Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Team 4 - MacKeogh **







Hi

Terri Mackeogh here, embarking on my third year of Distance Derby participation.

Year one:  Bounced me out of my comfort zone and my young Arabian cross and I made leaps and bounds, from barely being comfortable loping circles in a pasture to logging over 20 miles at a shot. You just can't get enough miles loping circles! Didn't bust a 1000 but logged over 800 miles finishing just out of the top ten.

Year two: The least amount of miles ridden since my return to horses in the early 90's after taking time off for marriage, kids, that kind of thing. It was the year of choices and balance. No regrets. Just over 400 miles this year.

Year three: About to unfold in front of us! My goals: Narrow my priorities to allow more time for the things I have learned I truly care about! The Derby has helped strengthen old friendships and created new ones. I want to ride with you guys! Royal . . . he and I have had our share of challenges and more lie before us. I have incredible tools at my disposal . . . Riding with Peter Campbell, the wisdom and encouragement my fellow students provide, and the absolute bottom line. Butt in saddle time! Come on 2014 and thanks to the people who kicked this thing off and keep it going for all of us to play and enjoy!


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2012 / 836.02 Miles / 13th Place
2013 / 441.22 miles / 41st place

32 comments:

  1. Royal is a Pintabian :-). He is mostly Arabian out of a mostly Arabian/American Saddlebred cross mare and purebred Arab stallion of the Bey Shah line. My heart horse. Thank you for asking!

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  2. First miles!!

    8.35 mi

    Riding in Blair with best friend and new Derby competitor, Colleen Hamer, on a super neat QH gelding she raised, Ringo. Below zero windchills did slow us down a little but did not stop us! What a fun way to kick off 2014!

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  3. 10.06

    Riding with friends, seems to be the theme for 2014!! Riding borrowed Butter from Tammy V . . . Super fun ride, beautiful day and a new equine friend :-)

    Now I better get some miles on MINE, dang it!

    Total: 18.95

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  4. 5.21 miles on Sunday. Not the longest ride, but one of the best. Loaded and hauled Royal to meet friends for a lovely ride. It was our first successful trip, just he and I, ever, and the first time he has ridden successfully in a trailer since our disastrous experiments with the little two horse. I have nothing against those trailers, used them for years, but he does, and we will pick his battle with claustrophobia elsewhere.

    3.20 at the ranch today. Had the day off so grabbed some ride time before the weather hit again, which it has with a vengeance. See ya later, buddy.

    We are back.

    New total: 27.36.

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  5. FINALLY back in the saddle again after the COLDEST winter EVER!

    4.3 miles last Thurs eve on Royal. Lots of groundwork, at liberty and on line. By the time I rode, we had an amazing partnership established and the 45 minutes of trotting circles, loping circles, simple lead changes and one premature attempt at a flying change were just awesome!! Came away glowing!

    Sunday - the Birthday Bash!

    I rode Concho, wonderful bay and white Paint gelding who now belongs to a dear friend and I can't wait to see what all they accomplish together! We had gunfire, a tree falling in the woods we had narrowly vacated, an ancient Arabian charging the fence . .. he took it all if not completely in stride at least keeping those strides together and all four feet on the ground at all times! Oh yes and tsunami winds blowing incessantly . . .

    6.67 miles that ride

    Tonight I am at the ranch on Royal again. Such a beautiful day, we hit the trails. Our ride started wonderful, but the slick trails were a little scary and my horse's essentially entire winter off showed up in his desire to head for home every time we turned in what he thought was the appropriate direction, LOTS of stopping, backing, schooling. Tiring ride for only gaining 2.53 miles!

    Still, it's all better than sitting in my house wishing I were riding!!

    New total: 40.5 Let the season begin!!

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  6. Saturday Mar 15

    11.2 miles on my favorite ride away from home horse, Bling. Thanks to Team Purple for letting me borrow your good girl! Rode with fellow Derbier's Purple and Pinky! I feel a little colorless . . .

    New total: 51.7 finally broke the 50 mark!!

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  7. Just in the very nick of time, I remember to log my miles!

