Re: RC: Tevis - Slower riders

[Trailrite@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/19/00 10:22:58 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Tivers@aol.com 
writes:

<< First of all, as soon as you enter the arena of ideas, you subject 
yourself 
 to the judgement of others--that's the price you have to pay for free 
 expresson. In order to avoid most unwanted judgements, you might consider 
the 
 "never complain, never explain" approach to discourse. 
 
 But, in this case, you have complained, and now you're complaining 
 again--about judgements that naturally flow from your original complaint. It 
 is dangerous to cite wins as vaccination against criticism in horse 
 endeavors, because virtually everyone knows that race winners can exhibit as 
 much piss-poor horsemanship as the next guy.  
 
 Second, the first rule of combat is "Hit 'em with overwhelming force". Tevis 
 competiton, to the true competitors, is a polite form of combat. And 
 overwhelming force in this case is ensuring that you've covered all the 
 bases--a maximally fit horse, top notch support through the competition, all 
 the details looked after, contingency plans for the inevitable miscues that 
 occur in the "fog of battle". 
 
 Third, when something comes up that there was no way to anticipate, and you 
 lose the competition, you forgive yourself and go on to the next 
competition, 
 glad that you're alive to fight again. And, when you have time to reflect, 
 you think about "what if that happens again?" Generally, there is a solution 
 that can be self-administered.
 
 Fourth, sportsmanship is much like horsemanship--it's hard to define, but 
you 
 know it when you see it. Or some do. 
 
 ti
  >>
    If you don't complain, then how will the RM know that there was a problem 
of feed and farriers at the vet checks?  I'm not afraid of being bashed down. 
 If riders think it was my fault then I guess I should have carried 10lbs of 
hay and a horse shoe, pullers, and nails.
    The shoe was a hind and I had pulled on an easyboot (thanks to Garrett 
and his wonderful product).
    The other thing is I didn't care if I was pulled for the shoe problem but 
I did care about having my horse expected to go that distance without proper 
food.
    I have done the Tevis before.  This was never a problem before.  In fact 
I always thought you could do this ride without a crew.  Which is what we are 
use to.  This ride is not new to me.
    My horses are very use to doing 100's of miles in a month and they have 
been doing this with good health, and good attitudes for almost 4 years now.
    Two years ago, we went to the Outlaw Trail of 275 miles in 5 days.  Two 
weeks after we went to a wonderful 100 mile ride "Desert Pines"  we both 
topped 10 on the same horses that did all 5 days at the Outlaw.   Last year, 
again, we rode all year the same two horses and won 3rd place Nat'l Husband & 
Wife team for the second year in a row.  But, I want to make this clear, we 
were the only team to use only these two horses.
    The reason I'm telling you this is because I feel qualified to complain.  
It takes a lot of hard work to do these feats and use the same horse year 
after year and still have wonderful horses.
    If people feel that I rode my horse while she was depleted they are 
wrong.  Maybe if that was their horse then it might have been true.  But 
these horses have and will be doing the mileage that they are use to.  It is 
all at a different scale.  I have been doing blood work and have used scales 
and according to the weight scale that Susan G. had invented my horses always 
are 4.5 or 5 on that going into any ride.
    If you ever want to step higher into the world of competition and do some 
studies of horses like these then let me know.  They are not the once a month 
competitors as is the norm that is talked about in RC.
    
Tammy Robinson
Trail-Rite Ranch & Products
661/513-9269