Saturday’s ACTHA Ride ~ Obstacles and Scores

 

I’ve been waiting to post this hoping that I’d get the pictures back from the ride that the ride photographer took, so I could include them, but it’s been two weeks now and I’m afraid if I just don’t get this posted, I’ll get too backlogged. When (or if) the ride photos show up, though, I’ll be sure to share them.

Oh! And before I forget, several of you asked what kind of paint I used on Pintura to decorate her as “Queen of the Forest” for the Trail of Painted Ponies. Well it was just basic non-toxic, washable Tempera Paint that I borrowed from my daughter’s art supply stash. We buy it in gallon size jugs, so we always have plenty.

Ok, so on with the details of the Saturday ACTHA Competitive Trail Ride.

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The first part of the ride started out on “Pancho Villa Trail” in the northern section of Cedar Hill Farm. There were two obstacles located on this section of trail. First we entered through a gate, then rode for about 15 minutes until we reached:

Obstacle #1: “Buzon” aka Mailbox

This was an obstacle I was most looking forward to trying out at an ACTHA event, as Apache had done well during our practices. We had 30 seconds to quietly walk up to the mailbox, take out a wrapped piece of candy, close the door, and proceed to the flag.

*Our Score: Horse-9 Rider-9*

I’m not sure why we didn’t get a 10 because Apache was very calm and quiet and she did everything I asked. I did have her take baby steps up to the mailbox, just to be sure we were lined up properly and we didn’t walk past it, but to me she was perfect, calm, quiet and patient. She never balked, flinched or moved before I asked. Oh well. A 9 isn’t too shabby either.

(Here we are practicing the mailbox at home)

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Obstacle #2 “Impermeable” aka Slicker

Between Obstacle #1 and Obstacle #2 is where Apache let me know she wasn’t happy with the fast pace being set as we cantered across the prairie dog and mole hole covered fields. She gave me a little buck and after checking her girth, I decided we’d keep a quick pace at a walk and a trot, but leave much of the cantering to the other riders in our group.

After crossing through a gate, we rode for about 15 minutes and came upon Obstacle #2.

This was another one Apache and I were prepared for, though I did have some concerns because of the 50 mph gusts of wind, and watching the group in front of us have several mishaps trying to complete this obstacle (including a rearing horse, and a spooked horse that threw it’s rider and galloped off)   

The challenge was to walk quietly up to the yellow slicker resting on the t-post, lift it up and lay it across your horse’s wither. Ride to the second t-post, remove slicker, place it on the t-post and ride to the exit flag and complete the obstacle within 40 seconds.

*Score: Horse-9 Rider-9*

This is another obstacle I felt that we should have scored a 10, because Apache was calm and so was I. But you just never know what the judges are looking for or expecting when it comes to completing an obstacle.

(This is Apache and I practicing the Slicker Obstacle at home)

We walked up to the post and stopped right beside it. I picked up the slicker and laid it on Apache’s wither, and after asking her to move forward, she quietly and calmly walked to the second post, where she calmly stopped, and I placed the slicker on the t-post. Apache never balked, side-stepped, spooked, ignored my requests, or refused to anything I asked. She and I were the perfect team and I was very happy. Maybe the judge thought she and I looked too bored or something? haha! Well, another 9 isn’t too bad either.

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Here you can see one of the trail ribbons we had to follow.

Afterwards we entered a tree lined ridge, in an area I’ve never ridden before. It was a beautiful, rugged trail with lots of uphills, downhills, and maneuvering through trees. It was easy to feel like you were riding alone, if you and your horse set your own pace, and didn’t try to ride nose to tail. I enjoyed this part of the trail, also because it was mostly out of the worst of the wind.

We followed this section for about 20 minutes, and then exited Pancho Villa Trail back at the stables, after walking through another gate, which was challenging because the horses probably thought we were done with our trail ride and were ready to head back to the barn.

Apache didn’t cause me any trouble except to walk very slowly away from the stables, down the main gravel road, through another gate, over to the direction of “El Camino Trail”, where there were two obstacles.

Obstacle #3 “Montarse/DesMontarse” aka Mount/Dismount

Pretty self-explanatory. They even offered a mounting block if anyone required it, but because of the wide open spaces, gusting wind, and my lack of grace in mounting and dismounting due to my injured knee and gimpy hips I decided just to pass on that obstacle.

Score: Horse-0 Rider-0

And here’s a little video just to show you how fierce that wind really was.

A few days after both Saturday an Sunday’s CTRs I was told that the care taker of Cedar Hill Farm saw not only a beautiful cinnamon bear……but a mountain lion, too, very close to the property! (gasp!) Well, that might explain another reason why so many horses were so spooked on Saturday, especially in the section we were riding in on Saturday as that area was closest to where the predators were seen. Horses have a keen sense of smell and when it’s windy, they can smell things even from miles away. And that bear and mountain lion were a lot less distance than that to Cedar Hill Farm! Yikes!

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After Obstacle #3 we walked, trotted and did a little bit of cantering, when I could see the ground well enough, through that open field for another 15-20 minutes. Then we entered through another gate, rode up a few rocky hills, and down a few more boulder covered hills, until we were at our next obstacle:

Obstacle #4 “Control De Ruido” aka Noise Control

This was one obstacle we had not prepared for at all, so I had some trepidation, especially when we arrived and had to wait for 15 minutes while the group in front of us had just arrived and were completing the obstacle. ( Ahem… Because our group was always in a hurry)

We had to stand around and listen to the sounds of a small siren, a bike bell and a toy fire truck making their noises, while our horses stood with ears perked forward on alert. And the nervous, less trail savvy horses jigged and pranced wild-eyed wondering what was going to happen to them next.

