Riding Journal
Awareness of the outside world. I can’t bitch about gatherings and then give the groups I like a pass. So, I did wonder if this was the best choice of activities at the moment. The ride itself was outside and social distant by default. The travel? The hotels? No masks anywhere, but then, outside. No mention of Covid or vaccine/testing protocols. If there was, I missed it. The big concern was the smoke from wildfires. I don’t have any answers, but ignoring the questions is not the way forward.
~~~
Virtually following the IRL Tevis.
IRL riding the virtual Tevis.
Tevis Tidbits
Card for the IRL ride. Tevis: PDF
The Western States Trail Ride began at 5:15 am PDT, Saturday, July 24, 2021.
Treasured Moments (Treasure) & Reynolds, Jeremy stopped the timers at 10:03 pm. Tevis: rider page
Ozark Kaolena SWA (Lena) ridden by Jeanette Mero won the Haggin Cup for best conditioned. Tevis: rider page
Tevis has two finish lines. The official finish is up in dark where your time stops. Then you mosey down to McCann Stadium, cross the second finish line, and – most importantly – go to the final vet check. Yes, you can do 100 miles and not complete if your horse isn’t judged Fit To Continue. That has to be a bummer.
Video. Eventual winner walks into stadium leading horse. Picks up jog; horse trots. Vaults onto horse. Trots off to toward finish banner. Vaults. Onto horse. After riding 100 miles. I can’t even.
Me, watching another rider finish: You’re done. You can stop trotting.
Husband, overhearing: Maybe they can’t.
Award for most adorable goes to Piece of Perfection (Flash), a 11.2 hand Hackney pony ridden by the 13 yo Kyla Law. The pair was escorted by Kyla’s mom, Natalie, on Mo Motion Jack (Brave), an American Saddlebred! They finished 36th at 4:33 am. Tevis: rider page
And with that, I am officially tired of watching other people do things. Lexington, Tour de France, BreyerFest, Olympics, Central States, Tevis, more Olympics. Onwards!
Tevis home
Results
The Horse: Jeremy Reynolds Wins Fourth Tevis Cup, Hayes
Virtual Tevis 2021
Card for our virtual ride
Slow start.
After getting their annual shots on Friday, they boarded the Pitiful Train to Woeville, Population 2. Saturday was reclining on couches and mopping brows.
On Sunday, we were considering a short ride to help them loosened up. What’s that I hear? The thunder of hooves in the field? Okay then, saddle up.
Two days of walking. Footing still soggy.
Data dump
Sat, July 24, IRL Tevis – 0 miles.
Sun, July 25 – 1.9 miles. 51 minutes.
Mon, July 26 – 2.1 miles. 52 minutes
Total 4 miles.
Approximate speed, 2.2 mph. Update, actually 2.3 mph. At our speed, one wants to count every tenth.
Approximate time to go one mile, 25 minutes.
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Thank you for the links! I loved seeing horse and rider.
Seeing people doing things on my TV has gotten to be a way of life. Must stop and walk! Me, IRL. Walk.
Some folks watch that and are inspired. I watch that ride and am inspired to stay far, far away.