. (I was on my 15-year old gelding Gryphon, who was pulsing in the 40s but needed to take it easy as I have several more rides planned for him this spring).

Shiloh's 24th birthday vet card - nearly all A's!

The last loop was just as tough as the first. Towards the end, as some friends we were riding with picked up a canter on a flat stretch, Laura spoke up to say that Shiloh wasn't picking up that gait as readily. All day long, we'd been letting him set the pace and listened to him this time as well. I've got a competitive streak, so it was tough for me to watch two friends we'd been riding with all day leave us behind, but Shiloh's eye looked less bright than before so we maintained a slow but steady trot.

Three more friends from Maryland passed us near the finish, which we reached about 10 hours after we'd started that morning. At his completion trot out, Shiloh took a few bad steps and received a B on gait, the only non-A score on his vet card all day. Boy was I grateful to Laura for having the wisdom to slow up or Shiloh just might not have been sound enough to earn that completion!

When he was younger, Shiloh wanted nothing more than to be left alone after finishing a tough ride, and especially disliked being poulticed. But back at home, I saw that Shiloh's legs had stocked up a good bit overnight. After church on rainy Easter Sunday, he stood quietly munching his breakfast as I applied a thick layer, then wrapped each sturdy leg and scratched the extra white hairs away from his broad white blaze.

I'm humbled to be the owner of this one-in-a-million horse, who has touched so many lives in our sport.

Answered Prayers (or, "any ride can have a silver lining!")

 

Anyone remember the line from a Garth Brooks song, "some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers?

At the Jan. 30 Broxton FEI Endurance Ride in South Carolina, I had a chance to ponder the lyrics of this song. Young rider Hanna Weightman had come all the way from New Jersey to try to qualify for the North American Junior and Young Riders Championship on my mare Siena. Despite the beautiful job Hanna did riding her, Siena was pulled at the 30 mile mark for a minor lameness.

 As my gelding Gryphon and I headed out by ourselves on the first of three 15-mile repeat loops, I tried not to think how hard it would be to trot past Siena’s pen at both the beginning and end of each loop, six times total. Instead, I reflected on the unspoken prayer I’d sent heavenward just before heading down I-95, that whatever God’s will, somehow this weekend I’d make a difference for others.

 

That black & white loop took us through my favorite section of Broxton trail, along a palmetto-frond decorated swamp, where I’d once crossed paths with an armadillo. The weather was perfect and by the end of the loop, I felt a bit better.

 

After vetting through without issue, I listened to Hanna’s report from the treatment vet – Siena had no serious  issue and should be sound soon. I wished she and her parents a warm farewell, promising to use my I-phone voice record the young riders meeting later that night so they could start their long drive home.

 

Heading out on the second of the repeat loops, I found myself riding beside my friend Amy’s husband Ricky, who was tackling his first 50 and was on the last loop of that three-loop ride. He had hurt his back pain a few days earlier while moving hay, then crewed for his wife in the 100 the day before, but said he was feeling fine. But he was worried about his mare Ziggy, who hadn’t had good gut sounds at the last hold.

 

I noticed her eye looked a bit dull, and told Ricky I’d stay with him. We stopped at each water tanks with hay scattered around. His mare refused to drink, bur watched Gryphon drink and eat, then grabbed a mouthful of hay each time. We also stopped to let our horses graze briefly on green grass by the trailside, with Gryphon’s appetite seeming to influence Ricky’s mare. At the final water tank, the mare finally took a long drink and I had the joy of telling Ricky, “her eyes are bright and shiny now, you got this!” They ended up in 10th place.

I was a mile out of camp on my last loop when I came across a young rider and her mount standing in a patch of grass beside the trail. The rider, Kimmie, was trying to get the mare to eat but she seemed listless and uncaring. Another challenge! I explained that my young rider had been pulled and that I’d be happy help her get through the loop. She said this was the first 75 for both her and the mare, and that she was also trying to qualify for the North American Junior and Young Riders Championship that was to be held later that summer.

 

“No worries I said, we’ve got plenty of time and just need to keep a steady speed,” I reassured her. Four riders doing “negative splits” passed us, but we kept a slow, steady trot, stopping at each water tank. Gryphon again showed his companion by example that it was OK to eat. When Kimmie mentioned not having any Chapstick, I loaned her mine and also tried to cheer her up with my “glass half full” perspective.

