The World According to Kip, National Championships, City of Rocks, ID 2013

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Vettec National Championships 2013 , City of Rocks, Almo Idaho.

The World According to Kip

So off we go to the National Championships! Yay! Didn't get to go to the Basin Pioneer Ride last month due to an annoying little but very nasty rope burn on my foot! Monkey's fault of course! She took Subha (the little floozy) who only did half of what i could have done but was, I've been told, very well behaved. Yuk! Makes me want to puke!!!

Got a good start on the Thursday before the ride, travellin' along nicely then BANG, turn around and back home. What the...! Something of unknown origin smashed out the back window and really shook up the monkey! Fixed and on our way again. Travelling alone in the back sucks (and i made that known of course) but before long we were pulling into Aunty Beth's and Uncle John's place in Evanston for an overnight stay with my buddy Phantom and is herd. Thought maybe Patrick would be there too but....no Patrick. So i just had to pace all night and give that monkey a well deserved ulcer.

Next morning we left late again due to ANOTHER drama regarding trailer wiring or something. Those monkeys really have a hard time getting it right! Got going around 10 am and now I'm with my buddy Phantom so all is right with the world. Not perfect mind you, as still...no Patrick.

Arrived in camp around 4 pm. Nice place. Lots of horses coming in off the 50 mile ride. Some looked pretty tried. Whooses!

Saturday was a day off. The monkeys seemed to like that and i have to admit, it mellowed them out a bit but personally I'd rather get out there on the trail. I heard from one of the whoosy 50 milers there was lots of grass out there. I got excited! Tomorrow i get to do my two favorite things in the whole wild world..... run and eat! And for 100 fantastic miles Yay!!!! 

I didn't see the monkey until about 10 am on Saturday and when i did she looked awful. One of those migraines again i bet. She must have got rid of it cuz she took us both for a walk in the afternoon. There was a lot of grass even in ride camp and I taught Phantom how to play one of my favorite games called 'stretch the monkey'.He agreed it was a lot of fun.

Aunty Beth showed up a little later in her little green Beemer car. Green is my favorite color. I wonder why? 

We had a good restful night. Still no Patrick but I had Phantom there right next to me and it turns out he has some really intelligence things to say.

Next morning i got a little worried about the start time. At the Big Horn we would have been into the ride by 2 1/2 hours. I thought maybe it was cancelled and got really worried. But 6.30 am came an we we off and well...not really racing. The monkey has turned into a bit of a whoos too. She doesn't want me to go lame she says. I say to hell with it. I have four legs don't I! I could hop along on just one if I really had to. Anyway, the Vet monkeys would never go for that so I'd better do as I'm told. Puke! 

Speaking of puking i had to feel sorry for Aunty Beth, Phantom's monkey as she was a punky monkey for the entire ride. I knew my monkey wouldn't leave her so i taught Phantom to walk really fast and to grab at the salad bar without stopping. It saved us lots of time and we ended up enjoying a 100 mile picnic while the monkey's, sick and well, ooooed and ahhed at the scenery. Which was pretty cool I'd have to admit. The sick monkey was entertaining us by describing some really weird things that weren't even there....... da da da da da da da da! 

There was a nice big monkey at the vet stops who gave us some really yummy mash but nothing compared to the scrumptious salads on the trail.That was Uncle John. Thanks Uncle John.You are a good monkey!

And now we are CHAMPIONS! We completed our picnic ride championship in 18 hours and 35 minutes. I suggested we break loose and go back to snack some more at the salad bars but Phantom had had enough so I did as i was told and went back to the trailer. Puke! Got lots to tell Patrick. By the way where is Patrick?

Elk Creek Pioneer 3 days LD on Subha

Kip couldn't go to th Elk Preek Pioneer this time around so once again 'the toy' stood in for him and she rocked! This is her first season doing endurance so we are still taking it easy. She completed 85 miles in the scorching desert of Northern Wyoming.Low 90's all three days. 35miles/25/25 and looking great. She was a very good girl in camp. No getting agitated or going through fences and running amok. Yes, sorry to say it Kip, but you were truly conspicuous by your absence.
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I Know You Rider 2013 . A Kip's Eye View

Here I am. Still got the Monkey. Must be doing something wrong!

