Home on the Range

Call me crazy - but two days after Tulip Springs I repacked the trailer, got up at 4am - again- (at least sans kids) and headed out to do our first endurance race of the season.  This trip was at least only 5 hours, round trip.  I brought Traveler's 5 year old son, Khatmoondhu - he competed in the limited distance competition - 25 miles. 

This was also the first time we went to a ride without a "buddy".  I decided it was time for him to grow up a little bit and he able to think and hold his own without a constant companion.  He did much better than I initially expected - and boy did we have a bunch of "de-sensitizing" happen out on the trail.  At the start of the race he had to cross a rushing irrigation canal - and HA HA - we had never done water before.  Not like that.  I just put him right behind the horse infront and we paddled our way out and across the stream.  Then there were trains - like right next to us, lots of scary rocks, and lots of very scary black angus cows.  We did it, we made it and surprise, surprise we placed in the Top Ten and received overall "A" scores on the vet checks. 

Wanted to stay and see how we did for Best Condition, but I had to turn around and head home to pick up the kids from the babysitter. 

I am anxious to see the final results and keep checking the AERC website, but according to my watch we did it at a 10mph clip.  Pretty good for his first time out.