 

“We’re in the single digits now!” I proclaimed as we neared the loop’s midpoint, with less than 10 miles to go. “We probably won’t even need our headlamps!” I enthused as we passed the last water stop just after 6 p.m.

 

We crossed the finish line just after dark, cheered on by the horse’s owner and crew members.

 

Receiving a completion, then getting a hot shower and real meal, were not the only things that made my day complete. Witnessing Ricky and Kimmie’s pride and joy at their accomplishments was a wonderful answer to my prayer, as was the heartfelt thank you from Adri Dinkleman, whose horse Kimmie had ridden.

 

Even when an endurance ride doesn’t turn out quite as you’d hoped, stay open to the unexpected answersed prayers that may arise!

G-Unit Rocks JD's - plus some 100-miler wisdom

Each Thanksgiving weekend, East Coast endurance addicts escape Black Friday shopping madness by trekking to Patrick, SC for JD Fountain's Carolina Ride. This was JD's 32nd year offering a low-cost option for those wanting to tackle one last 100 before winter sets in, just $115 for any distance entered.



Little Gryphon trots slow, but never quits!

JD's gives new meaning to the concept of "no frills" -- some of us joke that basecamp should have a sign "You're On Your Own!" to warn newbies. However, no one will argue about the quality of trail marking or kindness of the vet staff, led by Dr. Amy Spies, and volunteers, who include Samm Bartee, Peggy Thompson, Laurie Underwood as timers/pulse takers and Lucie Hancock to handle registration.

I'd spent Thanksgiving with my husband's family in Lexington, NC, so just a 2-hour haul got me, Gryphon & Siena to basecamp by 9 a.m. Friday. My friend Amy, who was making the 6-hour haul from Virginia, asked me to save her an electric hookup, but several riders coming from even further away had hauled there the day before and snapped them all up. No biggie, as the weather was perfect - mid-40s at night and mid-60s both days I was there.

After setting up camp, I rode Siena and ponied Gryphon (AKA "G-unit") on a 10-mile warmup ride, then gave both a bath. I then gathered up hay donated by several other crewless riders entering the 100 and drove out with JD, Amy and her husband Ricky to deply at several points on the 27-mile-long 1st & 3rd loop.

My horses vetted through with 32 pulses and Liz Stout, who'd be riding Siena, arrived just as darkness fell. The dinner and pre-ride meeting were typically disorganized. Jody Buttram explained the legend of Lizard Man, Samm Bartee reminded riders of basic rules (if you don't check in before starting, you won't get credit for miles!) and Dr. Amy explained that the vets were there to help us ALL get through if at all possible and asked everyone to do what we could to prevent our horses needing invasive treatment. I let everyone know where we'd set hay out on the long loop, then a glass of wine helped me drop off to sleep right away. I woke up @ 3:30 a.m. to feed the horses breakfast and slept some more before time to tack up.

The 7 a.m. start was smooth and Liz and I settled into a 10 or 11 mph trot with Amy on her big Anglo-Arab mare Cricket. Both Amy and I have been mentored by our friend Brenda, who completed 9 tough Old Dominion 100s, served on the AERC board and was on the gold medal USA East team for the 2001 Pan Ams. She has since retired from endurance, but her wisdom lives on with us!

A pack of 5 riders caught up to us halfway through the long first loop. After several minutes of friendly bantering but also feeling "pressed," we three pulled off to the side to opt for a slower pace. Be careful not to "use up" too much horse early in the day!We finished the first loop in 3 hours, 15 minutes and made note of several good places on trail to hold pit-stops the 2nd time through, when the temps would be higher and the horses would to both take time to eat and be dosed with electrolytes. Important to not let your horse go too long with eating, drinking or getting more electrolytes, especially when they have a winter coat and the temp is nearly 70 degrees!

Sadly, Siena was off on her right front at the first vet check so Liz transitioned to crew mode. I spread LOTS of baby powder on the underside of Gryphon's saddle pad and added e-lyte tabs to my drinking water as well as chowed down on some turkey sandwiches and my favorite "Munchos" chips. I also did a bit of yoga and wrapped some vet wrap around my left ankle, which was starting to bother me a bit and needed more support. It's critical to take care of yourself at every hold and not get behind on hydration.

My WV friend Liz Stout on Siena. Love the orange tack!