Apache was alert but calm. She really wanted to get up there and see what was making those noises. I notice with Apache she tends to want to face spooks, and if she does startle, she will just flinch or take a tiny hop. If she does move away, she always wants to come back and see whatever it was that startled her.

Even on the trail she’s alert and looking around, not nervous, just curious, but also seeming to enjoy herself.

Well, knowing my mare’s personality I should have moved Apache into a position where she could face the noises, when it was our turn. Instead, when we walked into the ‘box’ I had her facing the exit sign, so that the noise makers were facing her left side. She was supposed to stand still inside the ‘box’ for 30 seconds until the noises stopped.

Well, after about 15 seconds she had enough of trying to stretch her neck around to catch a glimpse of the noisemaker and just turned around to face it head on. Poo! We weren’t supposed to move at all.

I was still proud of her, though, because a few of the horses in the group in front of us and even in our own group weren’t even able to stand in the box, and instead either spooked sideways or jigged straight to the exit sign before their 30 seconds was up.

I still don’t think we did too bad, though, considering we hadn’t practiced at all.

*Scores: Horse-6 Rider-10*

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After leaving that obstacle, we climbed up a few steep, narrow rocky sections and then rode across a ridge. And then we traveled down some even steeper rockier twisting sections, which I really enjoyed. My barefooted Apache mare rides over these challenges like she’s part mountain goat, and it’s fun to change positions in the saddle to accommodate the varied terrain and assist my horse with keeping her balance. It’s a lot more exercise, too, especially when you’re bending over, sideways and back to avoid branches from hitting you in the face or grabbing your clothes. Oh, and have I mentioned in this post, how much I love my half-chaps? I’m sure my pants would have been ripped to shreds without them by now.

Ok, so after reaching the bottom of the ridge, we rode through another gate and entered Zorro’s Trail. We maneuvered our way through the trees, right below a Mama Hawk who was warning us to stay away from her nest. She would swoop rather low to the ground and her screeches sounded eerily prehistoric.

Also along this trail, we were told, later, after the ride, that a rattlesnake was found crossing the trail. I’m really glad I missed that “obstacle”!

Our next obstacle was:

Obstacle #5 “Marcha Atras La Colina” aka Back Up Hill

We had 40 seconds to back up a section of hill about 7 feet long between two cavalettis. Apache did everything I asked and we were doing so well, that we were almost at the top, then somehow, while her butt was pointing straight up, just like a stink bug, I got flustered and confused and stopped telling her what I wanted her to do. So she just walked back down the hill. I still had time left, but decided to pass. Weird moment for me. Oh well.

*Scores: Horse-0 Rider-0*

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After leaving that obstacle we rode around the trail through the trees until we got to the Eventing Field. We rode across the field and around to our final obstacle:

Obstacle #6 “Obstaculo De Agua” aka Water Obstacle

We had 40 seconds to walk down an incline into the water and proceed to the exit flag.

I had no idea how we’d do because we’d never practiced walking through a water obstacle before. There aren’t that many natural water obstacles to ride through in our area either. Most of them are located in Northern New Mexico, where we are planning on doing a horse camping trip in July actually. (My first ever! Wooohoo!). So I’ve been wanting to make sure Apache was prepared for water crossings before we went up there. And here was my chance to see how she would do.

This water obstacle was a round pond, about 15 feet wide and maybe a foot deep in the middle. The water came up to just below Apache’s knees. I didn’t know how she’d do, but I trusted my girl and envisioned us crossing the water, effortlessly. I knew that at the very least, my wonderful mare would be willing and she would try for me.

And she did.

In the beginning I actually got confused and thought the judge was ready for us to go ahead because she had asked for our names and number.

And Apache was so ready to show me how brave and confident that she was, that she just started to forge ahead into the water before the judge had put her head up to watch us. Ooops!

So, after taking a few steps, we had to turn around and go back to the water’s edge and start over. 

Apache didn’t pause, balk, or try to avoid walking through the pond. I was so proud of her and so happy. I know I was grinning from ear to ear. And I made sure to look forward and not down at Apache’s feet, too.

So I was kind of surprised that we didn’t score a straight 10, but  the lower score was probably due to marking us down for not waiting for the judge to be ready before moving forward through the water obstacle. And maybe also because I don’t think we walked straight through the very center of the pond.

Oh well. The score isn’t what really matters anyway. We did it! And we did it well!

*Scores: Horse-9 Rider-8*

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After that final obstacle, we rode up and out of the Eventing Field, out through the gate, and up the gravel road to the indoor arena, where we had to take our final test: The Lameness Test. We had to trot a figure eight around the cones to complete the ride.

I asked Apache to trot, but all she gave me was a brisk walk. But it was enough to prove she wasn’t lame.

And then we had completed Day 1 of our Competitive Trail Ride Weekend!

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Six Miles, Six Obstacles

Our Total Score 69

The highest score that day was 117.

The lowest score that day was 7, followed by 33.

Two riders were disqualified.

Apache and I placed 27 out of 40 Pleasure Riders.

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And all I wanted was not to be in last place. (grin)