with Karin Floyd and Nichole Grodski

An Interview with Susie Kramer

with Karin Floyd & Nichole Grodski

Arizona Endurance Rider & Runner With Her Al Khamsa Arabian Made of Steel

We sat down with one of 2021’s Tevis Cup’s Top 5 competitors, athlete Susie Kramer, who competes on her 2010 Al Khamsa Egyptian Gelding, A Ali Aseel (Ali Reshan x Zeena Z), otherwise known as “Steel”, and got to pick her brain on her amazing partner, the sport of endurance and everything in between.

At the time of this interview, Susie and Steel have 2180 endurance miles under their belt. Steel has 38/40 rides with Susie, 40 completions, 18 Best Conditions (two of those were LD’s), 26 1sts, 10 2nds, and completed The Tevis Cup 100 Mile Ride and Western States Endurance Run 100 in 2021. As if completing these two grueling races in the same year wasn’t a victory enough, the duo currently holds the fastest combined time for female competitors, and Susie is also the oldest woman to do this. Their 2021 Tevis finish time was 15hrs:58sec — four hours quicker than 2019 … and came in at the same time as the 2nd and 3rd place runners for her 4th place victory! They picked up 1st in Mileage, 1st in Featherweight, 1st Overall Points and 1st Best Condition for the Southwest Region, as well as 3rd Best Condition nationally with the AERC in 2021. By the time this interview gets to print, however, their accomplishments may very well have exceeded what’s printed today, as it’s hard to keep up with this fastmoving team!

You might recognize some of the famous Straight Egyptian name’s in Steel’s pedigree from the show rings of the past, such as Ruminaja Ali, The Minstril, Ansata Ibn Halima, and The Egyptian Prince, along with a slew of E.A.O./Inshass breeding, but one thing is for sure — he is a force to be reckoned with over some rough terrain and long miles! His performance record speaks for itself, and it’s apparent this horse LOVES his job. He is a perfect example of the versatile and functional Al Khamsa Arabian athlete.

We are grateful to have gotten to talk with Susie and for her taking time out of her schedule to share both her insight and experience with our readers, and are honored to have them as Al Khamsa ambassadors. She is such an interesting and inspiring woman…and he is such an amazing horse! Watch out for them in 2022! Al Khamsa: You are an inspiration and ambassador for our horses! How long have you been involved with horses and could you provide us with some information on your horse background so we can get to know you better? Susie Kramer: I acquired my first horse, Reveille, a young Thoroughbred filly from the race track, in 1991. I took lessons and learned how to ride with her and we went on to have success in many local hunter/jumper shows over several years. I also had an older gaited paint mare that was her companion when I lived in Pennsylvania. Are you an Arizona native or transplant? I moved to Arizona in 2009. I am a Pennsylvania native, but I feel so much more at home living in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. I began a part time job as an equestrian trail guide for Windwalker Expeditions, and it was there that I was introduced to the Arabian breed and to the sport of endurance riding. How long have you been a long distance runner? I joined the cross country and track teams in 8th grade and I continued until graduation from high school in 1983. I ran my first marathon in 1998 and my first ultra marathon in 2006, and my first 100 mile distance in 2012. My interest in endurance running just sort of evolved as I ran with friends who encouraged me to run longer distances after having success at the marathon distance.

I qualified for the Boston Marathon with my first marathon in 1998. How did your interest in endurance racing develop and why do you love it? Upon moving to Arizona and getting the job as the equestrian trail guide, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the Arabian breed or endurance riding. My lead horse,

Ariel, was an Arabian. She was smart, athletic, and gorgeous!

I developed a friendship with a local endurance rider, and she mentored me through several rides with Ariel. We completed top 10 in three rides together in 2010.

I took a break from endurance riding until 2014 when I was asked if I would like to ride Tevis on my friends’ horse. I needed to have a minimum of 300 endurance miles to compete,

so I did a lot of “catch riding” to acquire those miles prior to the ride in July. We made it to

Tevis, but unfortunately, we were pulled at Deadwood for lameness. Again, another break from the endurance world until another friend had a horse that needed a rider to help keep it in condition and be ridden in some local rides in early 2016. It was then that I decided I wanted my own endurance horse to nurture and maybe do a few 50 mile rides per year. How long have you been competing in endurance? My first ride was in 2009 on Ariel. Again, it did not go well. I would consider 2010 to be the year I began competing, although there were several years that I did not ride. How many horses do you own? I currently own three Arabians. How did you find Steel? I found Steel through a friend. We were on a conditioning ride together when I casually mentioned that I was thinking of getting my own endurance horse instead of catch riding. She said that she knew of someone that was selling a young gelding that had been ridden successfully in a few Limited Distance rides. She gave me his contact information and I literally bought him sight unseen on referral only. Why did you choose Steel to compete on? Steel, at the time I decided to compete, was the only horse I had to do endurance with. What do you love about him and what do you think makes you both such a successful team? There are so many things I love about Steel. I guess what stands out most is his innate desire to compete. I never feel as though I have to ask him to do his job.