Amy's out time was a few minutes later than mine at 2 of the holds, but I left out ahead as practice for times when I might need to ride solo...and long-legged Cricket caught up to us in just a few minutes. The second time through the long loop took us 4.5 hours, but we were happy with how much our horses ate and drank. Cricket was in a hackamore and I'd taken out G's bit halfway through to make it easier for him to eat. All was well until about 3 miles before the end of the loop, when darkness was setting in and temps were cooling down. I was fiddling with my helmet when G-unit spooked him and bolted, dumping me off on my left side. We were only 1/4 mile from the paved road and I prayed hard as I jogging after him and gently called his name while Amy and Cricket stayed still. He continued about 200 yards before stopping and waiting for me to walk up and grab the reins. Phew! Lesson learned - keep bridle on G-unit! I gratefully climbed back aboard, ignoring my aching left side ribs and hip, and called for Amy to head our way.

Back in camp, we added glowsticks and headlamps for the last two loops, which were a repeat 15.5 miles marked with yellow ribbon. Before she started on the long drive back to Elkins, Liz made me take a combination of Aleve and Ibuprofen, then lined up our friends Roger and Nathan from Manassas, Va to help me as crew (Melissa Yopp who'd finished the 60 on her little Paso Hollie also came by to lend encouragement.) Patricia Clark camped next to us also provided some helpful tips on negotiating the yellow trail - get as much information as you can about sections of trail you'll be covering after dark!

Amy's super bright headlamp was extremely helpful since sections of the sandy road had been washed out from all the rain of Hurricane Joaquin the month before, plus logging trucks has torn up other sections or added gravel for traction. Despite Cricket having a faster trot than G, so that she ended up walking every so often for him to catch up, we made good time and passed several other 100-milers. Amy started wishing out loud that the ride could end at the 84.5 mile hold, but I reminded her how lucky we were to both still have lots of horse left and be able to finish as early as 12 midnight.

At the last hold, we learned that several horses in front of us had been pulled for lameness and that other 100s had rider-optioned. With the almost-full moon finally risen and lending a good bit of ambient light, the last loop seemed to go more quickly. Roberta Young, Jennifer Smith and Kelly Lane in Jen's truck providing much appreciated food and cheer 2/3rds of the way through. I opted for Fritos while G chomped some of their hay. Amy and I crossed the finish line at 12:15 a.m. to tie for 4th place, and both horses completed just fine. I stayed up to present for BC at 1:15 am, and got to see several other friends successfully complete, including Kyle Gibbon and Steve Rojek right behind us (Steve's horse's 1st 100) and Jenny from GA on her little POA/Appy pony. The Aleve that Liz had given me @ 7 p.m. had worn off, so Roger gave me something stronger (THANKS Roger!) and also trotted G for his BC presentation. Make sure to have plenty of supplies on hand for whatever soreness may arise - cough drops are also helpful to have on hand for getting through long, sandy loops.

G-unit with bit on for control :)

I woke up at 6:30 am, just 4 hours since I'd taken Roger's magic pill. My ribs felt better than expected, then my friend Libby Llop let me borrow her laser to wave over them before the low-key awards ceremony (only about 20 of us left!) Ruth Anne Everett and Jumpin Jax had won, their 3rd or 4th time at this ride, and Verena Stock on JD's horse finished in 2nd on her first 100. The Northeast Region members did great - Richard Stedman from New York was 3rd, with me & Amy and Steve & Kyle after him. Then Jeff and Katherine Gardener from RI and Skip Kemerer and Angela Gross from MD also completed!

Avoiding the interstates, many areas of which were showing up RED on my traffic app, I made it home before 3 p.m. and started in on the inevitable chores, buckling my hard-working little G into his waterproof blanket as a cold rain began to fall. Thank you JD for taking out that long gravel section on the long loop and giving us some scenic new sections of trail to enjoy this year!

5 Ways Black Sheep Boogie was like a modern-day Viking Raid, of sorts

Siena photo bombs little wet G & me

I'm part Norwegian on my father's side and a big fan of the History Channel's "Vikings," which recently completed it's third season. I not only love all sorts of boating but journeying to far-flung endurance rides, kind of like a modern-day Viking?  (And like the Vikings, I spent long winter nights plotting and scheming for adventures to tackle in the year ahead! - #1)

Shoehorning my endurance competitions into a busy work schedule can take some doing! But as soon as I learned AERC Ride manager Mollie Krumlaw-Smith was going to test-drive a new ride location and set of trails for the Scioto ride weekend, I set my sights on making it there. The Black Sheep Boogie, located in the southeast corner of Ohio about an hour past Huntington, WV, sounded like too much fun to miss.



