Just have to share…
This pace is held every year in November at Caumsett State Park on Long Island. This park is 1500 acres on the north shore of LI, a former Gold Coast estate owned by Marshall Field. (For more info go here: http://www.caumsettfoundation.org/index_files/Page665.htm) There were 60 teams entered this year.
The pace time for the Weekend Warrior division is about 1hr and 20 minutes or so. There are lots of hilly (for LI) trails and BIG open meadows with wide mowed paths on the edges where the jumps are set. Low height is about 2’3", high height is about 2"6-2’9". All have go arounds.
The leaves are usually at their peak so the woods are amazing to look at. If you have time…
A friend and I teamed up, her on a 10 year old 16.3 OTTB and me on my old man a 20 yr old OTTB all of 16 hands. Both are dark brown bay with minimal white. So the horses matched too!
We went for just for fun. the day was beautiful but really warm, sunny and 60 degrees.
We had the usual (for us) start of out-of-hand gallop for he first 10 minutes until the brains came back into the heads and we could have a more reasonable pace. There are plenty of jumps on the course, decorated with painted pumpkins. There were lots of barrels on their sides under the jumps and a few brush fences and most jumps had hay bales set underneath. There was one jump toward the end over a low tree branch that I chickened out of. I did not like the uphill landing as my horse jumps way over everything and I did not feel the need to ask more that he already gave me. We trotted about half the time and a nice forward canter (OK sometimes gallop) the rest. I was worried my guy would not be able to keep it up but he was way game and did not feel stressed at all. We took a couple of short walk breaks and appreciated the stop with water.
The last field was the cross country course by the equestrian center. Most of the jumps were marked as part of the course. The approach into the field (unknown to me) was a uphill trail with a low telephone pole jump at the top. My partner is in front and sees the jump and goes for it. My horse sees his buddy disappear (uphill remember) and accelerates like he is out of the gate. I see the jump and hang on tight! Over we go but Eclipse twists in the air and I lose a stirrup and lose the other on landing. WHEE!
Now we are in the best part. I regain my stirrups and aim for the cross country jumps. I opt for the lower size obstacles as we have been going for over an hour and my horse has just been great. I skip some jumps for the same reason. We had jumped them all earlier in the year. We hop over the roll top that my friend’s horse refused on first approach and sail over the drop fence and coop and head out of the field for a well deserved walk break. Then we come to the last field and the last jump and our guys see the trailer waaaay in the back. Off they go! Over the last fence and Eclipse is determined to get to the trailer. We make a big circle and pass through the finish line! YEA!
After cooling out, we put them on the trailer, grab a bite at the amazing spread for lunch and head home. Eclipse was tired! Happily, clean, cold legs and not sore anywhere! He seemed happy he could finally gallop as much as he always wants to. When we got back he got a roll in the dirt, a warm bath, grass and lots of treats with dinner.
As I am brushing him down, I reflect on how all the years of training together clicked. He really did not look at one jump (coops were a problem for a long time). He loaded without fuss (a big achivement). He did not get tense when tacked up (another milestone). All the exposure over the years to various things let him ignore the bikes, strollers, hikers, other horses, etc. I could rate him for the most part, although he was much happier in front. His fitness level was better that I expected. All in all a really good day.
I found out today we WON for our division!
I wish there were more on the Island!
If you want to check it out next year, it is a great pace.
And, no I did not wrap his legs!