    Last Saturday, Apr 5

    9.25 miles, mostly on Royal and a couple on Colleen's Smore. Great ride around Cunningham Lake! Lots of training opportunities, and did my horse and I an absolute world of good!

    Sunday, Apr 6 -

    2.02 mi. Arena work with Royal. Lots of stopping, settling, relaxing. Not great for consuming miles but excellent for what the arabian and I need to be working on to get us to better places!

    Weds Apr 9

    6.03 miles on Butter. Kick off of Wednesday night PRR season at Two Rivers Recreation Area. Broke down and bought my season park pass. Now I need to make sure I use it! Beautiful night, a few of us slipped off from the 40-odd group of riders gathered and enjoyed a very serene and peaceful ride along the Platte River.

    Today, Apr 12

    4.49 miles on Royal, at Shady Lanes Ranch. Best solo ride we have had since all our troubles began last June. Rode the back 80, loose rein, happy exuberant but not skitzy Arabian stepped out in a joyous swinging walk. We stopped, settled, gathered on the trail, like we did at Cunningham, and practiced in the arena on Sunday. Royal is learning that means to relax and it's taking much less time as he is beginning to seek the relief. I remembered tonight when it was fun to ride my horse.

    Miles rode this week:

    21.75 (most in ages!)

    New total: 73.49. Now we just need to keep going!


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  8. Yesterday, Apr 18

    Fantastic ride, through the back 80 at the ranch and the hacker trails. Dog and horse, my team, my buddies. Royal and I are back on track, we have found the partnership we once had before all the trouble began. It's not all smooth waters and easy sailing, but the nightmares are over.

    4.07 miles

    Today, Apr 19

    Rode Cunningham Lake again with bestie Colleen of Ridin' Rescues. She had her Ringo horse that she raised by Smore. He's really something. Royal had a very fine day, even when he threw a tantrum over crossing the bridge of our regret again. We almost fell over backwards when in dodging the bridge, he spun to the side and sunk a hind leg in one of those dangerous potholes right next to it. I felt him list, and knew I could not move one way or another or might bring him over on top of us. I felt him tense, grab his muscles and he powered his way out. Thank God, I ride a gutty, athletic horse that does not know the meaning of quit. Sometimes that works in our favor.

    Colleen ended up riding him across the bridge first. I led him over, rode him back, led him on, mounted, rode him over, BACKED across, and he STILL refused to get on from that near side for me. I was about to have an aneurism. Colleen used a perfect amount of carrot and stick, and next thing you know, Royal is crossing the bridge like he owns. it. Even for me.

    Great ride, except we encountered no horses allowed signs going into the campground area. There is no way around that I know of so if that remains so, we can't ride around the lake anymore. Hoping our NHTC members will step in with some advice what to do!

    7.44 miles.

    New total for this week (gonna get rained out tomorrow) 77.56

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  9. umm no. works better to add ALL the miles!!!

    new total:
    85 miles even. Gotta push for that 100 mark this week!

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  10. 15.4 FBMDR on Royal. Details are in the blog :-)

    7.08 Saturday at the ranch, details will be

    New total: 107.12

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  11. Congrats on getting over 100 miles :-)

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  12. 7.84 miles Sunday May 18

    Spent the afternoon yesterday previewing some new horses at the ranch. They range from really broke (super nice black bay gelding, I would ride him), broke enough (good looking black Solid Paint mare with a ton of chrome) almost broke (huge gray to white draft cross mare, been driven more than rode but kind and willing) to not even really close: a Little Miguel clone, close enough I thought it was him til I saw belly spots. This young horse knows not mucha nuthin and almost dumped me when a stick jumped up and touched his leg. To his credit, he did not buck me off and to mine, I didn't fall off. He's gentle, good minded, just needs time and miles before he can do the job he will need to do, out there. Wish I still had a place.

    New total: 114.66

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  13. 6.95 Saturday May 25

    Cunningham Lake on Royal.

    Colleen and I rode a training ride to help our horses with their buddy sour issues. As always, if you can direct the feet, you can help the mind to relax. Get the mind relaxed, the horse will want to be with you and will do anything you ask.

    It was a great ride.

