Originally posted to my Facebook “Notes” 9 years ago (October 20, 2015). I don’t want to lose it to the unpredictable fb algorithms. Anyone who knows me even a little, knows how much this single horse means to me. I’ve had him in my life longer than any single critter ever, even my immortal Oso LaMio. It’s important to me to keep these “notes”. I’m sure I took photos of his radiographs from the day we knew that he was retired from endurance forever. I’ll have to try and dig them up.

Being over endurance forever meant he was done with all the things to me, at the time. I held fast onto the hope that he would one day again be able to hold me on his back. I’ll never forget the day, nearly a year into his recovery, when Rock had been released from the stall he’d spent the past 9 months in, into an adjoining 12×12 pen, to his barn stall, and how happy that made him, just to have that little bit of space more. Then 2 months later, the doctor allowed him to have the space of the “square pen” we have at home. Our place was set up to move cows around, so there’s a series of pens and gates. The Square Pen is also adjoining to his barn stall. One evening I threw hay into his tire and he was eating peacefully. I got up on the tire and just couldn’t help myself. I laid over his back. He continued eating. I swung my leg over his back and just sat there, quiet tears slipping down my cheeks. He continued eating. I wondered, hmmm, I wonder if he’ll go on leg cues alone…he continued eating, until I gently gave him a cue to move to the left (his right shoulder had the fracture). He lifted his head and took the cue. We carefully worked our way around the Square Pen, him quietly taking each of my leg cues, until we returned to the tire where…He continued eating. I slipped off his back, tears streaming now, and hugged him so hard. He continued eating. It was like he knew all along what I was so unsure of.

As his recovery continued, I began to look around online for things we could do that wasn’t endurance. That led me to Equine Trail Sports, but that’s a post for another day.

Read On:

Written 20 Oct. 2015:

My Rock Star…

Rock and I heading to our 75 mile and BC finish at the 2015 Oregon 100. Our swan song together.

I am nearly still without words. I’m stunned, in disbelief and some denial. As high as 2014 was for me, 2015 has been the equal amounts low. The year started with me losing my beloved Oso, so it wasn’t going anywhere but uphill from there.

This horse…he is that once in a lifetime horse. He has been my partner in endurance for the better part of 4 years. He greets me when I get home, he keeps order on the ranch from his pasture. In retrospect, my calling his pasture “Fort Knox” was akin to saying “Hey, come take a sail on the Titanic, because God himself couldn’t sink her!” And so it goes.

This horse…he came to me with some good base training, but not ridden for a few years, but trained by one of the best in her day, Pat Richardson. She put such a good start on him! He and I started slow, taking 10 mile trail rides. Why? Because he couldn’t go any faster without losing his mind! He and I had discussions on the trails in the desert in those days. They amounted to, “Hey Rock, you’re gonna go down this trail nice like.” His answer, “Hey D, I’m gonna RUN and BUCK! I’m happy!!” My answer, “Uh Rock, try longeing in the sand a bit, let me know how that plan works for you.” His answer, “Ok, let’s go, this isn’t much fun.” That’s how we spent our first winter in Powell Butte together. By spring, I could get him around the 10 mile loop at a nice trot with little fuss.

The morning of the 2012 Grizzly Mtn 50 miler.

We headed off to the Grizzly Mtn ride and he completed his first 50 beautifully. Over that season, Rock proved that endurance was his job, his game, his passion. I couldn’t have been more happy. That was the beginning of many happy endurance miles for Rock and I. We finished 6 rides in 2012 and every one was better than the last. 2013 we started with a 75 miler that he just rocked! His buddy and training partner, Ramone, took home the BC that day, but Rock soon matched Ramone’s challenge and took home 3 BC’s that season, finishing up with the AERC National Championship 100 miler out in Idaho.

Leaving a NC 2013, vet check with 40 miles to go.

As many already know, 2014 started with a goal of finishing Tevis. Rock was a well oiled machine now, all business at the races, happy to be out on the trails and happy to be my partner. I couldn’t have loved his work ethic more ever. Every time I swing a leg over this horse, he reminds me of why I love their species so much. He reads me, he gives me his all. We returned to the Grizzly ride and took 3rd place, and earned another BC in a tough crowd. Turning our attention to the Klickitat Trek ride, we did the 75, and not an easy 75 either. Rock got the BC there, in a tight race with his sister, Finale. One has to understand that all this time, I was in college, trying to succeed there and get my life goal of a new career off the ground. Rock kept me going many nights. My time on him, around him, sometimes just caressing his soft neck kept me sane and gave me something to smile about. He would meet me at the gate, demanding I feed him now. We went off to Tevis, finished respectably and then Rock got learn what his “other” job in life was going to be. STUD!! He went to Bend Equine and met his 2nd favorite girl, Shannon Findley, DVM. They trained him to the phantom, which he took to almost as quickly as he did endurance!

