Problem Horses

Photo by Steph Teeter

This is one of a series of profiles of horses and riders on track for competing for 5 spots on the US Team for the World Endurance Championship, part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held on September 26th, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Saturday August 7 2010

Syrocco Reveille has a problem: she's very competitive.

Of course, that's not the worst problem in the world, especially if you're aiming for a slot on the US Team for the World Endurance Championship in the 2010 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games. "If there's anything in front her, she will not quit till she passes them," says her rider, Meg Sleeper, 42, a veterinary cardiologist from French Town, New Jersey.

Reveille certainly did not quit in winning the March Fun in the Sun Pioneer 100 in Florida in a very competitive field in one of the fastest hundred miles recorded in the US: 7 hours 44 minutes. She and Meg Sleeper tied for first with Kathy Brunjes and Theatric, with Cici Butler-Stasiuk and DJB Montyonthespot, and Valerie Kanavy on King Ali Gold - all WEC-qualified horses and riders - third and fourth.

Syrocco Reveille is no stranger to international competition, either: the 10-year-old mare participated in the 2008 World Endurance Championship in Malaysia. She made it through the 5th loop before being pulled for lameness... and that just might have had something to do with the bolt of lightning that knocked both her and Golden Lightning (ridden by Jan Worthington) to the ground on the second loop.

Reveille's competitive attitude was something that had Meg worried about at the crazy starting line in the Malaysia WEC, where horses were acting up, bucking their riders off, and taking off at a gallop. "It took Reveille a couple of years to learn to be calm and focused at the start of a ride - but there she was [at the Malaysia start] grazing while the horses were running around her. I had no idea she'd ever get to that point!"

Reveille is a delight to ride: "She's a very light mover, very effortless, very comfortable. She skims along. She has excellent recoveries, usually under 2 minutes." Her impressive US record shows 16 completions of 17 starts (7 of them 100 milers), 2 Best Condition awards, and the AHA championship award in 2009.

Best of all - she's a homebred. "I've been lucky," says Meg. Since 2001 she's been able to compete internationally in endurance on her homebred horses. "It's just an amazing feeling. There's the whole thing about representing your region, your country - it's hard to describe if you haven't felt that. The people are just incredible - on a local and larger scale - you meet different people with different backgrounds, all trying to accomplish the same goal. The neat bottom line is you're all doing what you love."

Syrocco Reveille is in fact one of two homebred horses Meg has the pleasure of being qualified on for the WEC.

Though he's only 8 and lightly raced, Syrocco Harmony has shown Meg a lot. He's completed 8 of 9 rides, including 2 hundred milers - one of which was the pre-ride for the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky in the mud last year. 'Harmon' (named after one of Meg's mentors in veterinary cardiology) finished 6th individually and helped the US team win the gold medal. The gelding is bigger than Reveille, has more muscle and is more solid, and "he gives 110%, all the time. He could be phenomenal," says Meg.

Meg started riding when she was 11, after begging her parents for lessons. Since then she's done over 14,000 miles in CTR (Competitive Trail Riding) and endurance. She considers herself competitive; but for her it's more about the experience of riding. "It's about seeing parts of gorgeous countryside (even in the Northeast), that you'd never see otherwise. And that's just multiplied when it's in another country."

It's a huge commitment, bringing homebred horses along all the way to the level of international competition - but she loves it. Her husband David Augustine, a farrier, lives it and loves it too, helping Meg with the training, shoeing, and crewing of Reveille and Harmony, and the 13 other horses they have. "We've been striving toward this [US WEC] for at least the last 2 years. When you bleed and sweat it for so long, you have to love it!"

And so Meg heads to the Selection trials in Illinois with two qualified, problem horses - one who won't stop till she passes all the horses in front of her, and the other who gives 110% all the time.

Sounds like good problems to have.

Irons in the Fire

Sunday July 11 2010

"Have you lost your mind? Crewing!!" Barbara White (39 Tevis starts, 29 Tevis finishes) said to me, when I told her I was going to crew Tevis this year.


