The Big One Hundred

Sunday May 6 2012

Let me preface this by saying, It Was Not My Idea.

I was ready and able to help on the 100-mile day at our upcoming 3 day Owyhee Fandango at the end of May. And I was ready to help crew for Carol and Connie.

Carol hasn't done a 100 since 2007. If she finishes, she'll get her 6000 miles! It will be her horse August's first 100. Connie has never done a 100, nor has her horse Finneas, but they both have the gas and gumption to git 'er done.

Connie and Carol have been sending psyching-up-encouragement emails to each other. Connie has a little good luck present for Carol. I've been sending both of them a few inspirational emails, such as, 

"The Moon Phase on 27 May, 100-mile ride day, will be waxing crescent (36% illuminated), which in this desert will be bright enough so you can see to comfortably pick your nose."

Today, Steph sez, "Why don't you wear the helmet cam, and ride Jose on the hundred with them?"

WHA……..?!?!!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?!

I've been quite content to do 50's on Jose. To some 100-mile gurus, that's not 'real endurance' and I'm a wimp. I'm here to say that I am not a wimp, but you can call me lazy, if you must. To me, 50 miles is just dandy - I get good pleasure and exercise (and sometimes sore) from 50-mile rides (multi-days are my favorites), and I have time to post pictures and report at the end of the day. I haven't done a 100 since 2009. Jose's never done a 100. If Jose completes, he'll get his 2000 miles.  

Oh dear! I was cruising through life all happy and lazy, taking on little challenges like 50 mile rides now and then, with nothing piled on and spilling over my plate to worry about. Now I have a LOT to chew on. Now I must begin a major mind shift. I have to think about things like, how to optimally train Jose? He's fit, having done 2 50's this month, 3 weeks apart, but… now what? a few short rides? a long ride? both? a lot of short rides? Walking? Trotting in sand? Hills? What am I going to eat? I don't like to eat on 100's, but I must. It'll take me weeks to figure out what to eat! I better start cooking many things now, so that I have a variety to choose from! What to pack for the vet checks - some of them will be out-vet checks. In fact 3 out vet checks; 2 of them will be in different places, so I'll have to pack 2 different bags for each hold (and double the goodies in one vet check bag). What to put in the bags for me, and what for Jose?? Jose will need a variety of grain and hay and a change of saddle pads and cinch and grooming brushes and brushing boots and extra horse Easyboots and a blanket in case it's cool or wet or windy, and a variety of food and frozen water and gatorade and Starbucks coffee drinks and a change of clothes and bandaids and Ibuprofen for me… Do we (Jose and I) each need a bag at each vet check, and what, now I have to pack 4 bags?? What about the weather - will it be comfortable, or will it be hot? Too hot? What if it's too hot?? Ohmigod what if there are thunderstorms???? And now I have to look at maps! Now I have to charge lots of batteries for the helmet cam… and decide which vet bags to pack them in and decide on what 8 hours of footage to shoot. And what about that starting time - 5:30 AM!!! I don't like that side of the morning!

Steve Bradley photo!

On the other hand, I'll get to make a special video of a 100-mile ride, of a special place (the Owyhee desert) with Big Things on the horizon, and hopefully not the sunrise 24 hours later! I will discover one hundred new ways to admire the Owyhee desert. I will soon share a new experience with Jose Viola.

And, a big motivator is that I'll now be in on the little prezzies Connie is creating. My prezzie for the three of us will be beads for our horses' manes.

Daily emails have begun flying. Here is Connie's from today:

we are strong , fit , smart gorgeous and ready , and have excellent crew and steeds . 

I may have to shave my legs and paint my nails.

and 

so 21 days and counting? steeds and gals stupendous fabulous ,willing and ready for anything. 

I have 21 days to psyche myself up! Don't know if I'll inform Jose about it yet or not. : ) 

Let the psyching begin!

[If you missed them, videos that I made of our Tough Sucker I ride, and videos Steph made of the Tough Sucker II ride are here on Endurance.net.]

(And, if plans change and I need to help during the 100 miler, instead of ride, it's because I need to help, NOT because I am chicken or wimpy or lazy.)

The Bag

Thursday May 3 2012

Perry's big as a house, foal parts poking on all angles of her belly. She's due today!

Her nipples have enlarged, and she's started to 'bag up', and while often the udder will get round and full, and the teats will start to wax, that's not always the case. Maiden mares (and experienced ones), I'm told, don't always follow the rules.

The pelvic ligaments around the tail will relax in preparation for the stretching during labor and foaling, but I can't tell if that's happened or not. It's more common for a mare to foal during the night, but the last mare Princess that gave birth here foaled middle of the day during a busy riding clinic.

So if Perry doesn't give us these obvious signs, we might just wake up to a surprise one morning.

Catch-All Catch Up

Wednesday May 2 2012

A busy week!

There was the Owyhee Tough Sucker II where I got to ride Jose, and I wore a helmet cam, stalking Steph and Rhett like the paparazzi, as Rhett went for his 6000 miles. I made a video of the vetting in on Friday, and Steph made a video of loop 1 of the ride and you can see them both here on Endurance.net.