Liz and Siena on the first loop

Gryphon and Siena had been spending the month an hour west of my place at friend Laura's in Louisa County (very helpful while I was out of town for my job a lot that month), which meant tracking down a new farrier. I lined up Carl Via, who serves as a judge for the American Horseshoer's Association. Carl came out a week before the Black Sheep ride and did a super job.

Next, I dedicated a hot Sunday afternoon to pulling stall mats, scrubbing and deep cleaning my trusty '97 Sundowner. After fitting 5 days of work into 4, packing up Thursday evening and putting in a few hours at the office on Friday morning (with my rig conspicuously parked in our office lot) I headed out to Laura's, quickly loaded G&S, and continued west on 64. Since I was able to leave several hours earlier than I'd originally planned, I was able to negotiate the last hour of travel on hilly, twisty back roads and arrive in daylight.

Basecamp at Elkins Creek Horse Camp was cram-packed when I arrived. Lucky for me, I was able to flag down Mollie in an ATV with Rick, the property owner. They found just enough space to back me in beside my friend Melissa Yopp, who driven out the day before, and two other Virginian pals, Jerry Shelton and Ann Wick.  Like the Vikings, finding an optimal spot to come ashore and set up camp is key to success! #2

With the horses all settled in and Liz Stout and her Siberian Husky Kenai having joined us, I enjoyed some libations with my fellow campers. Rain started falling at dusk but we were committed no matter what the weather! Like the Vikings, you psych up for a long "battle" by drinking up and getting briefed. #3

Early morning light showed raindrops on our saddles as we tacked up. The horses were fresh and feisty heading out of camp on a trail up to the ridge, but once we got off the gravel road the trails were quite slippery and several times I felt little G slide out from under me. Like the Vikings, you ignore fear and discomfort and just keep going no matter what! #4

Because of the hot and humid (not to mention MUDDY conditions), both veterinarians working the ride were very strict on their exams. At the first vet check, both Liz and I were given instructions to work on improving gut sounds and massaging out sore muscles on our horses. Added to the amount of mud we had to remove from the horses, our tack and ourselves each time, our vet check holds weren't very relaxing!



We did it! Goofing off at the finish line
 

But the trails were gorgeous and there were many sections where drainage and trail enhancements had kept the mud away, so we could move out a bit. Even though we took our time on the last loop, we finished 3rd and 4th @2pm, in a ride time of just under 6 hours. Gryphon trotted out well enough to stand for BC an hour later, but it was my new friend Alex who I'd met at a ride in Indiana a month earlier whose horse Marton ended up receiving this super-special award.

Liz helped me get the horses settled for well-deserved rest before showering, packing and heading to her boyfriend's with Kenai, as we'd agreed on. After getting my own shower, I waited with Ann and Jerry (both of whom retired their horses early from the ride) for Melissa and her little rescue Hollie's, a Paso Fino mare, to come in from their last loop. How wonderful to see the look in Hollie's eyes after her completion trot out! That little horse KNEW she'd done something special. The awards and dinner were wonderful - Like the Vikings, you celebrate vigorously what you've managed to endure! #5

I pre-packed before full dark, led both horses over to one of Elkins Horse Camp stall-corrals, and grabbed about 5 hours of sleep before starting the trek home. Being an endurance addict means LOTS of driving, but also spending quality time with my horses, taking them off the trailer every few hours for a pee break and few bites of grass. I'll spare you the details of what it took to remove Black Sheep mud from all my gear!

The Biltmore Syndrome

At the U.S. Endurance Team Trials held at Biltmore on May 2, 2015 - Faveur, me, Holly, Poete and Emily

Take a well conditioned horse, typically from a northern state where pastures have barely started their spring green up, add the excitement of the East Coast's largest endurance event in early May (over 300 combined entries this year in all distances offered over both days), plus a half hour here and there spent walking and hand grazing one's mounts on the greenest, most luscious grass you can imagine, and you just might experience...THE BILTMORE SYNDROME.

This dreaded syndrome is a higher-than-usual tendency of horses in all distances of this event to experience exertional rhabdommyolosis, otherwise known as "tying up," early in the competition and subsequently require expensive treatment, including the administration of IV fluids to flush the system as well as pain meds and bloodwork to check the extent of the out-of-whack body chemistry.