 The monkey's tired so I offered to write the blog entry.About time! I'm a little tired too after 155 miles in three days of heat and dust in amongst a bunch of silly monkeys dressed in hippy tie dye Tees seemly having a good time. I should feel happy for them I guess. Don't get me wrong, I too had a terrific time also for the first two days. I got to travel and hang out with my buddy Benny and that cutie mare Sky! OO LA LA! I tolerated being imprisoned on the high tie over night. The monkeys thought I would break out of the electric fencing and cause havoc around camp. The monkeys are, for once, correct!
On days one AND two I got to stretch out with my buddy Patrick, the stunning Akhal Teke, and decided, since noone really knows about my sordid background, that I too could very well be a Teke! So that's what I am. A 'want-a be' Akel Teke. I'll keep that high bent 'nicely at the poll' head set, slant my peepers a little and convince the monkey to write my newly found identity it on my registations. Patrick said he'd back me up!
So it was two days, fast times with some chowin' down on that scrawny but yummy dried up grass.The monkey tried to get me to eat the green stuff. Yuk! They are sooooo mis guided sometimes! Got back, not too much fussing around, hung out with  Benny and the cutie and rolled a lot. There's nothin' like covering the monkeys and all their precious possessions with nasty dust. Great way to end a satisfying day blazing the trail!
Then comes day three. Where's Patrick? His monkey decided she had a good time but two days of heat and dust was a enough. My monkey then decides she wants to ride with the manager to chin wag and lolly gaggle and pick up a silly ribbon here and there. I told Phantom, the manager monkey's gelding, to toss his monkey off at the start but he didn't have the right technique and she just put a big dent in another monkey's truck, shouted a few naughty words and got back on. Dang those manager monkeys are tough!
So get this, my monkey  knows I want to move out like I did with my 'cousin' Patrick but thinks she wont be able to find the 'day three' trail without the banged up manager! Phewy! I knew exactly where to go. Don't need no stinkin' ribbons either! Oh, I was grumpy! But get this!! She started me out in a stupid little 'nin on over none on' halter thing. I was really mellow in the morning. Just waiting for Patrick but.......remember.... NO Patrick. So there was nothing left to do but....have a trantum. At least that was fun and pretty easy without the big ole stopper in my mouth.I got whacked alot with some silly little stick with fluff on the end. Something Sky's monkey gave my monky. Didn't hurt much. Just sort of annoying really. She got me good with it once when I tried to bop her out of the saddle with my the top of my head. Gosh, I must be getting old as my aim is shocking these days. Anyway, I'm sort of satisfied because a caused so much havoc at the Vet stop that the head Vet monkey took off down the road. Oh that was soooo good. But DANG, the other monkeys made him come back and do all that touchy stuff that i hate so much. Well, I guess you win some and lose some aye.
Ok, so I enjoy two out of three days and am not even gonna talk about what happened when we got home and that silly monkey tried to fuss with me and I got tangled and about killed myself on a long rope. These monkeys don't learn very well. Sometimes just when you think they've 'got it' they go do something stupid AGAIN! Geez! I try to make the lessons very simple, break them up into steps (usually on their feet) be consistent and persistent and reward the slightest try. Still, they've just gotta keep fussing around!
Oh well, I've got two weeks now to think of some new strategies for the next ride in Basin, Wy at the end of the month. And maybe my monkey will have learned something!
Oh, and the monkey woke up and edited this so any grammatical errors are not my responsibility! Kip 

GEEEZ!!

Happy Jack 2013

Photo by Pascal Karl
Happy Jack two days 50 miles each day. First one barefoot.Fantastic ride!!! Great job Haeberle family with Yvette at the helm. Great food by Yvette's gorgeous friend Seth from sunny California, wonderful people and speccy scenery.Kip completed two days of 50 miles and i finished with a lot of horse to spare. I even got off and ran down a few hills. Paying for that now. What was i thinking?

