Mongol Derby Blog - 55 miles to...

On Monday, June 6, I met Sir Justify for the first time, a 6-year-old bay Arabian. We went for a rapid two hour ride over 16 miles – perhaps the most fun ride I’ve ever had. Being a good match, we received the ok to take on the Old Dominion 55 miler five days later.

I’m not really sure what I expected to see when Chrissy and I pulled into Orkney Springs, Virginia the afternoon before the Old Dominion Endurance ride. But there, nestled in the valley before us, were over 100 horse trailers and a kaleidoscope of horses munching contently on grass inside their temporary corrals. Grays, bays, paints and brown horses were everywhere. Mostly Arabs with a smattering of Morgans, Appaloosas and Walking horses thrown in for good measure.

We arrived just in time to grab the second to last spot on the end for our two-horse trailer, truck and my little Ford Focus. Our “crew†P.J. and Matt went about setting up camp while Chrissy and I vetted Big Bucks and Sir Justify in.

As evening descended, we saddled up and took the horses for an easy ride along a quaint lake just up the dirt road from camp. My mount, Justify was eager to explore and felt strong and powerful beneath me. I only hoped that my fitness could match his on the 55-mile endurance test come morning.

Chrissy, PJ and Matt retired to their tent with their two lab mixes Lola and Button, while I opted to brave the night sky in my fleece sleeping bag and shiny orange bivvy bag with my loyal dog Cleo.

Around 12:30 am a spattering of rain began, and rather than brave the elements (enough of that waiting for me in Mongolia), Cleo and I opted for the back seat of the Focus. We slept fitfully under the roll of thunder and flash of heat lightning that lasted most of the night. The call of the bugle woke camp at 3:45 am and I wiggled into my riding tights and pulled on my boots, filled with excitement and anticipation for the coming hours. 

We saddled up, mounted and made our way to the start line amongst 74 other eager steeds. Sir Justify was anxious, swinging sideways and tossing his forelock asking for more rein. Big Bucks waited calmly under Chrissy. We waited at the front of the pack and I checked my watch, adjusted my safety vest and camelback. I was ready for the signal to go.

And we were off! Justify lunged forward, nearly tossing me up on his neck. I threw my weight back and held out my hands releasing him. I let him run. He dropped his head low and galloped after Big Bucks, already five lengths ahead of him. Just two others blocked his view of the wide open gravel road that was to be our first mile. We slowed only slightly to make the sharp right into the woods and up the hill. Justify refused to be rated and I let him go, hoping to settle him into a more reasonable pace after the first few miles. In the early dawn light, the horse’s hooves threw sparks and their snorts disturbed the forest quiet. We leaped over a creek, Big Bucks was just ahead and I couldn’t let him out of my sight.

The hills began. Justify caught up to his friend and let the others go, for they were setting a blistering pace. We still had 50 miles to go. This would be a long ride. After what seemed like just a short time, 12 miles, we rolled into the first vet check. PJ and Matt pulled the saddles off, grabbed sponges and went to work. The horses caught their breath and we walked over to the vet where they took pulse rate, checked circulation, hydration, muscle tone, gut sounds and soundness. Justify was at the required 64 beats per minute but then jumped to 72 when Big Bucks walked to the other side of the tent. I reunited him with his buddy and the heart dropped back to 64 again. We were clear and our 45-minute hold time began. We settled the horses in under a tree and they began to munch on some alfalfa hay. We would have two more holds just like this one. Chrissy and I took the time to use the facilities.

In what seemed like just minutes, we were tightening the girths and mounting back up. We were released from the hold and took off at a gallop, the footing good and the grade gentle. Then the real hill came. Over three miles straight up over shale and boulders, we tackled it amongst a group of riders with each horse encouraging the other in some way. After many hours, we came to the top of the ridge and the most stunning view. There stretched below us were the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia - those traversed by General Robert E. Lee and his horse Traveler. The valleys were filled with fog, we were at the top of the world. The green grass in the meadow beckoned the tired horses and we obliged them, knowing they needed fuel for the miles ahead.

As we rested Big Bucks and Justify, a small group of riders passed us. We didn’t know if we’d see them again. We could only hope we’d make up the ground lost but with this being Sir Justify’s first 55 miler and mine as well, Chrissy stood fast as our guide and I was sincerely grateful.

After another 17 miles we came to our second vet check, nearly halfway along our journey. Volunteers held our horses as we stumbled over to the cooler marked PB&J. Justify ate my first sandwich, so I found myself another. We refilled our camelbacks and climbed back aboard. Our muscles started to protest for the first, but surely not the last time.

The next 19 miles twisted up an old logging road. The hillside relatively clear of the heavy forest we’d become accustomed to. The storm was coming. The dark, black clouds rising up to the sky, the sunny day suddenly becoming dark, ominous. The pressure dropped, the horses began to pick up speed. A crash of thunder came overhead, the wind blew through the trees and with that the heavens poured over us. Chrissy and I yelled out like banshees. It was primitive, this storm. We couldn’t see. The sheets of rain were blinding, water poured off the brim of our helmets. The lightning flashed across the sky. We could do nothing but continue. Water poured down the hill across our path. We galloped on. Just five sets of hoofprints ahead of us. We were still in the front pack.

We were pounded for an hour by the rain, our sweat washed from our brow. There it was, the sign for the last vet check. We jumped off our mounts and led them in the last few yards. What a relief to see our crew! We went straight to the vets. Big Bucks checked in at 44 beats per minute. Justify at 64 and our final hold of 20 minutes began. Just six miles to the finish.

I mounted up for the last time, buzzing with energy. This was it. We had just six miles to go and there were no other riders in the hold. We were at least 20 minutes ahead of the next riders. We were going to top ten, maybe. If we could just make it through the last six miles of rocky trail.

Time flew. With that we were back on that mile of gravel road we had left nearly nine hours before. We let the horses have one last gallop. A sort of victory canter before slowing to a walk. We checked behind us for any riders. We were alone. Chrissy and I rode across the finish line holding hands. Friends from the trail for we had survived something extraordinary together.

I dismounted and pulled my tack off for the final time. Justify nudged me with his nose as if to say thanks, good job. This was it, we did it – we finished. My first 55-mile endurance ride! We took 6th and 7th out of 74 horses and brought our mounts in healthy and sound.

If this was Mongolia, I’d be pulling out of my second horse station and on to my third. I’d be adjusting to a new mount and hoping, praying he’s just a little bit like a bay Arab named Sir Justify.

Special thanks to Pam Weidel and Boxwood's Farm ([www.weidelboxwood.com](http://www.weidelboxwood.com)) for the use of Sir Justify. And to Chrissy, PJ and Matt for all their help and support.

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