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| Photo by Becky Pearman, used with purchase. |
From the moment I learned about endurance riding, the OD 50 has been top of my to-conquer list. I crewed for Wendy and the late, great Jimmy back in 2011 and was dying to try the ride myself. My goals are moving up in ranks these days (no spoilers) but the OD 50 has continued to elude me. First, I couldn't seem to find my way across the starting line for various reasons. I did top ten in the LD in 2014, but all that did was make me hungrier for the real thing. Last year, thanks to Dodie, I was finally able to get across the starting line on Steel. We had an awesome 30+ miles, riding the hardest part of the trail, and making good work of the terrain. Unfortunately, Steel threw a shoe a few miles shy of Laurel Run, and even though she looked sound enough to continue after seeing the farrier, I made the tough choice to pull her and save her for the next ride. I don't regret my decision for one second, but I was sad that I didn't get to finish the ride.