His face says, “Tevis? We got this!” And we did. 70th place and Barbara White’s Legacy buckle! Tevis 2014

Early 2013…Taking a break from life to snuggle with my pony.

2015…Rock and I started our season with the 75 miler at the Grizzly ride. A win and a BC. No horse has ever performed so flawlessly for me. He is so happy to be out there. I enjoy pretty much all my time with him. I’ve had to whoop him for being the boy that he is from time to time, but he knows. 2015 has been such a weird year for me. New relationship after 3+ years of being single and happy. Losing my best little wow friend, Oso LaMio in April…having a total hysterectomy in June, new ranch in July. Lots of stuff that just didn’t involve endurance. I had to put endurance on the back burner for awhile and I was ok with it. Anyone who knows me and what this sport means to me, knows what I’m saying here. It’s felt good to kind of let it go and not be so attached to it. This means I don’t have to escape from my life via endurance riding anymore. That’s a good thing. It’s a healthy hobby again, balanced with the rest of my life. So, September comes, and Rock and I are fit enough again to go out and try the 75 miler. I know that I’m a long distance rider at heart and Rock has more than proven that he’s a 100 mile horse at heart. What does this mean, you ask? It means that pretty much any horse can do a 25, most horses can finish a 50, some can do 75’s and 100’s, well you can condition a horse to do a 100, but you can’t make them love a 100 miler. The horse can finish a 100 because they’re conditioned to it, they eat, they drink and they take a pragmatic approach to it and they finish. Those other horses, the “100 mile horse” attacks a 100 miler, eats up the miles, spits them out, and finish asking you, “That’s the best you can do?” Rock is that horse. He finished Tevis asking me that. I knew if I’d had to take him on another 10 mile loop, he would have cantered out of that stadium and ate up that 10 miles. Me…not so much.

Off to the Oregon 100 we went. Rock started like the champ he is. He finished with the two other front runners, Warrior, his full brother, and Ramone the BC Mule. Rock deservedly got the BC that day. We had planned on the Haunting to finish off a good quiet season for us.

Last Thursday, I got home from work to see Rock standing in a part of the pasture he doesn’t spend much time in. I went directly out there to ask him what was up. He didn’t cage around me like he can do. He just stood there and made me urge him forward. My heart fell through my feet into the hole I was standing next to. This is not what MY 100 mile horse does. I went and got his halter, caught him up and led him haltingly out of the pasture. Every step causing him obvious pain. My breathing was a ragged as his. I looked him over thoroughly with my old equine vet tech eyes and couldn’t see a thing wrong with him. His feet were cool, his legs were cool and tight. But…he was pretty much non weight bearing on his right front leg. I’ve been told by an old vet down in Eugene that 90% of shoulder lamenesses block out at the heel, but my gut said this one wouldn’t. We watched him over the weekend, continuing his bute. No improvement. Called Bend Equine on Monday and took him in. The radiographs gave the diagnosis, but not the My Rock Star is officially retired to stud. He’s not entirely unhappy, but I’m heartbroken. He has a fracture in his elbow that most likely came from racing around in his pasture, possibly fell in a badger hole, ramming his right front leg into the ground. We have a long road to recovery for him, but this horse has earned his spot in my pasture. He talks me when I go to work in the mornings. He talks to me when I get home from work, he lets me know he’s my guy. I love him for that. I only ask now, that he’s a good patient and lets me help him heal. I want to see his babies running around, making us proud and making SAR proud, with their athletic prowess, showing off their 48/48 (or better!) CRI’s, and to die for strides, earning BC after BC, like their daddy.

Fit horses do stupid things. I’ve always known

it, saw it happen to others, but never me. It’s my turn in the barrel, and I’m not one bit happy about it. But Rock will always have me to advocate for him. Because I love him.

The Oregon 100 75 and BC was our Swan Song endurance ride. I have no words. I’m still in disbelief.

10/2015…Standing quietly at Bend Equine. Always the gentleman.

Using the wings that Rock taught me how to soar in at Tevis. Tevis 2014

Riding with Ron and Rock’s full brother, Warrior, at Tevis 2014.

My Boy. The best boy.

• Uncategorized