Big Horn 100 completion 2013

 Gary Brown and I went first of all to Dorothy Sue's and stayed the night. Its always great to visit with DS and she has a lovely place to rest the horses. Of course Kip 'did not' rest. He did a warm up 100 miles pacing in the paddock up and down probably all night.
Arrived at ride camp on Friday arvo and set up next to the wonderful Haeberles.See here a pic of Joe, Gary and I heading for the ride meeting which is held in the Shell Community Hall. Yes, we are riding like silly children in the back of John's pick-up.That's our mountain waiting for us there in the back ground.
The ride itself is spectacular. Expanding canyons loom up after daybreak to take your breath away and the climbs and decents are grueling. Gary and I rode together the whole way and our horses paced together well. Gary decided Duna and Kip were magnets as Duna would move only a short distance from the Kipper before locking back into him. And we made great time in spite of the fact we experience the 'battle of the boot' where Gary had to get of about 10 times to fix D's easy boots and i just simple lost Kip's glue ons and replace them with easy boot gloves at the vet checks. If it wasn't for this, I think we may have been in around midnight. We made it in at 3.02 am. Once again, there was a mishap with trail marking for about 12 miles in the darkest part of the ride. The new solar lights were there....but not charged!Whoops!  Thanks to Joe we made it down the mountain Ok. Joe and Scooter are veterans now and know the trail well. Now I have my own equine GPS in the name of Kipling. Next time it will be clear sailing down the mountain!
Yvette was not far behind us on Roscoe the wonder horse and was greeted by John and the super crew at 3.27 am. She too is now a 100 mile rider with a 100 mile horse! What a ride! 
Callie and Jesse had to pull at 75 miles, still a distance to be proud of. Callie and boyfriend Ben had everything ready for us so we could crash after vetting our amazing horses in. C and B, we love you!
The help at this ride was amazing. Thanks John, Laurel,Ben, Callie and my little  buddy Bryce for taking care of me and my horse along with a million other things that needed tending to. And let's not forget Tim French who just seems to be everywhere at every moment helping everyone. He sure was a hero when he turned up at the bottom of the mountain with water for the horses.I thought they were going to drown themselves they we so thirsty!
A big thanks goes out to the Tolmans, Vets and volunteers who put this ride on year after year. After two tries, I have my buckle will be back again some day to challenge the mountain.
(Hannah Pruss went on to win the ride after a nasty fall at the beginning left her with a badly injured wrist!)

Ronnie and Kip.

Shamrock Endurance Ride 2013

Shamrock ER was fantastic as usual! Rode Kip day one on the 55 and Subha day 2 on the 30 and my friend Becca rode the 55 day 3 on little Subha. Great time had by all and I managed to stay out of the typical mishaps that frequently occur in the this sport. This ride was no exception. (eg Two women sent to hospital with injuries, bull charging a horse, friend horse kicked and lamed up by its buddy and i heard a horse fell out of a trailer gowing out on Friday afternoon.Oh and a whoopin' and hollerin' Indian on a paint horse in little attire galloping around camp!)
Photo by Karl Creations.

Marty Mc Smarty! One laid back Arabian!

Wyoming Pioneer ,Basin WY 2013

Great ride at Basin this week end! Completed 50 miles with Dorothy Sue on Friday. Got very sick with some kind of big, bad stomach bug on Saturday then completed the 55 mile on Sunday with DS and Gary Brown. Gazza  got BC and was the only one to complete all three days total of 155 mile!! And we were just tickled to finish with good lookin' horses! The Tolman rides ROCK!!!

Subha, an Endurance horse now!

My buddy Callie rode Subha (not selling her now) on her first 25 mile at the Wyoming Pioneer in Basin. Finished looking like she could have done a fifty mile easily. Looking good!

Three weeks Down Under

Just spent the last three weeks in South Australia laughing my bum off with sister Julie. It was hot and everyone was whinging about that but i thought it was great! As you can see, i picked up an endurance ride. See here me riding Rebecca, a grey Arab/Australian Stock horse cross. Had a fantastic ride and enjoyed the terrific hositality of the SA endurance riders.Got to help set trail and do a little running around in the vetting ring and that was a hoot! Thanks to Bob Masters for taking me, and his friend Dennis for loaning me his lovely mare. Thanks also to Ray and Dianne and their super family for having me in their home.
Oh and as you can see....the Queen was there!

Setting trail for the Mt Gambier endurance ride.No body in this vehicle  seems to knows where we are suppose to be putting the arrows. What a hoot!

it's 2013

We had a lovely New Years Eve with friends Chris and Melanie. Mernie set off fireworks outside in the cold while we watched through the window.