I probably have lost my mind. Although Nance has offered me her horse Quinn to ride again (!!), I figured after shooting and reporting on Tevis one year, and riding it last year, this year it was time I crewed it, to get the full spectrum. (One of the main draws is, we crew get to eat at In N Out Burger in Auburn as we are moving rigs and racing to crewing spots!!!)

I am afraid Barbara is right: I expect that during and after crewing Tevis, I will wish I had ridden it! However, I am committed to crewing for Nance and the Yosts (we rode with 3 Yosts last year), and whoever else I can step in to help, by dousing them with a cool bucket of water when they come into Robinson Flat and Forest Hill (after I douse myself of course). Besides, I have to admit, I'm pretty darn proud of my 100% one-for-one Tevis record - the whole thing was an unrepeatable magical first experience - and I want to hold onto that for a while. : )




After Tevis, I'll be home in Owyhee a few days, then it's off to St Paul Minnesota for my alternate life as a sound mixer for The Gospel at Colonus - a black gospel version of Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus at Colonus, featuring the 4-time Grammy-winning Blind Boys of Alabama, Chicago's Legendary Soul Stirrers, Minneapolis' Steele Family (you might recognize the voice of Jearlyn, who's often a guest on the Prairie Home Companion), and many other extraordinarily talented singers and actors and actresses. We have a week-run of the show at the Ordway Theatre. (You can see my June 2008 archives for the last show we did in Athens).

You can get a glimpse of the Athens show (a promo for Ordway theatre) here on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij6t_ofrZFA .

Then it's home in Owyhee a few days before heading off to Edinburgh Scotland (!) for a 3-day run of The Gospel at Colonus at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Here's a promo for the EIF on youtube (also clips from the Athens show):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO8ncyNZCMM&feature=related .


Afterwards, I'm staying on in Europe for a couple of weeks, visiting Seren Arabians in England, and covering an endurance ride in Belgium and at Florac, France - the pre-ride for next year's European Endurance Championship.


Then I'm back home a few days before taking off for the World Equestrian Games - covering the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky. And I'm looking as much forward to that as I am to riding in the Shawnee National Forest with Genie Stewart-Spears, before the WEG!

I get back to Owyhee the night of Day 1 of the September Owyhee Canyonlands... and I hope to saddle up Jose and ride 50 miles starting on Day 2!

Of course The Raven will be accompanying me on my travels, as well as doing some reporting on his Forevermore The Raven blog.

Stay tuned for some fun adventures - and look for me at Tevis - I'll be the one wearing my silver Tevis buckle : )

A Lofty Goal

Monk and Lindsay Graham win the 2009 AERC National Championship 100

This is the beginning of a series of profiles of horses and riders on track for competing for 5 spots on the US Team for the World Endurance Championship, part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held on September 26th, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Thursday July 8 2010

2010 WEG: Monk and Rider Lindsay Graham - A Lofty Goal

Some people like to travel when they retire. Some take up hobbies - golf, classic cars, painting. Chris Martin became obsessed with something else, something with legs and a slim figure. "Imagine being old like me and having some young horse consuming your every thought.. kinda like 'crazy'..." Who else would have the name of his horse tattooed on his arm? Chris' wife Nancy isn't seen sporting a tattoo of Monk anywhere, but she chuckles at Chris' obsession, and she can be seen at Monk's rides, helping to crew, and enjoying herself as much as Chris.


Four years ago, Monk was an unbroke 4-year-old Arabian gelding of CMK breeding in Chris's pasture, a 'Plan B' for a riding horse. He'd had him since he was a yearling. But when the Shagya stallion Chris had bought to to be his 2010 WEG horse bucked him off, Chris put that horse in his pen and never rode him again ("Life is too short"). Monk became Plan A.

At first Monk was stand-offish, but once Chris got a halter on him, Monk started following him around like a puppy dog. When Chris decided to break him, it took all of about one day. "I just led him to the trailer and tied him up and put the saddle on him, and ponied him around a bit. Next day I had a friend lead us around with me on his back, and after that there really wasn't much to it." Chris rode and built a foundation under his horse for two years, forging a nice bond with him; and though early on Monk loved to run fast when Chris let him, it was far too early to tell what kind of horse he might be.

