Dynamite Dash ~ Noways POV
First off, I’m a SE region horse and this desert dwelling is new. Actually, when I got off the trailer after four days on the road, back in January, I thought Mom had taken us to another planet! Nothing looks like it ought to! The trees are short, and the bushes have stickers of outstanding size on them and the sky is so big sometimes I just stand and stare at it. Then there are those really big trees with big fat limbs that look like giant men. Whew, I couldn’t even go out alone with Mom I was so scared. But she finally figured out that if she ponied my pal Sully along, we could go out just fine to explore. Mom complained about her whoa muscles some, but we thought she’d better be getting in shape for the ride season.
WhenMom's best friend, Mary Lynn suddenly showed up and started to ride Sully we knew a ride must be coming up. Then they started to busy themselves giving us a bath, blanketed us, clipped off some of our winter coat and generally fussed way too much, we knew a ride was about to happen soon.
It had to be the shortest trailer ride to a ridecamp we ever took. Maybe twenty minutes, so I had to hurry and pee and poop before we got there. Mom loves to clean up after us, so I work hard to make sure she’s happy.
Ride camp was tight, but as long as Sully is next to me all is well. Again more fussing over me, looking here and there to see if I still have four legs I guess. Vet says we’re good to go, so back to more food for the night while Mom and Mary Lynn oh and ah over their dinner of Lasagna. She’s smiling so all is well.
Dawn and time to go! We got to watch some horses go out earlier and thought Mom and Mary Lynn had forgotten to get up, but alas there they were tying us up and saddling. Mom checks and checks, the saddle, the boots, the packs, good grief, as long as she doesn’t forget the treats, I’m good to go.
Me and Sully circle and circle as the other riders go out. Mom told me over and over we were going to go slow, as we hadn’t had the opportunity to do much conditioning since our last ride in November. And Mary Lynn keeps reminding Mom of the fact. Well, it was a good vacation, but they have another thought coming if they think we are going to go slow…ha, ha! Sully and I have discussed this strange thinking of theirs and agree we are in a race by golly!
Finally we get pointed to the trail. All my engines are stoked and burning and so is Sully’s. Mom won’t allow my fast trot, so I try cantering in place. She didn’t like that either…gosh…and to make it worse, Mary Lynn keeps fussing at Sully too. We have this disagreement for a while, so the going was a little herky jerky…but finally I got Mom to allow a working trot that I can slip up to a faster pace without her realizing it until Mary Lynn starts to grumble…darn.
Passing horses is my favorite thing, so I work hard at it always letting Mom know that we can really go much faster than she is allowing. Along we go, zipping around those pointy things, down little washes and buzzing along a really fast trail. The footing is perfect for me and we cover some ground in a hurry. Mom likes to ride in a pocket so I can’t see the horse in front of me, but here in the desert I can see far!
Then, as some times happens, (way too often), Mom kills some time turning the wrong way, and here she was making me think we were done with the first loop…came into camp for the first VC and had to go out again to pick up the proper trail into camp. We had to do an extra mile or so because of her mistake, but she lets me do some galloping and we make fast work of those last four miles into camp. Went straight to our buckets and they were empty…opps, they do things a little different here I guess…seems everyone uses the tubs provided rather than their own crew buckets, so ours looked really handy, sponges and sweat scrapers all ready for them…oh well, Mom gets some water on me and we go to the pulse. Again they decide I and Sully still have four legs and we are good to go. Back to the trailer for some more food and a good roll then time to go out again. Mom fusses at me when she brushes off the dirt, but she is still smiling, so I allow her to saddle me up again.
She told me she was a bit worried that we might not be doing the whole 50 miles because she was out of shape, but since it is only two 25 mile loops, it is suck it up time, for there is no quitting before the third loop…there is only two loops! He, he… She was told that this loop is the hardest. That long deep sand wash really did slow me down. Mom made me walk longer than I’ve ever walked on a ride, but we made it up when the footing got solid again and I was ready to turn for home after the little climb up to the half way point where Sully drank and drank, taking up way more time that I was wanting to give up…Mary Lynn squirted some of that funny tasting applesauce in our mouths and off we went for home.. ye ha! Mom let me gallop and gallop, only slowing for sharp turns. Then back up the steep wash side onto even better footing and off we go again. I can feel Mom smiling even though she is holding tight onto my reins, sure wish she would let me show her how fast I can really go. Every now and then she pulls me back behind Sully so she can rest her whoa muscles. Still, we were making good time when we came upon three riders on a single track maybe a mile from camp. I was chomping at the bit and so was Sully, but no place to pass and the riders wouldn’t yield. We thought we were stuck, for Mom had been told that there would be no racing into camp on the single track, and we thought we’d have to just settle as we were. But, ye ha, the single track opened onto a dirt road and Mom turned my head from behind Sully’s butt and I knew what to do. Off we took with Sully and some other riders who’d piled up behind us. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Me too!
Mom’s legs were shaking when she got off me at the timer, what a wimp…but she was smiling and gave me a big hug. She told me later that we did the ride in 5 hours and 13 minutes…boy if she’d of really let me go…one day she will.
Again, it turned out that I had all four legs and we got another completion, another adventure and another big dinner of slushy beet pulp and grain, yummy…sigh, all is well, and this dry air ain’t so bad after all.
Oh, and Mom wants to thank everyone for taking such good care of us and making our first endurance ride in Arizona such a great experience. Now she’s talking about next weekend and another ride…wonder if she’ll let me run then? Hummmmm Sully and I have to talk…
