Tell us about your horse. When/how did you come to get him?   He was cheap 500$.

What is his breeding:   Fadjur/Bask
Sex:  Gelding
Height:  15.2
Weight:  900 #
Color:  Bay
Shoe size   0
Easy Boot  0

Why did you decide to purchase this horse (or if you didn't purchase, why did you choose this horse for endurance?   I injured him on a ride and our deal when riding other person's horses was you break him you buy him. She was also afraid of him.

Did you do endurance with any other horses before this horse?  I rode a Quarter horse and an Arab mare.

How many horses have you ridden in this sport?  Six horses.

Do you participate any other horse sports or activities?  No other horse sports except cleaning stalls if that counts.

How many years have you been involved with horse? In endurance?  I have been involved with horse all of my life and have been doing endurance for 16 years.

What got you interested in endurance riding? What has kept you interested?  My neighbor Claudia Sprague got me into this The wonderful friends I have met along the way.

How old was your horse when first started? First ride?   Mr. Man was 5 and I rode him in the Mendocino 50 for his and my first ride together.

What mileage did you start with?  I always rode 50's as I was going for the big numbers. I think that older horses ought to be allowed 25 milers to count after a certain age. I also think that the 25 should count over all as persons would keep horses down longer if those miles were accumulative after the horse reached a certain age. i.e. say 15 years.

How long until you top tenned or “raced?”  I really never race, I ride; however, it is Mr. Man is who often sets the pace, only because of the many years and thousands of miles of experience he has and we both know how to keep him within his limits.

How much time off do you give between ride seasons?  I just ride from day to day and ride to ride weather permitting.

If you have done 100's how much time off do you give?  I only ride the Tevis. As I said before it is just day to day with time off when I need to earn money to pay for this.

If you have done multi days, how much time off do you give after doing one?  Multi day rides are almost all I do any more. We just do the rides and train as little as possible. He is in pasture and keeps himself fit.

What kind of tack do you use?  I ride a Corbette saddle endurance model, S-hackamore, Cotton girth with a Supracor pad which I love.

What kind of shoes do you use on your horse?  St. Croix and occasionally Sneakers, pads according to ride suggestions. Love my shoer.

What problems have you encountered?  He over reaches when he is shifting into high gear and pulls his left front. Also over the course of a five day ride he will wear his rear shoes off.

What is the most severe injury to your horse?  A hot splint that bothers him on occasion.

How did you work through it?  Time is all it takes.

Describe the best day you ever had with your horse.  The Tevis in 1992, Grand Canyon in 1999 which Mr. Man and my other horse Tommy with Calina (junior) both had the fastest overall time! Man then came back 5 years later and again achieved overall fastest time.

The worst day was on Tevis years later when he crashed with my friend riding him at Forest Hill. He just was embarrassed that he was pulled as when I arrived he was fine.

What was your most humbling experience you have had with your horse?   I haven't had a humbling experience with Mr. Man just my friends along the way.

What lessons have you learned along the way?  That your best friends aren't always Your Best Friends.

Where does your horse live?  My horse lives at my house on three acres and is stalled at night.

What kind of environment did your horse spend his first years of life?   Mr. Man spent his first 5 years alone in a paddock and was scared to death of everything.

What are your horse's strengths? Weaknesses?  The Wind Beneath My Wings sums his strengths and he has no weaknesses that I have found. He is a very proud beautiful athlete.

What advice do you have for new riders?  I would tell new riders to just Chill and not to get caught up in the RIDE. This is not a RACE.

What would you have done differently?  I would start younger and get better a better regimen for training.

What is your highest goal for your horse? Did you achieve it?  My highest goal I am still achieving. I would like to be riding Mr. Man well into his 20's.

Describe your horse's personality. How is it like or unlike yours?  My horse and I have the same personality. Strong willed. Proud but not in your face.

What kind of rides do you enjoy most?   I enjoy Multiday rides and 50's.

Electrolyte protocol:  I use Apple Dex and apple sauce mixed. It has always worked.

Is there anything special about you nutrition program you attribute to your success?  I use good grass hay fed twice daily amount depending on weight and working level. Rice bran and beet pulp with Purina Senior when working.

Do you use any supplements?  I use no supplements except carrots.

Adequan a week before a multi day ride. Otherwise nothing.

How far do you usually travel?   It seems like a travel forever as most of the rides are in Utah, Nevada and Arizona and I live in Northern California.

Do you go outside your region?   All of the rides are outside of my region. I am in the West. California rides are too stuffy. Too many vet checks.

Name three people involved in the sport of endurance that you look up too any why?  I look up to Ann Nicholson for all she puts into this sport, Lavone Booth for training her and Dave Nicholson for all of the time and energy he puts into the ride for my pleasure.

Did you have a mentor or first trail partner?  My first trail partner was Claudia Richardson Sprague. I won a contest in TrailBlazer by writing an article about her entitled, "My Hero Shared."

May 8, 1990. Beautiful day, two good friends heading for the Scott's Flat Ride. Not a care in the world. Claudia and I arrived at registration to be greeted by the Ranger who indicated that Sandy Randal needed to call home. A mother's worst nightmare. Randall is my children's last name, so I knew something was terrible wrong. I called my husband and he indicated that I needed to contact the Medical Center in Sacramento. My son had been in a motorcycle accident and broke his arm!

After approximately one hour on hold and being transferred ... even before talking with someone ...I knew my 18 year old son Greg was dead.

My family all wanted me to return home and that evening, one by one found their way to Scott's Flat to comfort me and try to get me back to Sacramento. At the time, I knew I couldn't return and that my ex husband was making the funeral arrangements. All I wanted to do was stay in the beautiful mountains and say good bye in my own way.

After the long sleepless night, morning finally arrived and I hadn't changed my mind. I was hoping this was a bad dream and I would awake and everything would be normal.

Claudia and I rode side by side all day and she never once interrupted my thoughts. My beautiful horse, and by best friend and I mustered up the strength that the next days were going to require.

It has been many years now and endurance riding has help me through my grief. When ever I am at the top of a mountain, close to heaven I can allow myself to talk with Greg. My therapy has been my horses and the strength that my endurance friends have provided. My hero is Claudia Richardson Sprague.

In choosing your next horse what would you look for?  There will never be another Mr. Man. I am working on finding him or her though.

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