I worked hard this week to shower my three horses with benign neglect.
This close to a 100 there is really no point in “conditioning” them. They are either fit or they are not, and my preference is to take them in to a ride super well-rested and with a nice opportunity to heal any sub-clinical soreness or injuries.
I resolved that I would not make a decision about which two horses to take until all the puzzle pieces started to fall in place.
The forecast is showing VERY Ned-friendly weather (i.e. cool) so taking him is a no brainer.
Rich came thru his surgery quite nicely so it looks as though staying home to care for him will not be necessary (although I’m sure it is what a Good Wife would do).
So the decision hinged mostly on how Sarge’s feet looked (he ripped off a front shoe on his last conditioning ride) after his reset, and how soundly he trotted afterwards.
Tom did a lovely job with Sarge’s feet; we elected not to pad him for Pine Tree as he ripped up a bit of side wall on both the inside and outside and we didn’t want to add any extra play in that space. We then headed out to trot him. Sound and even on a longe circle, sound and even out and back, and pretty durned good even after a flexion test on both hinds. Thumbs up, Sarge is going to Maine.
Which allows us to wait on resetting Ace rather than trying to squeeze in another shoeing before Vermont where he will (hopefully, fingers crossed) be going for the 100.
Will Sarge get through his first 100? Ned didn’t, nor did Ace.
So as Julie Suhr told me before Ned’s first hundred several years ago (paraphrasing) — “you just ask that ultimate question, and you ride that day knowing that if the horse says it is too much on that day, on that trail, you simply stop and call it a day.”
I would so much rather ask and find out the answer is “not today, but please try again another time” than to never have asked the question at all.
If nothing else, I am going to learn so very much about Sarge on Saturday. And really, isn’t that the Ultimate Goal anyway?
Happy trails.
–Patti