# Off to my first LD :)



## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Have a great ride!


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Tell David and faye I said Hi!! Oh, and Dr. Gail Conway!

Have a great ride! If it is wet, go SLOW through the wet stretches, and if it is dry, go SLOW in the sand. I think they are the same places. 

Good Luck!!

Nancy


----------



## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

I just saw the photo; your horse is so cute!


----------



## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

Stuck in 3 feet of snow at -30°C... I'm TOTALLY JEALOUS!!!
I can only dream of my next LD, many months away.

Have a great week end. Enjoy the ride, that's what it's all about. :wink:
And now you have come back with a nice story and pictures of course.


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

That is very exciting! Be sure to update us when you get home <3


----------



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Happy trails!! Can't wait to hear all about it!


----------



## Horsesaplenty (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks Nancy for that tip! It should be fairly dry. We set up camp mostly in the dark last night. I remembered most everyhting, but should have brought more electric step in posts...their local feed store was out of them.  its enough but i would have rathered a few more. 

It is 27 degrees at 7am! Lol soeone has been on the tractor setting up more panels and the local birds have been cheering them on quite loudly since 6 

Now I just need to convince myself to crawl out of my toasty sleeping bad and get some breakfast started. I brought my older teen daughter (she rides, but not endurance) and she is going to hep me crew ...I'm just glad she and I are spending time together. 

I'm presuming you mean David, the ride manager? If so, I will. He was very nice on the phone 


greentree said:


> Tell David and faye I said Hi!! Oh, and Dr. Gail Conway!
> 
> Have a great ride! If it is wet, go SLOW through the wet stretches, and if it is dry, go SLOW in the sand. I think they are the same places.
> 
> ...


_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Yes, that is him!!! Faye is his mother. Have a GREAT time! 

Watchout for Darolyn's horses!! One year, during the ride meeting, they broke out and ALL 10 or so took off down the trail! The ranch was bigger then, and I don't remember how long it took to catch them!!

Good Luck!!!

Nancy


----------



## MsLady (Apr 18, 2013)

Subbing, I can't wait to hear how it went. Good luck!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

Good luck!

Have a great ride!!!


----------



## Horsesaplenty (Jan 9, 2013)

We have returned all in one piece

We had an interesting ride. As happens to many of us, I wasn't able to ride it like I had planned because my horse had other plans 

We started out up front because I had no idea where we were starting and when they announced the leader taking us out, I realized I was hanging out right there. So I walked out with them anyways and he went along nicely. Then we started trotting out and he got a little more excited. No worries, I expected it. We those three get ahead and we hung back a little. There were about 50 some odd riders behind us, but about a 1/3 of a mile or so back.

Luka screamed for about 3-4 miles of the start of the ride, looking for other horses, but he didn't try to turn around or run off with me...just bunchy and excited. He settled a little and we loose reined it for a little while with an occasional check in 

THen we hit the cow field...complete with all colors/ages of cattle. Yay. He went left, he went right, his head went the opposite direction as we encountered some stern looking cows. Saddle slip was occuring and so I hopped off real quick. Some nice riders coming up asked if I was okay and I answered I was, but that I just needed to adjust a bit. Got back on and asked him to move out and quit being a looky-lou. He did and they complimented his nice movement 

We kept on and he was going well. There is a mix of trail there, but most of it is squishy deepish sand...so a lot of cantering was going on. My two friends caught up to us and we headed on. Our horses didn't drink too well on that loop, but mine did a little and ate any bits of tender green he found in the watering holes. So that was good.

We knew we were getting close to the end and then we noticed a horse with no rider in the pasture behind us. We had just politely asked to pass their group of five riders. We blocked both exits with our horses and the horse eventually came up to us. I caught it and when she arrived we handed it over. I was a bit surprised at the teen boy who came through us, without saying a word or asking us to move-that was not very polite. We didn't notice him until he was right on us. He ended up 30 sec ahead of us at the in-timer...what comes around goes around buddy. We walked into the vet hold to check in.

Vetted in with all A's, except a B on Skin Tent and an A- on Gut Sounds. Pulsed in 5 min after check-in at 15, but vetted in at 14 and after his trot out he was down to 13.

Got him sponged down, covered and he dug into his bucket of soaked watery hydration hay/feed/alfalfa cube mix. He ate the half bucket (which was a lot of water so that was great) and then we saddled up and headed back out. We left out a few minutes late because I didn't quite realize how fast 45min goes  and I picked up my junior rider because her mom had to pull. So she and I headed out. All was going well and he was energetic. Until we came to another field of cows and calves lol. This time he dead stopped. Two cows were standing about 100 ft apart and facing each other but looking at us....I had to really push him to get him to slowly creep through the space! He wanted to trot off from there, but I made him walk and when we turned the bend, we let them move out again. Loose rein still and we come to a sharp turn...whoops... a little saddle slip as he spun to the side and popped his rear up and around, thus popping me up onto the knee poly's (OUCH). I've got a nice little bruise. But he stood still and I readjusted. This is an issue since he blows out and is shaped like a 55 gallon drum, lol. 

We headed on, passed a few other riders who were walking along and we stopped at every available water area to allow them to drink. They did so a few times so that was good. Came to the in timer and found out that we were possibly in the 9th and 10th places! Woah. Did not even think that was where we were.

Vetted in, all A's, except A-'s in Mucous Membranes, Jug Refill, and Skin Tent. I expected that since he wasn't drinking as much as I'd hoped on the trail. Pulsed in at 13, 3 minutes after the time in and vetted in at 10 with a 12 after the trot out. 

Then we headed back to cool off, clean up, feed/water and get ready for the check-in on Best Condition. He got 7- 10's, 3- 9's, 1- 8 and 2- 7's (for Gut sounds and Back/withers). He trotted out nicely for me (after I had to give a little swing with my lead rope), but I he went along beside me quite perky and calmly. I am very proud of him and his effort. I never had to push him and he did very well. The vets complimented how he looked and he only misbehaved for our vet-in when we arrived (spinning around as the vet tried to pulse him, lol. But he'd vetted him before at another intro ride we did and remembered that he was so calm then  )

We ended up in 9th place with my junior rider right before me. No best condition, but the vet said he looked like he did his first ride very well.

We will be checking out our saddle fit since there was heat back there. I cannot have him sore.

All in all,a very great ride and I'm glad we went. He'll now get the week off to recover and we'll be back to work after that.


----------



## TrailDustMelody (Jun 23, 2013)

Congratulations! He is really cute, especially in that last picture. It's like he's giving you a hug.


----------



## MsLady (Apr 18, 2013)

Congratulations 😊
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Eole (Apr 19, 2013)

Congratulations on a job well done. I loved reading the story.
I agree the last picture is really cute.


----------



## Horsesaplenty (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks. He loves to stand with me like that. He was such a ham and people really got a laugh, or a groan if you were standing too close  when he started talking to everyone, lol. 

Oh and the Chestnut with the flaxen mane is my coming 4yr old NSH mare that was along for the travel/camping experience. She did much better than I'd expected. She pitched a hissy when we left, but didnt need to be tied for it (dd was there to watch). And each time we returned, I saw her standing calm with a leg cocked 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

YAY!!! Congratulations! Sounds like you did everything right! That ground is funny, isn't it? I've ridden in it knee-deep in mud, knee-deep in sand, and with water RUNNING across those SAME places. Wnen the water is running across it, the ground is firm.

Glad you made it home OK!!

Nancy


----------