This was my 16th year in a row at Biltmore's May edition (they also offer a September endurance event and last year, when heavy rain caused flooding that limited parking and entries the week of the ride, also rescheduled a July rides that  turned out to be very popular.) While I've been fortunate in that none of the horses I've competed there have tied up (knock on wood), I've also been careful to follow various dietary protocols and lightly exercise them (several miles at a walk) them in the days before the ride to help reduce the likelihood of this happening.

I've been fortunate to compete in nearly two dozen states plus Ontario province, but I think there's nowhere else as gorgeous at the BEEC trails. A few years ago, current ride managers Stagg and Cheryl Newman expanded the trail to include several gorgeous loops through livestock-filled fields and vineyards on the other side of the French Broad River.

Biltmore was my 5,400+ AERC-mile horse Shiloh's first 100 back in 2000, and for many years, I was fortunate to experience a high completion rate at this event. In recent years my success has taken a nose dive, but this hasn't detracted from my love of the setting and appreciation of the fine job ride managemenet does.

This year, my main task at Biltmore was to crew for my friends Holly Corcoran and her proxy rider Emily Stemmler in the U.S. team trials. The second day, I'd be sponsoring Calla Orino on my mare Siena in her first FEI 120 km event. My friend & co-crew member Liz Stout and I worked hard all day Friday and were rewarded when both Holly and Emily's horses their 120km event finished strong and sound, with Holly's mount Poete earning especially high marks from the team selectors. I was so busy doing final crewing chores, including showing for Best Condition, then getting a much-needed hot shower, that I missed the ride meeting. I figured no big deal, I knew the trail system like the back of my hand, right?

What I didn't know is that ride management had made several significant changes for 2015, with green loops on BOTH sides of the river. and arrows that could be confusing if you didn't realize the difference between the river green and the regular green loops. Long story short, on the second loop Saturday morning Calla and I followed the wrong green trail, giving me a chance to display my unique wisdom that "when all else fails, throw yourself on the mercy of ride management."

Since we'd never officially come off trail or received outside assistance, Cheryl and Stagg allowed us to do a makeup loop, which was especially entertaining because we happened to cross paths with her mentor "grandpa" Tom Hutchinson and his new bride, Lyn, who were riding in the LD. I hadn't had a chance to get Siena her pre-ride chiropractic treatment, and at the 3rd vet check, both Heather Caplan, one of the FEI vets, and my friend Lisa Green saw her not using her hind-end correctly.

Liz crewing Fave - he ate like a BEAST!

With 35 miles to go, we decided to rider option Siena rather than risk a more heart-breaking pull later in the ride. I set out by myself on game little Gryphon, quickly catching up to Farzad Faryadi on his mare doing her first 75. Farzad is always enjoyable company and the horses chugged through the loop in good time, then unfortunately Farzad's mare didn't pass the next vet exam. All alone again with Little G, I found myself enjoying the last loop tremendously. The route was the same as what we'd done for years as the first loop along the French Broad River, but at this time of day, with no early morning fog to obscure the flowers and the late-afternoon fun illuminating everything brilliantly, I found myself singing happily to help Gryphon keep a steady pace.

Then, a semi-disaster struck. Coming down the small hill on a gravelly section of trail, Gryphon took a really bad stumble. He righted himself and continued on with a good bit of energy, sensing that the ride's end was near. Greeted by well-wishers at the finish line, I was warned to walk the mile back to camp and the vetting area quickly, as several others just ahead of me had cramped and been pulled at the finish. I didn't get lucky this time - G's stumble must have tweaked that right front tendon worse than I thought.

Farrier Jeff Pauley and his assistant helped me ice it while they reshod him (was taking advantage of G's being too tire to need sedative!) but he only trotted sound the first few strides of his vetting re-present. Oh well, I got some good advice from my vet friend Megan Davis on giving him anti-inflammatories for the next several days and began hauling both horses home early the next morning, arriving safely in daylight only to discover that my trailer was missing an entire passenger side wheel - but that's another story!

"G-Force" Earns an Most Unexpected Best Condition

Having competed in the pine woods of H. Cooper Black Recreational Area in the Sand Hills State Forest for more than a decade, I'm thrilled by how current ride managers Tammy and B.J. have reworked the loops to include less deep sand, plenty of shade and gorgeous scenery, making those familiar trails outside Cheraw, SC seem like a brand new ride.



G's teeth are bared as usual in his "Gryphon Grin"

It was just two months since Gryphon had undergone major surgery to remove a 5 inch polyp wedged high up in his colon, but he'd been back under saddle since early March, was handling progressively longer training rides with no side effects and enjoying ample grazing time to gain weight back.