Monk started his endurance career in his 6-year-old year. Carolyn Meier rode him on his first 50; Chris rode him on his next three. Monk wasn't anything special then - though he showed he had some speed, he didn't eat or drink well and his mind wasn't particularly on the trail.

But on his 5th ride, the Comstock ride outside of Reno, Nevada, in October, Chris got an inkling of exactly what kind of horse Monk might become. Chris and Monk rode much of the ride with Michelle Roush and her FEI horse PR Tallymark, finishing third and running a sub-5 hour 50 miles, and looking very good afterwards. "It all came together at the Comstock ride. It was a turning point for him. He drank well, ate like a pig; at his post-ride check he had all A's and a 44 CRI at the finish. We finished only 14 minutes behind the FEI horse that was going to the Malaysia WEC."

Monk finished 4 more 50's in 2008, and Lindsay Graham was aboard for the last two. Carolyn was unable to commit to a possible FEI campaign, and Lindsay was recommended. "I only rode him on a brief 1-hour training ride before our first ride," Lindsay recalled, "just to get to know him. We just trotted, probably didn't even canter - I could see he was safe, which was a change from what I was used to!"

"Used to" was her mom Susan's endurance horse Phoenix Affair. Lindsay had been riding horses since her mom first sat her on a horse before she was a year old. She got a pony for her 5th birthday; when she turned 13 she got an Off-The-Track Thoroughbred and did Hunter-Jumper shows with him until 2001. She rode for the UC Davis Equestrian Team (where she attended vet school); and then one day Lindsay's mom talked her into riding her endurance horse Phoenix Affair when she hurt her back, in 2004. "I got suckered into it," Lindsay says wryly. "I agreed to do it for just one year." That one year turned into 3 years on Phoenix, and included 2 Tevis completions. In 2006 when they finished 7th, Phoenix was the oldest horse, at 19 years old, ever to top 10 Tevis. Together, in Lindsay's first international competition, they also completed the 100-mile North American Endurance Championship in Maryland in 2004; Phoenix was the oldest horse (18) and Lindsay was the youngest rider (24).

Phoenix was a handful of a horse to ride - "a big 16+ hand horse with ATTITUDE, and great confidence. He was like a freight train. I always felt like a had a lear jet beneath me ready to take off, I could feel his power."

Monk, on the other hand, didn't seem to be anything particularly remarkable in those first two rides, not compared to Phoenix. "I just noticed he wasn't a lear jet, like Phoenix Affair. Monk just went out and did what I asked him to do, stayed on pace, did his job."

It was their next ride together, the 100 miler at the 2009 20 Mule Team, where she noticed Monk might be a little different. Team Monk just wanted Monk to have an easy ride for his first 100, and they wanted to finish with a happy horse. Monk ended up finishing 4th, and it was a successful, surprisingly easy ride for him. "I was pretty proud of him then," Lindsay said.

So was Chris. That's when they really started laying the groundwork plans for the WEG, 1 1/2 years down the road. The September AERC National Championship ride - also an FEI ride - would be where Monk could try for his international COC - Certificate of Capability, 100 miles in 12 hours 20 minutes - although the course in Greenville was a tough mountainous one, and not particularly conducive to fast times; and it would be Monk's first real hill ride. Chris and Lindsay decided they wouldn't let Monk overdo it - if it didn't look like he'd easily make his COC time, they'd just try to finish the ride, and go for their COC at the next 100-mile ride, over a flatter, easier course in the desert.

What Monk did blew them away. He won the ride - and won easily (in 9 hours, 58 minutes), well within COC time. And he got Best Condition. Lindsay was overwhelmed by his performance. "It was a spectacular ride. I knew he was good, above average, but the AERC National Championship was a cakewalk for him - seeing how easy it was, he was so far ahead without trying, and he always wanted to go faster."