    New total: 121.61

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  14. Saturday June 7

    5.20 miles CTR Clinic - Royal

    Ran into our issues, riding with even a small group. I was hoping only four horses would be okay for him but he still got pretty excited unless he was able to lead out. I definitely need to schedule a training ride and hope people show up to help me work my horse (and theirs maybe too) through this issue.

    Sunday June 8

    19.66 miles.

    Our first CTR!! We had the time of our lives!! Had some ups and downs but way more ups. Got to meet some DD'er's, ride with old friends and make new ones. Fantastic experience. One of these days there will be a blog for those who care to read it. Had technical difficulties with my gps, but I timed in 1 minute late for a ride time of 4.37 hours X what my gps tells me was our 4.5 mph gives me the mileage. We got lost a couple of times and had to haul some butt to even do that well. Thanks to Summer and her crew for pushing me, had we not stalled out so I could train on my goofy horse who took issue to the turkey at the two mile marker we would have come in on time! Oh well, it was a battle well picked and we will be back to do more of these.

    I can't say enough about how wonderful everyone was as a rule, friendly, helpful, and the staff did an amazing ride amongst some difficulties of their own. I got to ride with a living legend, Maryanna Woods. Her sage advice saved my ride. Wonderful woman.

    New total: 146.47

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  15. 5 miles. Royal at the ranch

    Came down the hill just beaming with our ride, tonight. Was just shy of the coveted five miles so did some reining practice, turnarounds and rollbacks, or at least what our version looks like right now. Decided I was hungry, got off the horse and it was five miles on the money.

    New total: 151.47 (busted 150 FINALLY!)

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  16. 6.08 miles Royal at the ranch

    Another blissful possibly best ever ride on my good horse. It just keeps getting better.

    New total: 157.55

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  17. 18.76 mile

    Rode with Pinky and Purple :-). Again, best ride ever on Royal. Almost 19 miles of it. Just keeps getting better.

    new total: 176.31

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  18. 11.06 miles at the ranch

    Pinch hitting for the ranch, and rode a nice new gelding most of the day. In the saddle noon to six, was a little warm, a little steamy but thank goodness we always catch a breeze up on the ridge!

    New total: 187.37

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  19. Last Thursday :-)

    3.16 miles on Royal. First time out exploring our new trails. He was pretty high so we did a couple miles out there and came back for arena work in the lovely HUGE indoor arena! Good stuff!

    Tuesday, Aug 12

    2.06 miles on Royal, another quick jog out and about. Gorgeous outside and
    I should be riding right NOW :-)


    New total: 192.59. 200, I will see you on Saturday!

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  20. 8.29 miles

    Saturday Aug 16

    Explored Ponca trails and grounds nearby. Found lions, dinosaurs and bears, oh my! Pretty good ride. Had some rebellion on the way out, wanted a happy butt to go along with his happy feet but only one "oh sh*t" moment when he thought his buddy was too far away and about to disappear over the top of a hill. Pretty good, that now instead of collecting golden moments, it's the other way around. The tide has turned. I hope.

    New total:

    200.88 . Onward and upward

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  21. Replies
    1. LOL, again, about time! I do have mileage I have forgotten to post that is now ineligible, but still, between trying to balance everything, I seem to be riding less instead of more!

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  22. 2.78 miles, Ponca Hills on Royal last Thursday. Got to toddle around with Greg Queal who is running the Riding Center for his mom. They are great people, Royal is very happy in his new digs and I feel grateful to have found such a cool new spot!

    9.06 miles NHTC Trail Challenge yesterday, Sept 6.

    What a blast! This one was all about riding in a group and not losing our mind! We are so much closer . . . The event was a very good time, got to see old friends and make new ones!

    New total: 211.92

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  23. 5.01 miles today, 9/13 on Royal

    We had an amazing afternoon. Played at liberty in the indoor arena. We danced, just us all by ourselves. I took time to brush Royal out nicely and he was happy in my company. Tacked him up in the dressage saddle, switched out the irons for the ones Christine S. is letting me try, they work nice!

    Headed out with our faithful Axel buddy and had a top notch ride around Ponca. We jumped small jumps, and there was no bucking on the other side. Guess he is happier jumping when the Western saddle doesn't bang him in the loins when he comes down! Royal was a brave, steady FUN partner who went anywhere I pointed him.