So I was now going to put his recovery to the test at the Spring Fling 50-mile ride on April 11, where he'd done his very first endurance ride just three years before. My friend Teresa McCarty agreed to ride Siena for what we'd planned as a prep ride for Biltmore three weeks later. (Siena would then have young rider Calla Orino back on board for the FEI 75-mile ride, with me sponsoring her on Gryphon while her mom Wanda crewed.

The drive down fast-forwarded spring by three weeks with blooming dogwoods and azaleas and fully leafed out trees. Temps were in the low 80s when we arrived on Friday afternoon. Gryphon (now 13) and Siena (7) rolled and frolicked like youngsters in the sandy H. Cooper round pen as we set up camp. Both got a bath and thorough scrubbing to remove more winter coat before being checked by the ride vets. As we walked each horse onto the SERA scales, I was thrilled to see Gryphon's weight register above 800 pounds for the first time since I brought him home as a skinny little rescue.



Teresa McCarty on Siena - that's a German martingale

We each took showers and enjoyed talking with friends over a yummy hot meal in the clubhouse,  skipping the ride briefing to take the horses on a grass walk and watch the sun set. Teresa Carroll dropped by for a glass of wine before bedtime - I loved her hilarious comparison of polar-opposite rides Skymont (Boy Scout Pow-Wow) and Ride Between the Rivers (aka the Moonshine Ride).

Not sure what got into me as ride management called "trails open" on Saturday morning, but seeing most riders hang back, I tucked Gryphon in behind the first few horses to enjoy the brisk pace set by Teresa Carroll. On her veteran Silas, she led us through that 17-mile loop in well under two hours. We pulsed in less than five minutes, vetted through quickly and were able to crew from our trailer, setting up a divider to keep G from pestering S. He didn't eat as much as I would have liked, but seemed more relaxed than pre-polyp surgery.

On the second loop, we slowed up and rode mostly by ourselves. Teresa on Siena did a super job leading. At one point the trail cut through a rough area and they stumbled in a bowl shaped depression, then a few strides later Gryphon and me hit the same hole. Teresa thinks that's where Siena twinged her shoulder, but they pulsed even faster than at the first hold and both passed the vet exam, then they ate heartily during the hold.

Temperatures had reached the low 80s by the time we left on the last loop, and I was grateful for an assist from Tom Gower, who caught up and pulled us forward at a faster pace than we'd have been capable of on our own. About two-thirds of the way through, Gryphon began to struggle a bit to keep up on the seemingly never-ending up-up-ups of that up-and-down trail, so with my inner voice clanging loudly, I told Teresa to let Tom go on without us. A second man (local rider on a big gelding) also passed us but we kept up a steady trot.

As we neared the last mile of the trail, we were thrilled to be met by two riders on a four wheeler handing out ice cold bottled water. Guzzled immediately! We crossed the finish line about 2:30 p.m. in a six-hour ride time with only three horses ahead of us, not bad for a comeback ride!


As I watched TM present Siena for her completion, I could see a hitch in Siena's left shoulder on the trot back. Dr. Otis Schmitt gave us the option to represent within the hour, and then commented how nicely Gryphon moved out for his completion trot. Siena was carrying about 35 more pounds, so we'd thought she'd have a better chance of earning Best Condition (which factors in ride time and rider/tack weight along with horse soundness and metabolics). With that option gone, I told Otis I'd present G instead when I brought both horses back at the one hour mark. 

Again, while Siena was still not trotting sound and failed to complete, Otis commented how fresh Gryphon looked at his Best Condition trot out. I hoped he might earn high vet score, but thought Best Condition unlikely with two large men finishing ahead of us.

Our trip back to Virginia was uneventful, with a long grazing break at Exit 77 in North Carolina. Back home before midnight, I buckling blankets on both horses and gave Siena 2 grams of bute. Her expressive face told us how nasty it tasted, so I followed that with two syringes of honey warmed in the microwave, which she much appreciated. After checking on both horses the next morning to make sure they were eating well, I discovered via Laurie Underwood's Facebook post that G-Force, as she calls him, had somehow come out in front for Best Condition. What a wonderful and unexpected result from what was intended just as a comeback ride! If there's one thing my partnership with this brave and eager little horse has shown me, it's that the most unlikely results can occur with love and a desire to survive thrown in the mix. Next stop, Asheville.