Team Monk - Eric, Lindsay's parents Susan and Steve, Chris and Nancy Martin, Lindsay - cooling Monk down at a vet check at the AERCNC

Since then, Monk's program has consisted of 2 more well-planned rides (a 50 miler - 3rd place and Best Condition in November, and a a 100 miler - 2nd place and Best Condition in January 2010) and strategic training designed to increase his fitness, and slowly bring him along to be ready for the first Selection Trials in Oregon in June, then the final selection in Illinois in August, then hopefully Kentucky in September.

Team Monk crewing at the West Selection Trials

Chris's training of Monk consists of some riding, lots of ponying off an ATV (sometimes with side reins), lots of rest, and a killer hill, that Monk loves to gallop up. "His heartrate gets up to 200 at times, but he recovers quickly and he always asks to keep going."

Monk is a lean horse that is hard to put weight on (and sometimes he's a finicky eater - hence the name 'Monk'), and Chris weighs him every day, and bases his training schedule on Monk's weight and resting heartrate. He must be doing something right, because Chris says it's hard to stress Monk. "I've never ever seen him tired, never ever seen that dull look in his eyes. He's always bright, always has his ears forward. He's been out of breath yes, but tired or reluctant to go - never ever. And we've never let him go in a race, so we don't know how fast he really is." It's been quite tempting to let him go... but Chris and Lindsay are erring on the side of conservative, always keeping their eyes on the ultimate goal of the WEG in Kentucky.

Chris credits Monk's barefoot program with a lot of his success. He puts on gloves for Monk's training and glue-on boots for the rides. "Monk would never be able to do the hard training he does without the boots that soak up the concussion and protect his soles. They play an integral part in keeping him sound."

The June West Selection Trails were a great success for Monk. They'd trained as best they could but the weather didn't always cooperate, so Lindsay wasn't sure how fit Monk would be. "We certainly hadn't cantered 80 miles before - but he handled the trial so well, and now I know he could have easily done another 20 miles. He stayed with Smitty (Sir Smith, ridden by Jeremy Reynolds) - a hellion, a freight train, who does not tire - they went stride for stride, went very well together."

Sir Smith and Jeremy Reynolds, Ssamiam and Heather Reynolds, Monk and Lindsay Graham at the West Selection Trials

Lindsay credits Monk's success to his natural ability, and his mind. "He's athletic, fast, and has a great mind. That sets him apart: his mind. Sometimes you have a really good mind but the horse is slower or doesn't have that great drive. Or sometimes you have the drive and the speed but the horse is crazy. Monk is the best of both worlds."

Chris adds: "He's laid back, and easy to handle. He's not a hot horse; he's easy to rate, always wants to go, but he's not stupid about it."

If you watch Monk at a ride, you'll see what they mean about his mind. When Lindsay gets on him, he's all business, ears pricked and ready to get on the trail. Arriving at the vet checks, his heartrate drops like a rock, and he just follows behind his groom, head down, ears to side, looking almost - bored. Certainly not stressed. And definitely not worn out. "At first when he'd do that, I thought - is he tired? Is it too much for him?" Lindsay said. "But as soon as I'd get on him, he was always ready to go again."

Monk yawning after winning the AERC National Championship

How experienced does an endurance rider need to be to make the Team for the World Endurance Championship? Lindsay knows she she's limited on international competition, but she knows about team riding from her UC Davis equestrian team participation, and she does know the endurance horses she has ridden - Phoenix Affair and Monk - intimately. "I'm a good rider; an excellent horsewoman; I have good intuition; I'm serious and I stay focused; and I care about Monk. A lot. For me, it's safety first, for both of us. I think it's possible to ride fast and smart at the same time. No matter where I finish, if the horse looks good at the end of a ride, I know I've done well, and I feel good at the end of the day.

"And it's time for new blood on the US Team! But no matter what, through it all, it's been tons of fun."

Chris echoes the confidence that Lindsay has. "I have every confidence that we will make it to the final selection, where we will see if Monk is as good as we think he is. We just want a fair shot; and let the cards fall where they may. We want a good team for the US, and we're hoping we're on it. Proof is in the pudding and if he is not chosen we will go home with our heads held high, and we'll be rooting for the US team."

Maybe it's not so crazy Chris and Team Monk are so obsessed with their horse, and maybe the WEG is an unobtainable goal.

