My name is Christy Smith. Both card-carrying AERC members, my daughter Megan and I love the sport of endurance. We have been a mother/daughter team for a few years now, but last year I took a bad fall and fractured a vertebrae. I sucked it up and kept going and rode three 50-mile rides and three limited distance rides with the injury.

I finally decided to have surgery that was supposed to be very simple and get me out of pain within a few days. The surgery made my pain worse and I was not able to ride for several months. During this time, I tried many treatments in desperation to get back on the horse and get my life back: chiropractic treatments, massage, physical therapy, electro-stem treatments, trigger point injections, nerve blocks, acupuncture, etc. Finally, I had an epidural, and in the process my spinal cord was nicked and started to leak spinal fluid, which caused horrible migraine headaches. The doctor performed a blood patch, and they seemed to get better.

I told Megan that if she wanted to go to the GERA Elevator Ride in Dawsonville, Georgia, she would have to do all of the packing for us and horses. Like a trooper she did so gladly, with very little help from me. We started out for the ride, but I could feel the migraines coming back.

Since I had not been riding for the prior few months, I have depended on the kindness of fellow riders sponsoring Megan, who is 16. The first day of the ride she rode with Peggy and Mary Kathryn Clark. They had a lot of fun splashing in the river, and both girls finished top junior.

Unfortunately my migraines had come back before Megan was done with the ride, and I needed to see my doctor right away. Megan's father came to stay with her, while Adri Dinkelmann drove me to Atlanta as soon as she had gotten off her horse. Susan and Shawn Brooks, who were camped next to us, helped crew Megan for the rest of her ride. (They have also sponsored Megan many times.)

Megan had worked so hard to get to this ride, I didn't want to disappoint her and make her come home. Suzie Anderson had sponsored Megan at Red Barn Run, and offered to sponsor Megan on the limited distance ride.

When they came in for their vet check, they were running at the top of the pack. Megan noticed her horse was breathing rather hard, and decided to hold back and ride with Susan and Sean rather than push her horse too much.

Megan still finished in the top ten, and was first junior.

While I spent the next few weeks bedridden, Megan was responsible for unloading everything and taking care of farm by herself. It was such a pleasant surprise when Megan received a package from Suzie that contained her first place prize, a halter engraved for first place winner of GERA Dawson Forest LD, along with a note that said how proud Suzie was of Megan for holding back and doing the right thing for her horse. Suzie said lots of riders would have gotten caught up in the competition and maybe wouldn't been so conscientious.

Everyone who has helped us through this very trying time have been such a blessing to me and Megan. Thank you! Without the support of our endurance families, Megan would not have been able to keep riding -- the foundation of her life.

She is an excellent student, the mascot of her high school (as "Princess Senoia," she runs her horse onto the football field before each home game), and vice president of her local 4H horse and pony club.

Megan wishes to be an equine veterinarian and work endurance rides. The Southeast Region vets know and love Megan. She's always smiling and willing to help crewing or volunteering at vet checks or any way she can.

Fortunately, I am now doing much better and am riding again, and hope to do some LDs soon.

Postscript: Christy first ride back was a 25 at at last month's Talladega Yellowhammer. She even finished in the top ten!