Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. I'm sorry for not doing my typing in forevers, but after my last post saying "I'm baaack" (again) then I got hurted 2 more times!!! Can you even believe it? One of the times was a crazy bad abscess, even mentioning maybe I had fractured my coffin bone (obviously I hadn't) so having to take pictures of the inside of my hoofie, and my foot took a long time to get better, and even still has signs of being abscessy for so long. I was so sad. But then I got better! Phew! I did good in all my trainings, and got some good trottings practice, and found a saddle we like for me (again!). We were ready to go to Hat Creek Hustle, and I was going to do 50 miles! Then Cyd's truck blew up, so we had to scramble to find me a ride. Luckily Neighbor T was also going to the enduring ride, and said I could share her pony trailer. I got to ride with my half-brother Indy. We have done kisses over the fence before, and been on a pony ride together, and by the time we got to ridecamp we were the bestest of friends evereverever.
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| Me and my big bro shared a high line for our weekend digs |
Once our pony camp was set up, and Cyd's tent was set, she had to fix my go-faster booties cos for there being a whole ton of rocks at this enduring ride (volcano - duh!). Once they were done, we went for a shake out ride. I was very good to be patient while I got all my things on, and stood quietly while Cyd got on, then held all my muscles super tight ready to sproing while I walked away from my bunkmates. I was quite good except for one explosion, and some bouncing, and being So Loud calling to my friends so they didn't think I was lost forever in the woods. Less than a mile and I did the special kind of bouncing I reserve to having a go-faster bootie malfunction. Cyd hopped off and saved me, and strapped both newly fixed booties to my saddle. We did some walking, some trottings practice, and some canter, then headed to our camp. I stuffed my face, and drank all my waters (I kept running out of of food and waters but there was always more - I love enduring).
The next morning, my friend Ticopony arrived and camped right next to me. We tried really hard to touch noses but we couldn't quite reach. Aunty D and Cyd were making plans for our Big Ride cos for us trying to go together. Apparently Ticopony has to do stuff more slowly and he needs a buddy, so we offered for me to be his buddy cos for us being friends. Me and Tico were good guard ponies for people nap time.
Finally it was time to go and see the vet for our inspection, only healthy ponies do enduring. Cyd totally eff'd up, and took me to see the vet when there were more than 25 ponies in line in front of me! This is recipe for a Bugsy-disaster, but she decided to see how it goes. More ponies came behind me too, and Cyd counted at least 36 ponies that she could see. I was really good, but a bit wiggly. I ate some snacks, and had a really long pee that even made people laugh at me. When it was my turn the vet lady was very nice to me, and I was nice to her. I did my trot out with minimal hijinks (I can't be too perfect yet, Cyd would think I'm sick). I scored all A's, and was told to have a good ride. It was time to finish stuffing my face and to get some good rest.
The next morning, Cyd popped out of her tent in her jammies just before 5am. She gave me a big bucket of snacks, and while I was distracted she put my go-faster booties on. Then it was time for her breakfast, and to put real clothes on before getting me dressed for the day. I was ready super early, and quietly hung out eating hay right up until it was time to go. I was ready to go 50 miles! Cyd hopped on right before 6am, we made sure Aunty D and Ticopony were ready, and we all walked quietly (and me a little nervously) to the start area, and by 6:02am we had crossed the line to start our adventure!
Loop One!
15 miles
I did super good at leaving on a loose rein, walking like a grown up. There were a lot of ponies ahead, and a few behind, but nobody was crowding us. We did walking for a bit, to let us ponies loosen up our muscles. There was some people going by us, which I didn't love but I didn't get crazy. Ticopony went a bit bonkers, and that was our theme for this loop. I tried hard to help him, but he mostly didn't want to be calm. I went in the front, and in the back, and next to him, but I could fall off a cliff for all he cared. I did have a few antics of my own, I wanted to be a badass just like the other ponies. I also got a bit lazy sometimes, and was using Tico-shenanigans as an excuse, so Cyd found a twig, and that made me up my game. It also came in handy when I was doing passing of other ponies, or being passed, to make sure I didn't kick my heels at them. We did tons of passing this whole loop. When we were close to the vet check, my Tico friend got himself in a bit of a kerfuffle, and said his leg hurt him super bad (don't worry, he's fine now!). The people made sad faces, then me and Cyd trotted away from them to continue on our own. I caught up to a whole bunch of other ponies, and we all came in together. I did great at my vetting, getting my pulse down super fast. Back to the trailer to stuff my face, get Cyd more water, and gear up for our long loop of the day.
