It was just over an hour’s drive to Llanwrtyd Wells, and the 30^th Anniversary of Man Versus Horse Marathon.  Our lovely black pure bred quarter horse mare by Haidas Little Pep was a trained cutting horse with $4,000 earnings and imported by us 3 years ago.  We had done this race 2 years ago, so we’d entered only 2 weeks ago, and were raising money for the Autistic Society and Maforga Christian Mission in Mozambique in memory of our dear friend Heather Lloyd who was a volunteer there up until she sadly died, suddenly, last year.

 I have to also comment, at this point, how our calm, western trained, quarter horse with proven performance pedigree, helped ten fold on an occasion like this. To be able to manoeuvre in any direction in a split second would keep us very safe.   Bogs, logs, ruts and holes in the ground, steep banks, rocks, slippery river beds, narrow stone bridges, metal bridges, flapping plastic tape, silage bags flapping, ground suddenly changing from mud to shingle to bog to rocks… the cutting bred horse is brave, sound and willing in temperament and with superb, strong feet and legs able to take such conditions and pass rigorous vets checks.  Horses with poor feet and legs cannot do this kind of event and stay sound. Plus, as lots of people commented to us that day, she’s really pretty too!

We parked amidst the usual chaos, on the side of the lane with all the other trailers and lorries. Took Heidi out and went to line up for the pre-vet check. She was calm and confident, I was feeling sick!  Probably something to do with cheese roll I was force- fed on the way!  Or was it the thought of what we had in store for us….bit of both I think. 

Lots of people came up to us and asked “is this the quarter horse, we saw the sticker on the trailer…?”  The western saddle and bridle was a bit of a clue!  They were all very interested and asking about her.

Following the pace car leaving the crowds behind

Heidi and Pat taking keeping a few from the back of 49 strong field of horses and riders

Can you spot them??

12 miles in and up to the vet check.

Brother Andy and brother-in-law Mal arrived, very excited and delighted to be part of this crazy, I mean amazing event.  Andy had several cool boxes full of sandwiches, fruit, water, juice, glucose tablets and various pain killers! 

I was talking to a girl in the queue who said she had been here last year but her horse failed the vet before the start!  Heidi’s pre-vet check was fine.  Our briefing was next and we were all told to be careful as it was slippery after all the rain.  People crewing for horses were warned not to park on the roads and to go to the allocated fields.  Any vehicles caught on the road would immediately disqualify their horse and rider.  Someone asked if they should report anyone seen and they were told they could do, but it would be seen as bad sportsmanship! 

All mounted and started our parade which was longer than the last time, by about a mile! Forty nine horses and riders followed the pace car through the centre of town to enormous cheers from a huge crowd of very excited spectators.   Horses were very excited, Heidi was full of energy and felt like a coiled spring.  We left the crowds and headed for the back lanes for our warm up, still following the pace car.  We came to a metal bridge which was interesting!  As the first horses hooves hit the bouncy, rattling metal bridge it was like they’d had an electric shock. They all shot up in the air, horses going across sideways and leaping about.  I paused and let them get off the bridge before Heidi and I approached it.  She dropped her head and walked across without even a flinch.

Vet giving Heidi a thorough check.

Passed our vet and Mal holding Heidi while Pat and Graham tack up

Back round to the saddling area. Horses always start 15 minutes after the runners.  Heidi still a bit excited and keen to get on with the task ahead. After about 10 seconds, she went back to sleep. 

We were all called up to now get behind the pace car to the start which again, was the middle of the town.  I missed the 5, 4 bit and only heard 3, 2, 1 GO!  Crowds were waving flags, shouting, jumping up and down, dogs barking, loud speakers blaring as we rode through the centre and out onto the 2 and a half miles of tarmac towards our first hills.  Heidi was concentrating and confident as we trotted, about 6 from the back of the field past Graham, Andy, Mal and Rob, waving, “good luck”.  The road was slippery so we checked out pace to a nice western jog, the others getting further and further ahead. 

We left the pace car at the bottom of the road and headed up another tarmac road towards the hills, looming steep and terrible.  Very rutted and stony ground was next and Heidi picked her way across it like a goat.  About 20 minutes and we hit lovely open forest tracks, superb under foot, for a couple of miles so we picked up our speed and some runners.  Onto a narrow, very stony, dried stream type bed with large smooth rocks to get down.  This finished in a very steep, slippery patch of rock which I got off at.  Heidi carefully picked her way down then I got back on at the next stretch of forest track.  As soon as I had both feet in the stirrups, she was off at a gallop and passing runners and horses now towards the dreaded boggy bit. 

