The Peregrinations & Misadventures of Brigadier D+/ (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Catskills
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- Thread starter
- #102
Seven miles with @kasassy on the trail. She pedalled next to us. At the start of a long downhill --I always walk the downhills because it's so hard on his joints-- I told Kass to take off and I'd catch up later.
Then once I was finally on the flat again I let Briggy canter. Kass was totally out of sight. In his fixation on finding her and "winning" the race he decided they were in, he braced against the reins and took off, at which point I literally had no brakes.
Finally at a dreaded bridge he slowed and I jumped off, realizing the chain under his chin was so loose it wasn't even in contact with it. I tightened the chain which helped me regain my brakes, and caught up with @kasassy.
I usually tighten the chain before races, but I didn't realize we were in this race until it was too late. Kassy got a kick out of the fact that Briggy is older than her by two years.
Then once I was finally on the flat again I let Briggy canter. Kass was totally out of sight. In his fixation on finding her and "winning" the race he decided they were in, he braced against the reins and took off, at which point I literally had no brakes.
Finally at a dreaded bridge he slowed and I jumped off, realizing the chain under his chin was so loose it wasn't even in contact with it. I tightened the chain which helped me regain my brakes, and caught up with @kasassy.
I usually tighten the chain before races, but I didn't realize we were in this race until it was too late. Kassy got a kick out of the fact that Briggy is older than her by two years.
Great pic of the three of you!
Riding next to @CatskillsRunner and Briggy was so fun, and it was especially cool when he got worried about where I was.
A memorable outing, for sure.
A memorable outing, for sure.
- Thread starter
- #107
Briggy's saddle was custom made for him over in Cheyenne by the good folks at Synergist Saddles. They took all the measurements I sent in and he now has a saddle that fits him perfectly.
Correct saddle fit isn't a big deal when you jump on for a half hour at a time, but it becomes imperative when you are riding for miles and miles.
This saddle is now 7 years old and showing its age; the fenders need to be redyed and some of the conchos have worked loose. The conchos have to be fixed before the 2019 ride season.
I have been postponing sending it back to Synergist because we have not had snow, which means that Mohonk has not closed to horseback riding yet this winter. But that will all change on Thursday, when we get the first of two winter storms.
So off it goes.
While I was cleaning out the tack room of the trailer, I figured I'd bring home all the other stuff that had to get cleaned...
I would never go back to leather headstalls or reins. I love being able to dump all my stuff in the sink and scrub it in hot water. Very satisfying to have clean tack and it looks brand new.
Correct saddle fit isn't a big deal when you jump on for a half hour at a time, but it becomes imperative when you are riding for miles and miles.
This saddle is now 7 years old and showing its age; the fenders need to be redyed and some of the conchos have worked loose. The conchos have to be fixed before the 2019 ride season.
I have been postponing sending it back to Synergist because we have not had snow, which means that Mohonk has not closed to horseback riding yet this winter. But that will all change on Thursday, when we get the first of two winter storms.
So off it goes.
While I was cleaning out the tack room of the trailer, I figured I'd bring home all the other stuff that had to get cleaned...
I would never go back to leather headstalls or reins. I love being able to dump all my stuff in the sink and scrub it in hot water. Very satisfying to have clean tack and it looks brand new.
- Thread starter
- #108
Some people like to do things their spouses don't approve of when they go on business trips and they wouldn't find out.
I am one of those people.
I wash Briggy's blankets in our washing machine when Onur travels.
I am one of those people.
I wash Briggy's blankets in our washing machine when Onur travels.
Yep, super excited! Would love to get together with you guys while we are there. What distance are you thinking of signing up for?
- Thread starter
- #111
They offer 50/75/100. I am thinking of entering two 25s two weeks apart, in May and June, then entering the Moonlight in Vermont 50. They start the 50s at 2 PM so we get to ride at night.
He has to get through at least one 25 looking really good to be entered in VT. His health and happiness are paramount.
That is a race where all of the vet holds are "away," all on different estates near South Woodstock. Some are shared with the runners and some aren't. It's damn near impossible to do it alone, so it will be really nice to have Onur crew for us there. We would get there the day before and leave the day after, camping the whole time with Briggy.
There is a margarita bar at mile 90 (mile 40 for us chumps!). It is a really special race. Easily my favorite. Riding a moonlit trail I've never been on, alone, the cool breeze through the trees...
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Sounds good, my crew (wife and daughter) will be with me also, got a hotel in Brownsville, VT. No camping for me. After 100 miles, I am going to want a real bed and such.
We are going to fly up the week before and make a little family vacation out of it. We will coordinate with you guys closer to time. Belle is really looking forward to meeting Briggy and seeing all the other horses and riders. This is the first time she has been excited about going to one of my races.
We are going to fly up the week before and make a little family vacation out of it. We will coordinate with you guys closer to time. Belle is really looking forward to meeting Briggy and seeing all the other horses and riders. This is the first time she has been excited about going to one of my races.
- Thread starter
- #113
Welp, Briggy's saddle made it back from Cheyenne looking pretty good, and we made it through two storms. Have to wait for the snow to melt before we can hit the trails again, but it'll be awhile, as Mohonk grooms them for skiiers and the snow is packed down now.
Brig is happy; I show up to give him apples and chips, then make sure he's clean, his blankets are not irritating him, and he hasn't thrown a shoe. He loves being on holiday.
Brig is happy; I show up to give him apples and chips, then make sure he's clean, his blankets are not irritating him, and he hasn't thrown a shoe. He loves being on holiday.
- Thread starter
- #114
Briggy finally had his winter shoes pulled! New shoes have studs and pads; leather ones up front and plastic ones in back.
Our first race is in about ten weeks in Vermont. I am really looking forward to warmer weather to start conditioning.
Our first race is in about ten weeks in Vermont. I am really looking forward to warmer weather to start conditioning.
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Maybe this was covered already in the thread but based on the first post I had to google “do horses have fur”
Still seems weird to me to call a horse’s coat hair but fur doesn’t make sense either...
Still seems weird to me to call a horse’s coat hair but fur doesn’t make sense either...
- Thread starter
- #116
Definitely hair.
- Thread starter
- #118
We did six miles on Sunday. Briggy has been making me pretty nervous lately as he's been stumbling a whole lot, which is very dangerous. I managed to keep my seat the last two times he went down on his knees, but for the first time in my riding career I am now envisioning accidents that could hurt one or both of us. Or worse -- I'm almost too scared to type it.
Someone was vacuuming something somewhere. He would have stood there all day had I let him.
I am going to formulate a plan with the farrier to adjust his shoeing to rectify the issue. If he is stumbling on near-flat carriage roads he definitely won't be able to negotiate a trail he doesn't know, at midnight in a pine forest, where if the rocks don't getcha the roots will. My farrier seems pretty confident that he can fix the issue. Fingers crossed.
Someone was vacuuming something somewhere. He would have stood there all day had I let him.
I am going to formulate a plan with the farrier to adjust his shoeing to rectify the issue. If he is stumbling on near-flat carriage roads he definitely won't be able to negotiate a trail he doesn't know, at midnight in a pine forest, where if the rocks don't getcha the roots will. My farrier seems pretty confident that he can fix the issue. Fingers crossed.
Briggy and I are lucky.