Loop Two!
25 Miles
Right when Cyd was getting back on, T and Indypony, and M and Ecahopony were getting ready to leave for the orange loop too. They invited us to join them, and another rider and her pony. We said that sounded like fun and we'd give it a try. It turned out to be a great idea, and us 4 ponies had a great time, and so did our peoples. It was getting quite warm now, so sometimes the people squeezed water on us with our sponges. There were lots of water buckets for us to drink from. We had one really big hill, it was about 7.5 miles to the top, and quite warm. On some of the not steep bits, us ponies got to do canter, and it was so much fun. We alternated doing trottings and some canter, with some walk breaks when it was hot or steep. We zoomed up that hill! At the top was a bunch of waters, and carrots, and two kinds of hay, and snacks for the riders. There was also a handy dandy truck to hide behind for the people to do peeing. We waited here cooling down and getting sponged off for about 15 minutes, and would have stayed a bit more, but quite a few ponies came in and we didn't want to hog all the goodies.
We started making our way down the hill, picking our way around some rocks, a bit more sedately than the zooming up. All the peoples started getting a bit warm. At one point we stopped in the shade for a break. Cyd was so proud of me for standing politely and patiently while she held me and KCpony while his rider sat down for a while to drink some waters. I totally knew I needed to be a grown up, and that doing misbehavings wasn't helpful. Once the people got on it was just a few more miles to camp and our hour long break. I did good at being vet checked again, and was looking and feeling great. I ate and drank and even took a super short power nap. Aunty D (she and Ticopony didn't finish that day, so she jumped in to help me) checked my booties in case there were stones stuck in the tread. Soon it was time to get my saddle back on and finish up this day!
Loop Three!
10 miles
We all rode up to the start of the last loop together even though we had slightly different times. All the peoples agreed to wait for each other. Once it was time, I finally realised what the fluff, why are we going out for time number 3? I've never done that before. While my friends trotted off, I figured Cyd must be mistaken. With a little heel bomping I got my butt wiggling down the trail and soon caught up to my friends. We needed to shimmy a bit to make up some time, and since all us ponies were feeling good we picked up the pace. The trail was quite narrow and twisted through the trees and didn't have big rocks, so we flew, with our people cheering for us. At the top was some water buckets, where we all took a big long drink. We did some walking and some trotting down the other side of the hill. There was a big hill to go up, so the peoples decided we should walk. I thought this was a dumb idea, and Cyd was really pleased that I wanted to go faster at mile 45 up a big hill. The rest of our loop was uneventful, and we moved quite quickly. I kept asking to go faster all the way to finish line. The people did cheering when we crossed the line - we did it!
The next morning, my friend Ticopony arrived and camped right next to me. We tried really hard to touch noses but we couldn't quite reach. Aunty D and Cyd were making plans for our Big Ride cos for us trying to go together. Apparently Ticopony has to do stuff more slowly and he needs a buddy, so we offered for me to be his buddy cos for us being friends. Me and Tico were good guard ponies for people nap time.Finally it was time to go and see the vet for our inspection, only healthy ponies do enduring. Cyd totally eff'd up, and took me to see the vet when there were more than 25 ponies in line in front of me! This is recipe for a Bugsy-disaster, but she decided to see how it goes. More ponies came behind me too, and Cyd counted at least 36 ponies that she could see. I was really good, but a bit wiggly. I ate some snacks, and had a really long pee that even made people laugh at me. When it was my turn the vet lady was very nice to me, and I was nice to her. I did my trot out with minimal hijinks (I can't be too perfect yet, Cyd would think I'm sick). I scored all A's, and was told to have a good ride. It was time to finish stuffing my face and to get some good rest.