Due to all the rain it was knee deep in very nasty peat bog.  We had to really pick our way through but some parts you just had to go through bogs which Heidi negotiated like a star.  One horse,  I learned later, had sunk up to his stifles in one bog and pulled a shoe off.  The lady told me she thought she had lost him.  He was OK though. There were warnings to stay on the marked path across this part as tractors had been lost up there. 

Then the bit I was really dreading. The near vertical drop down to our first crew stop after 8 miles.  The big “caution” sign at the narrow little gate didn’t need to be there, I was already off and leading.  It was absolutely terrible.  The runners were sliding and Heidi and I were doing the same. She was standing still but the ground was giving way under her. How she didn’t go into me I’ll never know.  We got almost the bottom and she stumbled, slipped and the momentum of the hill took her past me, leaving me no alternative other than to let the reins go. If I had tried to pull her back around, she would have fallen.  She picked her way down with me sliding after her shouting “loose horse”.  She got to the level ground and stopped.  A nice man on a bay horse stopped too.  Heidi looked around at me as if to say “where have you been?” I put the reins back over her head and got back on.  I thanked the man and followed him on down the not so steep but still slippery track to the river just before the water stop.  The worst bit was behind us. 

Lots of people at the river cheering and shouting “well done”.  I had heard lots of people saying “wow, look at this black horse” and “this one is gorgeous”.  Over the river and back onto tarmac for a bit.  My amazing crew were all waiting armed with plastic cups of water and re-filled my bottles.  We had done this leg of the course 45 minutes quicker than 2 years ago without trying and were only 20 minutes behind the lead horse rather than over an hour the last time! Her economic stride had really eaten up the miles effortlessly.  The relay team of 3 runners were changing to their second runner at this point.  It was absolute chaos, cars, motorbikes everywhere, runners, supporters, crew.  We were glad of a bit of a stop. 

Onward. Along the tarmac and up a farm track.  We loped up the track and caught up with more runners who I was chatting to.  Heidi was doing her own thing now, and when we got to the steep bit she went off at a fast canter.  Open hill now which looked horribly like the first bit…. At one point I thought, “have we come round in a circle…”???!!!   The cool breeze on the top of the mountain was a welcome relief to all and we walked for a bit taking in the scenery and chatting to runners.  Back down a very steep slope and towards the first vet check half way.  My legs were starting to ache now but we trotted down the slope and along the track to the vetting.  Again, my crew were waiting, buckets of water, sponges, water to top up my water bottles I had in a saddle bag that Debbie and Clare very kindly gave me. That turned out to be a life saver as we had water all the time and I regularly was drinking and sloshing on Heidi as we went round. 

Heidi at the vet check

Compulsory 10 minute stop after passing the vet.

Ready and off we go!

We had 30 minutes to get her heart rate down.  Within about 5 minutes she was cooled right down with a heart rate of about 60.  Presented her to the vet, who checked her all over and said “56”.  Asked me to trot her up and down which she did willingly, then checked again. “Still 56”. OK.  Tacking back up we noticed a patch of hair rubbed off on her side where the metal fender adjustment had rubbed.  The only thing to do was hitch up the stirrups shorter so it rested on the pad.  Great for Heidi, but my undoing.  Going round for another 2 hours at jump jockey length was not the best thing to do for me but the best thing for Heidi’s comfort!

We set off on our own at a fast canter for the second half.  Not long after my legs started to complain, big time!  They got worse and worse and I got off and lead for a time to try and straighten them out.  Heidi was absolutely full of energy still, yet I had to ask her to walk a lot of the time as I was really suffering.

Few miles after the vet check and another water stop.

More water

And MORE water...it was water, honest!

Chatting with Caroline one of our pupils at Tregoyd Mountain Riders in Three Cocks.

Next water stop it was fantastic to see Graham in the distance waving with Rob, Mal and Andy all there along with Caroline, who has started having western lessons with us at Tregoyd Mountain Riding Centre, more recently taken to barrel racing which Heidi was also learning at the same time.  She had been on call for that day as she’s a vet, but managed to swap as she really wanted to see the race.  More water and Andy offering me various items to eat, none of which I could face. Chit chatting for a few minutes, then thought “heck, we’d better get a move on”.  We set off in the wrong direction….someone shouted. We stopped, looked on the road. 

We got to the bit where last year she ended up about 4 feet above me on a bank, then launched herself towards me. I was ready for it this time.  “Not this time, big girl” I said and backed her up a few steps to get her back onto the very narrow sheep track lower down. She dropped her pretty head and carefully placed her feet along the track which, of course, was also muddy and slippery.  We walked for quite a while and called some runners past us as this was where they really made up time, down steep slippery tracks!  Some of the runners said “the horses in front of you almost fell, they were going so fast and sliding everywhere” I said “we aren’t taking any risks, we’re just aiming to get home safe and sound and in two pieces!” They agreed that was sensible. 

