Disappointment....

Today I was looking forward to completing a 50-mile endurance ride as part of my Mongol Derby prep. I had been working towards this particular goal for of couple months, having done 2 previous 25-mile rides. These rides were on my foxhunter, Red, as I realized quickly, that if someone has a horse good enough to do a long endurance race they are not "giving" the ride to someone else. So, Red and I had been riding long miles so that I could see how I felt after a 50 mile ride. But, it was not to be. Last night Red seemed to develop some mild gas colic, whether from the electrolyte dose, or some of the new alfalfa hay that I gave him, I don't know, but he was definitely uncomfortable. After walking and watching, having the vets check him and then being unable to find the one vet allowed to treat, I gave him a dose of Banamine. To me this was good horsemanship, as he was uncomfortable and it would help. Unfortunately, none of the vet techs told me it would be cause for disqualification from the endurance ride the next day! I was not an AERC member and was unfamiliar with their rules, so though very disappointed I said I understood, but asked,
could I simply complete a shorter ride, not as a competitor, but just to keep training for the Derby. Red was fine this morning, checked out OK by the vet that I couldn't find earlier.  But they would not let me ride on the trails at all- I was extremely bummed and just came home:(
Hopefully tomorrow I can do a 25 mile ride locally and just move on. I guess I am used to the fox hunting world, which is not a competition per se , so not subject to such rules and we medicate as appropriate all the time. I would not have worried about hunting today at all but oh well.... another time. I am trusting that the world works in mysterious ways and that Red was not supposed to do such a long ride. I made it home to entertain my son and his girlfriend, Annie's  family from Virginia, which was great.