This message is from: Phillip Odden <n...@norskwoodworks.com>
This message is from Phillip odden in Northwestern Wisconsin where it is already 82 degrees at 8:00 AM.
Just got back from the Hickory Knoll CDE late last night. Even at 10: 00 it was still in the 90's as we drove home with the trailer doors open. Yesterday was marathon day at Hickory Knoll. They moved the start times up one hour but didn't alter the course distance. Some people chose not to start due to the anticipated heat and humidity. The Vet Crew were very watchful and monitored all horses very carefully. After section A which was just over 5 K in pretty hilly terrain and section D which is the walk portion on asphalt we were checked by the Vets. Pulses were high along with breathing rates but the temps on my two Fjords were still pretty good. Marcy was at 102.6 and Frode was at 103. Not bad. But in the past my ponies have come in from this part of the marathon completely recovered. I knew they would be pretty hot after section E with all the hazards since we were planning to pour the coal to them and ask for all the speed we could find. This was Frode's second marathon and he had been pretty confused and not much in the game at Metamora last month.
Yesterday he was much different. Frode was ready to rock and roll and Marcy was pleased she didn't have to drag him around the course. I was pleased that I had two horses willing to run hazards hard.
I had been spiking their water buckets with electrolytes all weekend and I had given them an oat/ beet pulp slurry before we headed out. After the marathon their heart rate and respirations were way high and Marcy's temp was 104.6, the highest I had ever seen on her. Frode was still 103.4 as I recall. We unharnesses them as quick as we could and sprayed them with water hoses for thirty minutes working the inside of the legs, the lower flank and under the throat latch and the lower neck. We offered them more water with electrolytes and they drank because they think the sour apple tastes like cool aid. When I brought them back to the Vet after thirty minutes they were just fine and he asked me what I had done for them. He agreed with my preparations and strategy for conditioning my Fjords and keeping them healthy and comfortable at the CDE. He even suggested I give a clinic on the subject. Fjords are not generally known to recover fast at this kind of competition. It has to do with conditioning, preparation before the event and careful attention to fluids, feed and cooling during the event.
So we were the only Pony Pair at the competition at Prelim level and since we finished without getting eliminated we won a Blue ribbon. But we also had the best dressage score of any competitor at Prelim level and Frode and Marcy ran hard enough in the hazards to finish with the best score of all entries at Prelim level at Hickory Knoll with a score of 92. There were a few pretty fast, quick and agile single ponies there too.
I would liked to have been at Cedar Rapids to share in the fun there but I work and study all year to train my ponies in dressage and the CDE is the only place I can put my training to the test. Now that Frode has decided to be a contributer to the team on the marathon we hope to go to Intermediate level next year provided I solve some of our limitations in dressage.
There were a few times yesterday in the hazards when I had two powerful responsive Fjords right in my hand at full throttle gallop and that was quite a thrill. After a couple more cde's Marcy will have all she can do to keep up with Frode because even as well as Marcy moves he moves Big Time.
Stay safe and keep 'em healthy, Phil Odden Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