He just hits the trail and does his thing all day long. He and

I both have a competitive spirit and an inner drive to do our best. I believe this is why we are a successful team. How old was he when you bought him, and what aspect(s) about him made you realize his propensity for success? Steel was just turning six when I bought him. As a matter of fact, it was six years ago today, Feb. 28, 2016, that he walked off the trailer that hauled him all the way from Michigan!

Aspects that make Steel a good candidate to be a successful endurance horse: Steel is a very forward mover, even at a walk.

Almost like he has a plane to catch. He is also a horse that tends to think before he reacts, as he doesn't typically lose his composure on the trail if something spooks him. Having a low resting heart rate is also a bonus. This is extremely helpful for pulse recoveries at the vet checks during endurance rides. Is Steel your first Al Khamsa Arabian? Were you familiar with

Egyptian Arabians or Al Khamsa before you purchased Steel?

Yes, Steel is my first and currently my only Al Khamsa horse.

I didn’t even know that it was a “thing” until I attended the 2019 AERC convention and noticed his name on a list of recognition. Have you noticed any qualities about Steel that you find different from other Arabians or endurance horses? If so, can you describe how and if it has changed your view for your next horse?

Probably the most noticeable quality that makes Steel different from other Arabians is his natural athleticism. He is kind of built like the race car version of an Arabian. He is sleek, he has good bone, he has cruise control, and he’s gorgeous! Therefore, based on my success with Steel as an endurance horse, while I had little if any prior experience or knowledge about the sport, I will most likely seek out another Straight Egyptian

Al Khamsa horse to be my next endurance partner. What do you look for in an endurance prospect to be successful in the sport, as well as best condition success? Natural athleticism and desire are two qualities that I believe are extremely important to look for if you want to be competitive. Best Condition success is tricky. Vet scores and completion time are the most important factors, but the weight of the rider with their tack can often “tip the scales” and determine which horse is awarded the honor. It’s sort of like a handicap. I never thought that Steel and I would ever win a BC award for the simple reason that I am a Featherweight rider. Thankfully, he’a really fast and more often than not, finishes with excellent vet scores. In regards to Best Condition with endurance, your record is impressive. Can you expand on what makes you so successful?

As stated above, Steel’s overall physical condition and pulse recoveries are outstanding. He also usually finishes in the Top

Five at most races.

What do you look for in a decade horse? Becoming a decade team with Steel is definitely high on my list. However, I’m not really sure how to best answer this question, since I have not reached this status yet… You do quite a lot of competition. How do you start horses to prepare for their first race and how do you maintain their condition? How many days/hours a week do you condition/train?

Prior to 2019, I really only did a few rides a year. I am certainly not an expert in the sport, but what worked for me to prepare

Steel for his first ride was to first determine his fitness level. I did this by doing several conditioning rides with friends and then I took him to his first 50 mile ride and rode him very conservatively.

With three horses to keep conditioned, I currently ride five or six days a week. Sometimes two horses in one day. Trail rides include some interval training, as well as hill repeats and of course, distance. I also do some light arena work with the horses to keep them flexible and to make them think. How do you keep yourself and all of your horses fit? Do you find similarities between training the horses for distance as well as your running? I generally do my personal workouts in the morning. Running and light weight training are usually on my schedule six days a week. While I am still planning to run a 100 mile race this fall, my focus has been more on getting Steel to reach his potential and to bring our other two horses along and to get them to be successful as well. There are many similarities in training for an ultra (running) and for endurance conditioning for the horses. The obvious is being able to go the distance, the not so obvious is the rest, recovery and nutrition. How do you find time and stay motivated for endurance and running on top of daily life? I am fortunate that I have a partner who shares my passion for running/fitness and endurance riding. This certainly affords me the time and resources to accomplish both, while maintaining a happy home life as well. So your boyfriend also competes in endurance. How is it to have your partner share your passion for this sport? Brad and I work well as a team, and we enjoy spending our time together whether it is running, conditioning the horses, with family, or whatever else it is we are involved with in our down time. In regards to feeding the athlete, do you have a feed program when you are conditioning/competing with Steel? I try to keep my feeding program for the horses fairly simple. They get free choice quality hay as well as daily supplements. Do you follow a special diet for yourself? Nothing really that special. I personally don’t eat red meat and I try to limit dairy when possible. I eat mostly fish, eggs and some chicken along with lots of fruit and vegetables. Doing 50/100 miles, saddle fit and tack is extremely important and sometimes our Al Khamsa Arabians can be hard to fit.

