The Tevis Sippy Cup

Training Journal

If you’re riding a horse, you’ve already won.

 

Awareness of the outside world. Pay it forward. I will adopt 6″ of trail for every mile completed. If they both finish, I will adopt 100 feet of trail. The trail should have a future, even if I never set foot on it. Adopt-the-Trail Campaign
~~~
2020 Tevis Cup – Virtual Western States Trail
100 Miles in 100 Days
Sat August 1 – Mon November 9, 2020
Run Signup: 2020 Tevis Cup – Virtual Western States Trail

I. Am. So. Excited.

The Tevis cup has gone virtual.

One hundred miles in one hundred days.

A riding division and a non-riding division for runners, walkers, bikers, swimmers.

Each ride must be one horse-one rider.

Mileage on the honor system.

Miles will be tracked on a map of the trail

One hundred miles in one hundred days. Surely we can do that.

It will not be as easy as it sounds. And don’t call me Shirley. Much like making time in a 5k, a mile a day means some days we will have to do more than a mile to make up for off days, rainy days, shoeing days. By extension averaging 7 miles a week will mean weeks of greater than 7 miles. [Bear With Me, Follow The Rules]

“You can complete the 100-miles in as many smaller excursions as you choose to finish the goal. We absolutely recommend NOT riding the 100-miles all at once unless you are participating at an actual sanctioned event with veterinary controls. As you log your completed miles, you will receive updates of where you now are on OUR historic Western States Trail.” Run Signup: 2020 Tevis Cup – Virtual Western States Trail, About the Event

The plan is to do with laps of the pasture. Three laps = 1 mile. Lots and lots of laps of the pasture.

Awards are a sticker and a shirt/bandana. If we complete and the sticker really is an image of the belt buckle, I’m gonna frame that sucker. Facebook: Tevis Cup 100 Mile One Day Ride – Western States Trail Foundation, Virtual Ride notice

Let’s go.

Rodney aka Doctor Whooves

On Sunday, we did a one-mile, test-of-concept team ride. They were absolute stars. Get on. Walk horses around pasture. No drama. Long-time readers will know what a miracle no drama is for us.

On Monday, I did a one-mile, test of concept solo ride. Success. For the first lap, I had to be more of a supportive happy alpha. By laps two and three, he was moseying down the trail. [Peeling The Emotional Onion]

Hours of long, slow work on a loose rein will do wonders for his confidence in himself. I’m not worried about monotony. This horse does not get bored. He will find reassurance in repeating the same trail over and over and over. At the walk for now. Perhaps introduce trot after a while. Possibly the c-word eventually?

Added bonus. I get to use his new show name! [Briefly]

[Team Ride]

Milton aka Major Milton

Milton has signed up for the Weekend Warrior division. His rider will not be available for the mid-week rides. Officially, he probably won’t finish. We expect that.

Unofficially, my goal is to make up the miles with handwalks around the pasture. This will give Milton and me something easy and low-key to do together. Maybe he will stop looking at me as if I have three heads. Stretch goal would be for me to ride him on the laps. Because that went so well the last time we tried. As I said, stretch goal. [Two Hops Forward]

Granted, I could do all of this on my own. The virtual Tevis provides incentive and an organizing plan.

[In Which Horses Remind Us That They Don’t Care What Is Happening Globally]

In Conclusion
Intellectually, I mourn the loss of this year’s IRL race for the competitors. Personally? Emotionally? Squuuuuueeeeeeeee. This is the closest I will get.

I am ridiculously excited about this.

Previous Posts
[Referral Saturday, Tevis Cup Magic]
[Watching the Tevis, Take II]
[Watching The Tevis]

The Tevis Cup, Western States Trail Federation, home page

Stay safe. Stay sane,
Katherine Walcott