To prepare for our first 50 mile (or any ride!) many things have to work out at the right time. At times I think the hardest part of an endurance ride is successfully making it to the ride! Appropriate conditioning in all weather, saddle fit, shoes/boots, optimum body condition and nutrition, my fitness and health, truck and trailer both working, weather..are just some of the things involved in preparing for a ride.
Today we practiced riding in a cold (50 F) and steady rain; unfortunately Old Dominion is more apt to very hot and humid and from what I have read it takes about 2 weeks while conditioning to acclimate to hotter weather. We are screwed... I am going to try to get in just a few 7-10 mile loops in the next 1-2 weeks, hopefully in hot weather, prior to giving Poptart a full 7-10 days off prior to the ride.
I have decided to put shoes on Poptart for the 50 mile ride and most likely for the rest of this season. The renegade boots work, most of the time, on our training rides, but 'most of the time' is not okay for 50 miles. Time is valuable, especially with the Old Dominion mountainous terrain, and I can't afford to spend valuable minutes repeatedly replacing and repairing boots and that is assuming that I can actually repair them enough to finish the ride. The biggest thing to me, was that I was thinking what equipment I need to repair all my boots at each vet check in order to be able to continue the ride (per my experience at the No Frills 30). I realized that is not what I need to be thinking about, instead I need to be thinking about taking care of my horse and riding our best ride together. So for now I will carry my renegades (for when/if we lose that shoe) and have additional spares with my crew at the Bird Haven vet check. I may try glue-on boots or easy care flip-flops in the future, but for now only one thing at a time!
On that note, Poptart gets his shoes on Thursday and then we head over for an Osteopathic adjustment session (http://rectortownequineclinic.com) so hopefully he will be in top shape as well. I have a corrective massage session scheduled for me both the week before AND after the ride, LOL! My pelvis tends to get a twist and I know that makes it harder on Poptart so I hope to fix myself so he is more likely to stay sound and comfortable. I know I need all the help I can get.
Onward to saddles and saddle fit... I am trying out Freeform Treeless Saddles (http://treelesssaddle.com) as Poptart will need a custom or modified tree for his tiny and narrow back which may be quite time consuming and expensive to get right; if we need to go there we will but first I am going to try some other ideas out. What I like about the Freeform - 1. lightweight, with all my gear, rigging, cinch, etc we are under 20 lbs. 2. Adjustable stirrup position, I can move my stirrups so they are underneath of me enabling better classical rider positioning. 3. No pressure points, other than my weight, so the shoulders are free to move easily and his back can lift. 4. I can choose a seat that has a level area for my pelvis (to enable better classical rider position) 5. It has loads of velcro and shimming options so I can make almost unlimited adjustment to both the rider and horse fit as needed. 6. It has been proven by many 100 mile ride completions and wins, including the Tevis. What I dislike about the Freeform - 1. the stirrup attachment may not distribute pressure well; so far in practice this does not seem to be an issue and apparently computer pressure scans show it to not be an issue, but I remain paranoid/concerned. 2. The back of the saddle does not have a butterfly or cutout shape, so if the pad does not lift it enough or if you have a dippy back horse (which I do not) it in theory could pressure the spine area. 3. The problem with any treeless saddle, rider weight distribution and spinal clearance; we are starting with a double laminated felt and memory foam skito pad to help with this. So far his back has been good (no soreness) and we haven't had many sweat patterns as it has been cold and wet, but what we have had looks good so far with nice spinal clearance.
I initially tested the "happy ass" or ultimate trail seat on the endurance short-back base and while it was supremely comfortable I seemed to have keep 'scootching' to get a neutral pelvis, so today I tried out the classic seat in suede, which is firmer but has a level seat area. I loved it! Constant rain not withstanding, it was a fantastic 12 miles today! Poptart moved in wonderful relaxed self-carriage and I felt completely with-him (a lot of the time anyway!). Trotting downhill, in the rain and water ladened trails, it was almost magical. We were on a very soft loose rein, his neck was arched and he was using his hindquarter to balance and it felt like he was my legs. For some reason it was how I imagine riding a well-schooled Paso Fino or high-school Andalusian would feel, just balanced and 'there' while listening and moving forward! I can't get enough, I am ready to go ride out in the rain right now!
The trail was loads of fun (Thank you Amanda and Sonja for taking me out in the rain!). It was well-maintained (no bushwhacking!!), with really good footing especially considering how wet everything was! The trail had all these built in steps and ditches for water-drainage; I felt like I was back in high-school training for eventing again! At one place we were cantering and Poptart just jumped the little bank like a cute little event horse, so much fun! And of course the renegade hoof boots stayed on perfectly (after I made the shoeing appointment!).
It is now 3 weeks to the 50 mile Old Dominion Ride, hopefully all the stars align and we endure and complete our first 50 together on June 11th!
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