Right after that it was off to the forest in eastern Washington where I helped with spotted owl research. That's on my resume in a past life, and I still jump at the chance to do it occasionally. The above photo is a new spotted owl known as Orange-With-Black-Dots-Left that we found and banded there last year. He and his mate raised two young. We didn't find any owls at the same place this time, but hiking around their territory, I felt they were there, somewhere. 

Now I'm home long enough to hug my horse and repack, then I'm off to the Idaho Writers and Readers Rendezvous in Boise over the weekend. Adventure author Tim Cahill (one of my favorites) is the one of the keynote speakers.

It's the same weekend that the Kentucky Derby will be run. Really, I'm not much interested in racing anymore since Zenyatta retired, (OK, except for Black Caviar), and I won't see the Derby anyway, but I'm mildly interested in the Parma, Idaho-raised horse, 50-1 Rousing Sermon, and one of the favorites, Creative Cause. He's trained by Mike Harrington, who was the veterinarian for our barn at Longacres in Washington 20 years ago when I was a groom. I won't be leaving any of the lectures to watch the Derby, but it'll be something to watch a replay of when I get home.

The Best Tough Suckers!

Saturday April 28 2012

Saturday's Tough Sucker II 50-mile ride was one of The Best Ever! Jose is just The Coolest Horse Ever! 

We rode with Jose's buddy Rhett and Steph. 

Rhett finished the ride and got his 6000 miles. Think about that: it would be like riding from Seattle to Miami. And from there on to Los Angeles. Oh yea - and he's turning 21 this year, and still looks fit and powerful going down the trail.

Steph's making a video of the ride from the shots from the GoPro helmet cam I wore; I'll put the link on here. Meanwhile here are a few shots from the ride.

Following Karen and Rusty, and Amanda and Nero to the Snake River (they tied for first).

Steph and Rhett.

Jose, The Best Horse Ever, also known as The Coolest Horse Ever, calm as a cucumber at the vet check.

Always like the shadow shots : )

more pix from the ride, and videos of Friday's vet in, and the Tough Sucker I ride here:

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2012ToughSucker

Tough Sucker II Vet in Day

Friday April 27 2012

On Friday, Steph and I saddled up Rhett and Jose to ride the 12 miles over to Regina's place, base camp for Saturday's Tough Sucker II endurance ride. (Here Mrs Sir Edmund Hillary supervises the saddling.)

Jose would be riding the 50 miler with his pal 20-year-old Rhett. Rhett reached 5000 career miles in the Tevis Cup in 2010, and if Rhett completed this ride, he'd have 6000 miles!

This is Steph and Rhett Friday after vetting in. 

I made a fun video of the vetting in. Check it out here on Endurance.net!

Freak Goes for Record 20 in a Row

image from Blackcaviar.net.au

Friday April 27 2012

Black Caviar, the Australian sensation, will run Saturday (that's Friday night, US time) at Morphettville in Adelaide, Australia, in the 1200-meter Group I Sportingbet Classic, seeking her 20th victory in a row. She's currently tied with Australia's with Desert Gold and Gloaming at 19 consecutive wins. She's only 5 years old.

She had a short break since her last race February 18; she had a 'jump-out' at Caulfield on April 17, an unofficial work as a simulated race of 800 meters out of the gate against several horses, where she 'won' by 8 lengths.

Black Caviar has been called 'the world's fastest racehorse', 'the best sprinter in the world', 'the number one rated sprinter of all time', 'the mighty mare', and a 'freak,' and who can argue with that?

While Trainer Peter Moody will see how she comes out of this race, he's already looking ahead to her next possible race at Adelaide in the Group I Goodwood, which would be her last start in Australia before heading to England to run in the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23, and at Newmarket in July. It is hoped that she will meet the sensational unbeaten European champion, and world's top-ranked Thoroughbred Frankel there (he's nine for nine), but at this point it looks unlikely.

Really, I'm done with horse racing, and it still makes me hold my breath if I ever watch a race live, but some horses just grab your attention and reel you in for one more taste of Sensational. Black Caviar is one of those!

Birthday Boy

Wednesday April 25 2012

Sadly, I missed my horse's 21st birthday.

On the Big Day, April 13, I was in the throes of the flu, did not even go out to see the herd a few of those days, and frankly, would not have cared if Big Foot strolled through my back yard.

So today, Stormy and I went out on an Owyhee Birthday Ride!

Here Stormy shows what he thinks of an Owyhee Birthday Ride, as this is probably not what he would have chosen to do on his birthday. (Standing around eating is his first, middle, and last choices, always.)

"Smile, Stormy!"

"Uh - why?"

"Smile, Stormy!"

"Uh - why?"

And it wasn't just a Birthday Ride, it was an Educational Ride - Professor Stormy is escorting a young student on the trail. (the horse, not the rider!)

We stopped to check on the Great Horned Owl nest on the way. (look closely, and you can see an adult, and 2 babies in the pic)

The old man has to put out a little effort climbing up the ridge…

But the Birthday View is worth it.

Happy 21st Birthday, old man Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet! ♥ ♥