That time again for the Christmas letter 2012

Well it's that time again. Mernie says to keep it short as nobody really wants to know the ins and outs of someone else's life; even if it's just a year in their life. Now I think that's the difference between men and women. So here I go, and yes I will try to keep it short;sort of.
It's been a pretty good year for us all in all. We still have the ranch in Laramie and it's become a thriving business with around 70 equines including a Shetland pony and a mini donkey. We still love the work, the people and the critters but need to hit the trail into a retirement of sorts real soon. 
      In April I said Goodbye to my thyroid. It had two ugly lumps on it. (I didn't see them but i just know they were ugly!) One was the size of a walnut; the other a golf ball. Good riddens to them!
     Cole and Clayton, our best friends Rod and Beth's little boys turn 4 and 2 this year.They are evolving into the most charming little men you could imagine and are such a delight to be around. We can say the same for our own Grand children Finley and Zoe who turned 5 and 3. Hopefully next year we will be living in a state much closer to them. Grandma too, who is going strong in her late eighties.
     In April we managed to get away to the 'Dome on the Range'; our place in Nevada. We took the horses so I could ride while the Mern worked with our friend and super handy man, Jim. I made sure the workers were fed of course before I took off into 'them thar hills'. 
     In May I rode 250 miles in Mt Carmel Utah with Kerry Greear on her big Pinto 'Little Joe Too!' It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be. That which does not kill me........LOL!" Kerry sure knows how to get though multi-day rides and I just hung there in her shadow.
     It was a good ride season, even though I blew the Big Horn 100 ......again. Rider error of course! There's always next year. Third time lucky! Anyway, I still completed 710 endurance miles and 85 limited distance miles. I think Kip is holding 5th in the region.
     Mernie brought me a tiny little Arabian mare for my birthday in October and she promptly sent me to the Emergency Room with 3-4 cracked ribs. 'SHE' needs work with her legs! 'I' need to be more careful around green horses! 
     In October I managed to fall in the horse trough, broken ribs and all... (see entry October 17th for that) and in November I completed 130miles on Kip (aka Silver Bullet) at Moab using my dear friend Gary Brown as a mounting block and stapping up my ribs in a safety vest!  
     On November 18th we remembered our good friend Steve Cormey who died on this day last year. He is very much missed!
     Now it's December and my goals for next year are to move on physically and professionally. Physically to Nevada, and professionally revisiting kiddy Lit with more involvement in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators! 
     As for Mernie, he is fit and healthy at 66 and embraces each day with zest and good humor. He possesses an outlook on life we should all aspire to. 
Merry Christmas, and Happy, Happy Everything for the New Year and always. 
Oh, and thankyou LADIES for reading this.
 
  

Little Max

Little Max and (getting not so little) Madora Daley. Chris C took over the little guy when the owner became unable to care for him and his larger stable mate, Sassy. Happily, the larger stable mate has landed on her 'hooves' also. Miracles happen at OAS. Max here has come from a wild little guy noone could even catch to a future candidate for mini buggy rides. Like with people there is a big waiting room for opportunity. Some stay there and some move on. And with that, i just realized i have lost my copy of The Places You Go by Dr Suess. Again! Someone's got it. Oh well, I'll just have to go buy another. One should not be with out the manual for life!

Moab Canyons ER 2012 end of season

Fantastic time had by all. Went with Dorothy Sue and Bonnie in DS' big rig to share costs. Met there by Yvette, Joe, Gary, Mary, Sue B, Jas, Jack, Lydia and even Tracey from Nevada with her mule Lupine.Even one finished. Us three girls and Gary all three days! Kipling put 130 more miles under his girth and was well and truly 'fit to continue'! Thank you Sherry for once again putting on a smashin' ride!

early morning swim at 33 F

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I can't believe it folks! This morning I fell in the big water trough! Having recently 'acquired' some injured ribs, I couldn't pull myself out. And it was bloody cold. About 34 degrees F to be precise. So I screamed for Mernie who was taking out the big horse Nate. Nate's paddock is about as far away as you could be on our 10 acre plot! However,Bill lives in the mobile home right there near the trough and  it must have got his attention (and shattered the serenity of his early morning rituals) as he came running out to the rescue bare- foot in his bath robe! Mernie could see what was going on from the other side of the ranch and yelled "throw her back in. I'll get the camera."
 Bad luck. No photos. This is the best I could do.
Thanks Bill!
Ok how doesn't one manage to fall into a 'huge' water tough that, as Mernie reminded me, wasn't just put there last night. Well, it was easy actually! For a start i had lots of clothes on including trussed up ribs which made it easy to go 'off balance'. (Sort of like the Michelin Man). So........ I was turning a horse out, and with my newly acquired vigilance concerning the back of horses and their tendency to go gleefully into a brisk and breezy morning, kicking their heels into the air, i smartly took a couple of 'good steps' backward just to make sure i was right out of her way. As 'she' uneventfully strolled off  'I' ......fell backwards into....... the water trough. See ....easy!