What is your favorite saddle/tack combo? Have you had any fit/girthing issues and how have you overcome them? Has it changed as your level of competition increased? I am currently riding Steel in a Freeform Ultimate Trail Saddle. It is a treeless saddle that allows me to make a lot of adjustments. I recently started using the Total Saddle Fit shoulder relief girth and I really like it. I feel that it allows Steel’s shoulders to move more freely. [ED: It is also easily seen that Steel carries no bit, and is allowed to carry his head in the position he finds balances himself best at any given time. That must make it more comfortable for him, too!] As a long distance (50-100 mile) rider, what do you do for Steel’s hooves at this level of competition to have the successes you have had over the terrain you have covered? Fortunately, I have never really had any issues with Steel’s hooves. He has been barefoot since I have had him and he gets regular trims every 4four weeks. We usually condition wearing Easy Care

Gloves and I have used the Glue on shells for all of his 100 mile rides. What is your favorite endurance ride? Tevis would be the obvious choice, I suppose. We have several local rides in Arizona that I also love: Man Against Horse in Prescott and The Tonto Twist in Apache Junction. What has been your hardest ride and why? Tevis is probably the most difficult simply due to the logistics for crewing and the two days of travel to get there. At what mileage in your longer distance rides become the hardest and can you describe how so? I think it is around the 65-75 mile point that can become daunting during a 100-mile ride.

We just completed our fifth 100 together this past weekend at

Twenty Mule Team in CA. That is usually the point when it is starting to become dark and possibly cold. It can be difficult to navigate a trail in the dark especially if it is an unfamiliar trail or if it is technical. How many times have you done Tevis and how many times have you completed? Are there any rides that you feel especially prepare you for Tevis? I have completed Tevis two times with

Steel, 2019 and 2021. And I had that one unsuccessful attempt with my friend’s horse in 2014. What was the scariest part of the Tevis trail for you? What was the best part? Are there any notable experiences that you’d like to share? I don’t believe I can pinpoint a scary part of the Tevis trail, but after the river crossing, it became dark. I didn’t have adequate light and the glow sticks that marked the trail were very sparse. I would have to say that while I wasn’t really scared, I was certainly uncomfortable. The best part however, without a doubt, is leaving Foresthill. Riding past the cheering crowds as you go through town is an amazing experience. It was overwhelming for me. You were neck in neck with three other horses for your 4th place finish at the 2021 Tevis Cup, basically coming in at the same time as one other. Can you describe this experience during the race? The three of us pretty much rode together once we left the vet hold at Foresthill. There are several vet checks in between

Foresthill and the finish where you have to meet pulse criteria before continuing on. Because of Steel’s amazing recovery rates,

I was usually back on the trail before the other two riders, and they would then catch up to me. The last section of the ride leading to the finish is a single track through the woods in the dark.

There is literally no safe way to pass another horse and rider. As much as I would have liked to have had that 2nd place finish, once we popped out of the trees and went toward the finish line,

I made the decision to concede to 4th. How did it feel to cross the finish line at the 2021 Tevis Cup?

Crossing the finish line at Tevis is amazing in itself. Finishing

Top Ten made it even more special. Steel certainly earned his placing! How did it feel to present Steel after you finished, and how do you think he was feeling after the race? I think Steel was feeling pretty darn good at the end. His energy was apparent. When we entered the stadium for our victory lap, he was as energetic as ever and almost attempted to make a second loop! What are your plans for 2022? 2022 Plans for Steel certainly include another trip to Tevis! That is all so exciting, and we look forward to following you two in the future. Do you have any additional thoughts you’d like to share in regards to the mighty Steel? Steel is most definitely a once in a lifetime horse. He and I are a great team, and we share a wonderful relationship. My hope is that we can con-

tinue on our endurance riding path for many years to come!

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