I was now really starting to suffer, Heidi was keen to go faster. We got to the Mill which was a couple of miles from home and my crew were there again.  I got off to stretch my legs and we rested for a bit, more water and brother Andy offering me painkillers.  I refused. We had to finish. I put my stirrups down longer than when we started and managed to haul myself back onto my ever patient little mare.  There was a very narrow, wobbly bridge which lots of the horses went a different way, as they were refusing to cross it, despite the carpet that had been laid especially!  Heidi was, once again, an absolute star, just walking calmly across with no hesitation. 

Onto the main road for a stretch, back into a field which I started to lope up but it went suddenly very boggy and she was sinking over her fetlocks into the very sticky ground.  A lady on a grey Arab came up behind me.  “carry on past” I said, “I’m not doing as well as my horse”.   “Thanks” she said and overtook us.  Her horse suddenly stopped and ran backwards towards us.  I sidepassed Heidi quickly to the left to avoid being ran into.  “Sorry” said the girl.  There was a length of red and white plastic tape   which was flapping a rattling in the wind, cordoning off a nasty ditch with a broken slab.  Her horse reared, went sideways again.  Heidi gave a great big sigh, and half looked up at me.  “Shall I try and go first past it” I said.  “If you can” the girl replied.  I could almost hear Heidi mumbling to herself rude words about the horse in front of us.  Again, she just walked calmly walked past the hazard and the girl thanked us and carried on past us.   

We spotted some cows ahead! We both perked up!  Rats! They were the other side of the fence. She gave them a longing look all the way past.  Down another slippery track and onto the lane again.  Stewards clapping and encouraging us on, “only 600 yards to go” he said.  “Come on Heidi. Let’s go” I said and we could both see the finish and hear the crowds and loudspeakers.  She was like a Duracell battery!  Fast trot down the lane and into the river which was quite deep.  Out the other side, up a bank then the sharp right hand turn onto the little stone slab across the ditch. It was only about 3 feet wide, but again, Heidi dropped her head to check then walked carefully across.   

Back into fast trot like she’d just set off 23 miles earlier and towards the finish with the crowds starting to cheer as they saw another horse coming in.  Heidi let out a really loud whinny which is something she never does.  She probably was saying “where’s my trailer and haynet”.  Like last year I was in tears. It was such an effort this time for me as I was so uncomfortable with my cramped legs, plus it’s a very emotional event and 2 years earlier, Heather was waiting at the finish too.  Heidi was trotting faster and faster, ears up, and towards the finish line. My wonderful crew were cheering us in.  We did it!  I got off and my legs buckled. I felt sick and exhausted. We moved Heidi to the vet area to cool her down as it was still very hot.  Within about 5 minutes or so and buckets and buckets of water, we presented to the vet for the final time. 

She had a thorough check and her heart was 60.  Perfect.  Now the trot up.  I turned her and started to run, brave little Haidas Black Top just trotted with me to the end, we turned and I ran really fast back with Heidi right by my side and floating.

 “Well done” said the vet and we had passed!

Mile from home and suffering along with a runner (left) also with cramp.

At last! The finish!! YES!!!!

Bit of a photo shoot with Mal and Heidi and Pat

It’s Oscar thanks time again…sigh.  Sorry.

Thanks, Rob, for taking a day off to come and take pics and help with everything and to my wonderful husband Graham for his continued support during and after this race and all the rest of the time too.

And how could we leave out Heidi.  She was just about the most amazing horse ever again.  Unlike last time when we both hit a wall about 5 miles out, and her ears went horizontal for a while this time she didn’t hit any wall.   Her ears stayed up the whole way, no matter what terrain we came across, she adjusted her own speed and kept us both safe.  She even had time to admire the view and comment on the ravens, red kites, sheep, pheasants, barking dog, lawn mowers and cows that we encountered.  Doing what a quarter horse was bred for…to be ridden in open country for hours.

Lots of people came over to see us after and have a cuddle with Heidi including one 5 year old child who walked right up against her back legs before we could stop him.  His horrified mother scooped the child up and apologised!  Graham said "good job it was a quarter horse he chose to walk behind..."

A runner was cuddling Heidi and asking about her.  Someone asked him how he got on and if he had "won".  His reply summed the whole day up. "Just getting around this course and you're already a winner" he replied. Good answer!

Passed the vet and got our rosette! Crew pics.

Pat and Graham with Heidi.