"He's a gift - he's a once in a lifetime horse."

Part of happy Team Monk

Follow Monk's blog (by Chris) at http://feiredhorse.blogspot.com/

Follow coverage of the World Endurance Championship on Endurance.net at http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2010WEC/

The West Selection Trials

Monday June 28 2010

Chris and MONK take a walk (above).

Cheryl and Reason.


This little puppy was literally thrown at Charisse a few days before the ride when a couple of drunks drove by in a pickup. "She looks good with you. Give us some gas money." So for $23, Charisse had a new puppy. We suspect she was stolen from somewhere - she wasn't hungry and her belly was full; and she was already smart (made her way each night to the back of the horse trailer to relieve herself, came when called (various names), and stayed around Charisse's trailer even if she followed people or horses around). Carl was resistant to having another dog. "We have enough mouths to feed at home already!" The Raven slept with and watched over the puppy.




See how resistant Carl is?


Soon Puppy was following Carl everywhere. "She's not my dog!" No sir, certainly not.


Team Malibu Huddle and Hug.


The final haircut.


Charisse and Talon, Christoph and Stars Aflame head out on a loop.


Pamper your rider when she comes in to a vet check!


The Bucket Brigade lines up and waits for incomings (horses).




The Bucket Brigade in action.




A group on a loop in the desert.


This enthusiastic soul has tattooed the name of his horse on his arm! (You know who you are!)


Team MONK.


Jeremy and Smitty head out on a loop.


Resting at a vet check under a tent.


US Team Veterinarian watching a horse trot out.


Heather and Sam, Jeremy and Smitty out on another loop.


"This is not my dog!" (Famous last words by Carl. The puppy has now been named "Saka" after Sakajewea, an Indian woman we all know who was stolen from her family then sold or gambled away to her husband. Saka now has a great new home with Charisse and Carl and is part of Team Malibu Endurance.)

Mum's The Word

Sunday June 27 2010

Just returned home from an interesting weekend as *CREW* for a friend of mine at the west coast selection trials for the World Endurance Championship (at the World Equestrian Games) in Kentucky on September 26th. There will be 5 US horses and riders in the race.

Charisse Glenn has two horses qualified for the WEC; she asked me, along with several of her other friends, to come crew for her this weekend, and we happily jumped at the chance.

It really wasn't a selection trial anyway, more of an early exhibition trial of what the horses and riders are capable of, with the Chef d'Equipe, the Team Veterinarian and a couple of other veterinarians and several selectors watching the horses and all their parameters before, during and after the ride. Three 'trials' happened this week, in Maryland, Illinois and Oregon, with all qualified horses and riders hoping to make the WEC team required to attend one of these. Riders were asked to take their horses certain distances at certain speeds... and that's all I can say.

Even though I was wearing my Malibu Endurance team crew Tshirt and hat, and though I crewed all day Saturday for Charisse (and everybody else who needed help), I was approached by more than one selector saying: "You're that reporter aren't you?" ("Yes, but I'm CREWING this weekend.") "Good. That's good." I was practicing crewing for Tevis, and I figured crewing for a high stress event leading up to the World Endurance Championship would be a good prep for me.

So, I am unable to tell anybody anything about what happened at the 'selection trials', other than no horses were 'selected' for anything. I can say that any rider and horse that came to either of the 'trials' in Oregon, Maryland or Illinois this past week are welcome to go to Illinois in a couple of weeks, to stay there for 6 weeks to train and exhibit their horses' abilities again, from which the 5 team members will eventually be chosen some weeks before the WEC. It's a big commitment of money and time - i.e. your life - to pursue a dream of representing your country in what we might call the Olympics of horse sports. It's certainly a shame, with all the talented horseflesh and riders, that only 5 will be chosen for the endurance race. (Previously in other World Endurance Championships held in other countries, the home country was allowed up to 11 horses/riders - in Malaysia in 2008 and the UAE in 2004 - I haven't been able to get a definitive answer as to why this was changed this year.)

I can also say it was a fun, and interesting weekend, and I learned a few things I can safely share.