Kicked by my birthday present

Yes she does look a little evil in this picture! LOL Subha

Today it's my birthday da da da dada! And a quiet one it will be. 56 born in 1956. 'Ow about that! It will be a quiet one as I am, once again laid up with an injury! My Mum use to say "with kids there's never a dull moment"! Well same goes for equines. 
On Friday evening after a ten mile ride on 'my birthday present' she kicked me in the chest. I was washing down her legs which was way too steep a gradient for a horse I'm still learning about and one that has had very little handling to my knowledge. Yes, i got kicked by my birthday present and am spending my birthday plus 4 -6 weeks with 3-4 cracked ribs! See next post! I don't think i have much of a chance of selling her however. As you can see I am way too honest and let's face it, with my over complacency around horses this is probably the safest one i have right now!!!! LOL

Beautiful little Arabian mare for sale

For Sale, beautifully put together bay Arabian mare. She is a petite 14 and a bit HH. Subha is just coming back into work after a long spell and is surprisingly good under saddle. Shows a clear desire to want to WORK!Great endurance project but i could see her in the show ring also. Previous owner got her as a child's horse but that she is not. She needs work on her ground manners and handling her legs.$1,500 obo.
Call Ronnie, 307 399 9435 ronnieroo@hotmail.com
( We are searching for papers)

Elk Creek 2012

Elk Creek in Basin Wyoming, another Tolman ride starting form the Basin fair grounds an winding around through the badlands and back to camp. Kipling completed 155 mile is 90 + degrees and with  Duna Gary Brown's mare complete all three days. And......as you can tell!

Happy Jack 2012

Happy Jack 2012 was, of course Fab-u-lous! Great job Yvette her family and helpers! Great weather too except for the last part of Sunday. Kip got a very mysterious hitch in his little ole giddy up after the first loop and spent the rest of the time spinning on his high tie. Within an hour there was no hitch but plenty of giddy up! KIP! Mern had a great ride on Ice and i rode her on Sunday. Such a fun horse!

Three good horses

 LUCKY,  FLAMBEAU AND ANGEL'S GRACE (GRACIE)


Here are the horses i mentioned in the OAS newsletter looking for new homes. I'm only looking to sell them to anyone serious about giving them lots of love, care and PURPOSE. We will include a buy back clause to ensure they wont end up unwanted and neglected.

 Lucky Girl, 1988 Registered Quarter Horse mare.approx 14.2 hh She is sound and still has a lot of go. Very healthy in good condition and has never been sick.Fantastic trail horse, doesn't spook, nice fast, smooth trot, loads, good for the farrier,sure-footed, rock hard feet that don't need shoes,has  never been shod.  Current with all shots, easy keeper, could work cows be a  4H project, has been used for the UW Equestrian Team. Goes English or Western.Would work for a child providing they know what they are doing as she is sensitive and forward moving.Very eager to please and get the job done. We are willing to give her away to the right home where she will be cared for well.

 Flamboyant Beau (Flambeau) 15 hh flea bitten grey Quarterhorse/Arabian (papered). I'm only interested in selling this one to someone i will be able to keep in touch with and who will give him lots of purpose. He is a fantastic all round horse. Has done over 1000 endurance/LD miles and now needs to be looking for something new and down tempo while he is still strong and sound. He tends to 'overdo it' when wound up in racing mode. Without his adrenaline up he is a very well trained and responsive mount. He collects, moves off your leg well, backs up well , jumps nicely, side passes, opens gates, drags objects and is learning new moves all the time. I would love to see him do competitive trail, herd cattle or do Western or English events. He is flashy, has been ridden in all kinds of situations including high traffic, close to trains, through tunnels under highways, under I- 25 in Denver, goes through water, swims, crosses tarps (not his favorite) dogs no problem, ponies other horses (even the obnoxious ones) without fuss. He is affectionate, smart, strong and playful in the pasture.Fifteen Hundred Dollars not negotiable.
 I love him and actually if he doesn't sell that's OK with me. I will find a way to work him into my schedule.

Angel's Grace, 10-12 years, Bashkir Curly, 14.1 hands, Pinto mare. Presently being leased but we need to sell her to cut back on our herd. (Darn!) Great, tough little mare who could do just about anything giving the chance. She is very quiet but does likes to go, has rock crushing hooves that don't need to be shod, loves the trail, is about as spook proof as they come, very affectionate, an easy keeper, healthy, vaccinations kept up date. Was used and loved by the UW equestrian team. Talented jumper, eats up the trail, no problem with dogs and traffic. Great kids horse providing they can ride well as she will try you out! Has dread lock mane and tail and very cool curly ringlets around her fetlocks. A head turner for sure. We have offered her to the people leasing her but if they turn her down she's yours for fifteen hundred. She is a cribber but fine in a collar or if kept working and has a consistent job. I'm sure she could do endurance or competitive trail if conditioned correctly too!
Too late......SOLD to Ky Ritchie!