    New total: 216.93

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  24. 1.25 miles yesterday, 9/21

    mostly on a dubious Paint horse at the ranch, trying to figure out if he will work for a car parking horse weekend after next. Jury remains off. Last part of the short ride on a palomino gelding that it took about 10 minutes to know he's as golden as his hide. He'll do.

    3.99, rode out with the crew at my new barn later yesterday evening. We rode in the barn first, but gps didn't pick it up, inside. Oh well. Milestone moment, my daughter rode Royal in the indoor and he was perfect for her. She's rusty, but still has it :-)

    New total: 222.17

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  25. 7.81 miles friday oct 3 - sunday oct 5

    Parked cars on a big pretty Paint gelding named Huey Friday and Saturday night. He was the "dubious" Paint of a few posts ago, and he could have been all of that. Thanks to what Peter has taught me, I had some really neat ways to help him figure out what to do with his feet. That relaxed him. I felt trouble in that horse but the more he realized I was on his side, the kinder I became.

    Took Royal out for a spin on Saturday in the dressage saddle. Was blissful. We jumped a little, saw wild life, crossed water. His happy attitude never changed no matter what I pointed him out. Axel was glad to be out as well.

    Sunday, I lost Huey to another car parking gal and picked up Cisco. Not as happy about him. His troubles run deeper but I kept us out of problems on Sunday and that will be my goal for the duration.

    Thought about keeping the stretch rolling tonight but realized I am pretty tired! Tomorrow is another day!

    I didn't even try to clock my miles during Peter Campbell's clinics. We were in the saddle pretty much 9 a.m. til 5 or 6 and one night, after 7. Oh well, I gained a lot more than miles from that four days! :-)

    New total: 229.98

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  26. 8.70 miles

    I rode Tues night on Royal, just a brief outing as the setting sun caught us far too soon. It's darker down in the Ponca woods than it is up on the ranch ridges so I don't know how much night time trail riding we will be getting this year.

    Shut the gps off and started it up again Friday night riding the "dubious" Paint horse parking cars. Turns out, I can get along with him too. I am pretty grateful to have been able to learn some better ways to manage horses. I was "good" before but a lot of times, that will get in the way of learning "better".

    Last night we were madly busy and Cisco and I were everywhere. He got a little excited a couple of times, car parking is a much more demanding job than a person might think. But, he stayed with me, and I never felt he wanted to buck or get really crazy like I saw him be, in times past. His year with a new owner who's a decent horseman ponying at the track has brought that horse a long way! We even galloped around down hill in the dark!

    8.70 miles: new total: 238.98

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  27. Man! I wish I would stop forgetting to post my miles!! Oh well.

    Last Sunday: 11.2 with Pinky and her Boys :-) Great day "chillin' on a dirt road, laid back, swervin like I'm George Jones"!

    Yesterday, out on the road with Royal and then later parking cars on Cisco, who I would gladly have added to our little herd, if I could:

    6.6 miles

    New total 256.78. Getting ready to go ride now and if I don't add these miles, kick me!

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  28. 7.47 today at Cunningham Lake at the NHS Stars Rescue and Rehab horse program benefit ride

    Over 20 riders, the largest group trail ride I have ridden Royal in with any success, I did stay pretty close to the lead horse and a couple of times with her blessing let Royal move up front where he felt more secure. I did things according to what I think Peter was telling me to do. I must have tracked okay because when Royal started heating up, I was able to get him cooled back down with a minimum of trouble. I didn't fight with him. That meant we jogged a little more than I would have liked but I was rewarded with quite a bit of level headed walking and happiness from my horse in general. We're getting there.

    New total: 264.25

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  29. I missed logging a ton of miles and had about given it up for the year. Nah, I put new batteries in the gps and here we go!

    Yesterday, Black Friday Ride at Pawnee Recreation area. Rode with several fellow Derbiers, 27 riders all told. Took Royal, and had a great ride, not perfect, but great :-).

    8.18 miles.

    New total: 272.43 (27.57 to officially hit 300, I know I have made that many but I'm going to set a goal to log that before the year is over!)

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