We've been at an endurance ride today / myLot

Rockingham, Australia

August 12, 2023 5:48am CST

We went to another endurance ride today and took photos of the riders as they were out on the track. I’ve made a collage of some of the riders trying to show the bond they have with their horses. There are checkpoints at various points along the track and the riders take the opportunity to encourage their horses to eat and drink. They don’t to eat/drink a lot but the vet needs to hear healthy gut sounds when the horse is vetted at the end of the ride. The riders can also sponge down their horses if they feel so inclined. At the check points, the riders also call their numbers to a checkpoint official who relays it back to the officials back at the base camp. At this particular checkpoint, the couple had a Great Dane/Irish Wolfhound dog called Patrick. Poor Patrick has had to have one eye removed due to a tumour.

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11 responses

Anna

@LadyDuck (474114)

• Italy

12 Aug 23

Poor Patrick, I am so sorry, I hope he is fine now. One of my neighbor had the same surgery 10 years ago, she is healthy now, of course life is harder with only one eye.

2 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug 23

Animals seem to cope very well with one eye. Those missing a leg seem to manage quite well too.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (474114)

• Italy

13 Aug 23

@JudyEv - I think that people get the habit too. My neighbor still drives her car and does not seem to have problems now. We knew a Chef who was missing one leg (he had a prosthesis). I would have never guessed, someone told me.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Aug 23

@LadyDuck People do get very adept at managing their disabilities.

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snowy

@snowy22315 (189308)

• United States

12 Aug 23

Nice twist on the pics.

2 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug 23

Most of the ridden photos are much of a muchness but people seem to like to see them.

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snowy

@snowy22315 (189308)

• United States

13 Aug 23

@JudyEv Good!

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Amber

@AmbiePam (98125)

• United States

12 Aug 23

Patrick looks like a sweetheart, as do the horses, of course.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug 23

He was an unusual looking dog. It's probably not the most common cross - Great Danes and wolfhounds.

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rebelann1949

@rebelann (113931)

• El Paso, Texas

12 Aug 23

Poor Patrick but I'm sure he's doing well without that tumour. I am not familiar enough with horses to know if the ones in these photos are bonded with their riders, most people I've met that had horses paid a stable to care for them and only saw those horses if they had time, I doubt any of them ever bonded with their horses.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug 23

These would all be looked after by the owners and they spend hours together doing their training rides. I hear what you're saying though.

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MARILYN

@Marilynda1225 (84629)

• United States

12 Aug 23

I know we've said it before but those horses are beautiful. Interesting to learn that they have checkpoints where they encourage the horses to eat and drink. Patrick looks like he's fairly big and sorry that he lost an eye.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (353205)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Aug 23

They are very strict with checking that the horses are okay to continue. It's a good job they don't do that with the riders as some of them are sometimes lame when they get off after a long ride! lol