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Fwd: RC: Re: Re: "Deadman" Endurance Ride

In a message dated 4/10/00 8:34:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
mmieske@netonecom.net writes:

<< is there not a provision or rule
 that says there is to be a separate ride meeting for Limited Distance
 rides?  Perhaps this is the perfect place to find out who needs help and
 pair them up with someone BEFORE the ride who can show them how to do a
 pulse.  Just a thought (and I don't have many coherent ones lately!).  We
 have to nurture the newbies in this sport, whether they start out doing 25s
 or 50s.   >>

I find this interesting and true - and really almost a joke in light of those 
opinions that LD is rather pointless and that riders should skip that stage 
and just start with 50s. I guess in that light, the 50 milers, not the LDers 
should be doing their on checks and unsaddling their horses at a 20 minute 
hold. All 'kiding' aside, it is the height of irresponsibility to recommend 
that a newbie skip the LD level. Given a choice, do we really think the HORSe 
would choose to have an inexperienced competitor chargin through 50 miles 
rather than 25 or 30? If we are to consider LD a 'jumping off point' of sorts 
and treat it that way, then we cannot recommend that people skip it. So...to 
all the advocates of skipping LD, you might want to rethink that position, 
since one cannot have it both ways. If one believes that LD is useless or 
pointless, then one also must espouse the use of TRAINING and TEACHING for 
the 50 milers. I don't think most 50 milers will appreciate the kind of 
treatment that some rides dole out to LDers, but there it is. I personally 
think that LD has a very important role in forming good riders of judgement, 
manners and capability. Of course, a screw-off at LD is just a BIGGER 
screw-off in 50s. They are just more annoying. 

Fortunately, there are a great many people who are enthusiastically sharing 
their experience and savvy with beginners. We have always found this to be a 
most enchanting part of this sport. Perhaps this kind of personal 
bond-building negates the 'need' for RMs to put themselves in the position of 
teacher. The best teachers to us are otu on the trail, perhaps in the middle 
of the pack, on kind and willing horses, who complete time after time, fit to 
continue.
san

---- Begin included message ----
Forgive me for letting my ignorance show here (my brain does not retain
near the amount of information it used to though I still remember my phone
number from when I was 10 years old!)...is there not a provision or rule
that says there is to be a separate ride meeting for Limited Distance
rides?  Perhaps this is the perfect place to find out who needs help and
pair them up with someone BEFORE the ride who can show them how to do a
pulse.  Just a thought (and I don't have many coherent ones lately!).  We
have to nurture the newbies in this sport, whether they start out doing 25s
or 50s.  They are the future of our sport and will only reflect what they
are taught early in the game.  Show them respect and courtesy now and
expect the same from them and TEACH them.  I knew NOTHING my first year.  I
thought I knew something but I found out how little I knew RIGHT AWAY. 
Thank God for the people who took the time to teach and listen and SHOW me
the way.  I am still a newbie but if I can help someone along the newbie
path myself, I think maybe I HAVE learned something just as valuable as
knowing how to take a pulse!!  :)


Maggie Mieske
Mieske's Silver Lining
10601 S. Richards Rd.
McBain, Michigan 49657
http://www.netonecom.net/~mmieske
mmieske@netonecom.net


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