Double check that your horse's heart monitor is accurate by comparing it with the reading you get with a stethoscope. You might be surprised at the difference. (This does me no good however... I can't hear a heartbeat through a stethoscope - it's like the can't-hear-thunder syndrome. And I ride slow enough that I don't need a heart monitor.)

This isn't a secret, because this is the second time I've seen this, though for a different reason. I saw people backing a horse up a few steps before trotting it out for a vet at a vet check. In this instance, it was done to get the horse to balance and collect itself better, instead of starting all strung out.

Try putting boots on your horse's hind legs at home first. Then try putting ice boots on your horse's hind legs at home first. Walk him around in them so he knows they are on his legs. And if you have to rip them off, don't get kicked in the head! (Nobody was, but that's a good thing to know.)

If you really want to desensitize your horse to any situation that might arise on a ride, arrange for a staked-down tent to get caught in a whirlwind and rip straight up into the air right near your horse. If he doesn't have a heart attack or run away to China, your horse might possibly be on his way to becoming bomb proof.

It's a good skill to be able to convert miles per hour into minutes per mile. I, of course, can't do this without a calculator. (Or, just buy a GPS that will tell you that.)

And most of all, if you want to have fun during a stressful time, have a good crew.

We did.

If you want more information about the US endurance trials, and would like to start cheering for some horses and riders, sorry, I can't help you... You might check out Monk's blog at: FEIRedhorse - I'm sure Chris will have an update soon.

I'll post a few photos from the weekend tomorrow.

2010 World Equestrian Games Tickets

Tuesday May 4 2010

Got your 2010 WEG tickets yet?

If not, how does a free trip to report on the Games sound? Or a video camera, mini laptop computer, or one ton of Purina horse feed?

Here's something you might consider.

Equine.com and its sister sites EquiSearch and EquiShopper are actively promoting a “Live from Lexington” contest presented by Purina. The contest is also promoted in the print publications EQUUS, Horse and Rider, Dressage Today and Practical Horseman as well as Facebook/Twitter.

To participate, entrants must submit a video of sixty seconds or less, or a written essay in 500 words or less (though a video is encouraged) answering "Why I would love to be a Purina Live from Lexington Correspondent." Videos and essays will be judged based on the entrant's response, qualifications, articulation, and talent.

The contest is open to residents in the US only (sorry foreign friends!) and you must be 18 or older to enter; entries close May 31, 2010.

Contest rules and other information, and samples of videos submitted can be seen at the www.livefromlexington.com site.

Get those video cameras or quills out out and get busy!

4 Days and Counting

Tuesday October 6 2009

Where did the time go!?

It's only 4 days until The Equestrian Vagabond's show at Judeen's Art Studio and Gallery in Paducah, Kentucky, on October 10th, after which I head to Lexington to cover the Kentucky Cup & North American Team Endurance Challenge - i.e. the 2010 WEG pre-ride - for Endurance.net.

Here are a few more of my pictures to sample:

CHIARO - a play with excessive light - Oreana, Idaho


SOAP SUDS I - a morning bath at Keeneland Racetrack, Kentucky


JOSHUA TREE II - in the Mojave Desert - California


JUST A KISS - Diego loves to kiss - Oreana, Idaho


TWINS - entwined weanlings in Enumclaw, Washington


LOFTY - another play with excessive light - Oreana, Idaho


up top - RED BARN I - Wells, Nevada


Must get packing!

13 Days and Counting

Sunday September 27 2009

With 13 days left until my Special Appearance at Judeen's Art Studio and Gallery in Paducah, Kentucky, on October 10th, here is today's sampling of The Equestrian Vagabond photos.



Sunset on Downpatrick racecourse in Northern Ireland. These horses were training on the track after the day's races.


Nothing better than a good roll in soft sand - Oreana, Idaho


Sun - Oreana, Idaho


Snow - Oreana, Idaho


Sun and snow - Bridgeport, California


Do Not Try This At Home - Oreana, Idaho


Stormy in the sunset - Bridgeport, California


That's 292 hours, 60 minutes, 17 seconds left...

No time to pack yet, because it's time to get ready for our 5-day Owyhee Canyonlands endurance ride!