The next morning, Cyd popped out of her tent in her jammies just before 5am. She gave me a big bucket of snacks, and while I was distracted she put my go-faster booties on. Then it was time for her breakfast, and to put real clothes on before getting me dressed for the day. I was ready super early, and quietly hung out eating hay right up until it was time to go. I was ready to go 50 miles! Cyd hopped on right before 6am, we made sure Aunty D and Ticopony were ready, and we all walked quietly (and me a little nervously) to the start area, and by 6:02am we had crossed the line to start our adventure!Loop One!
15 miles
I did super good at leaving on a loose rein, walking like a grown up. There were a lot of ponies ahead, and a few behind, but nobody was crowding us. We did walking for a bit, to let us ponies loosen up our muscles. There was some people going by us, which I didn't love but I didn't get crazy. Ticopony went a bit bonkers, and that was our theme for this loop. I tried hard to help him, but he mostly didn't want to be calm. I went in the front, and in the back, and next to him, but I could fall off a cliff for all he cared. I did have a few antics of my own, I wanted to be a badass just like the other ponies. I also got a bit lazy sometimes, and was using Tico-shenanigans as an excuse, so Cyd found a twig, and that made me up my game. It also came in handy when I was doing passing of other ponies, or being passed, to make sure I didn't kick my heels at them. We did tons of passing this whole loop. When we were close to the vet check, my Tico friend got himself in a bit of a kerfuffle, and said his leg hurt him super bad (don't worry, he's fine now!). The people made sad faces, then me and Cyd trotted away from them to continue on our own. I caught up to a whole bunch of other ponies, and we all came in together. I did great at my vetting, getting my pulse down super fast. Back to the trailer to stuff my face, get Cyd more water, and gear up for our long loop of the day.
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| Mash, hay, water, carrots, people food, nomnom |
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| New friends |
25 Miles
Right when Cyd was getting back on, T and Indypony, and M and Ecahopony were getting ready to leave for the orange loop too. They invited us to join them, and another rider and her pony. We said that sounded like fun and we'd give it a try. It turned out to be a great idea, and us 4 ponies had a great time, and so did our peoples. It was getting quite warm now, so sometimes the people squeezed water on us with our sponges. There were lots of water buckets for us to drink from. We had one really big hill, it was about 7.5 miles to the top, and quite warm. On some of the not steep bits, us ponies got to do canter, and it was so much fun. We alternated doing trottings and some canter, with some walk breaks when it was hot or steep. We zoomed up that hill! At the top was a bunch of waters, and carrots, and two kinds of hay, and snacks for the riders. There was also a handy dandy truck to hide behind for the people to do peeing. We waited here cooling down and getting sponged off for about 15 minutes, and would have stayed a bit more, but quite a few ponies came in and we didn't want to hog all the goodies.
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| Fearsome Foursome and Ponies |
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| 40 miles down and looking good |
10 miles
We all rode up to the start of the last loop together even though we had slightly different times. All the peoples agreed to wait for each other. Once it was time, I finally realised what the fluff, why are we going out for time number 3? I've never done that before. While my friends trotted off, I figured Cyd must be mistaken. With a little heel bomping I got my butt wiggling down the trail and soon caught up to my friends. We needed to shimmy a bit to make up some time, and since all us ponies were feeling good we picked up the pace. The trail was quite narrow and twisted through the trees and didn't have big rocks, so we flew, with our people cheering for us. At the top was some water buckets, where we all took a big long drink. We did some walking and some trotting down the other side of the hill. There was a big hill to go up, so the peoples decided we should walk. I thought this was a dumb idea, and Cyd was really pleased that I wanted to go faster at mile 45 up a big hill. The rest of our loop was uneventful, and we moved quite quickly. I kept asking to go faster all the way to finish line. The people did cheering when we crossed the line - we did it!
