FW: when is enough enough?

["Prudence" <prudence@endurance.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: guest@endurance.net [mailto:guest@endurance.net]
Sent: Monday, September 04, 2000 8:15 PM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: when is enough enough?


Barbara Bowen bluhorse@gte.net
This is a response to Julie Suhr posting a statement about what makes a good
endurance horse...she mentions that she agreed with the opinion that her
horse would have beat Boyd Zontelli and Hans at Tevis if Becky Hart was
riding her trusty steed.  I know she feels pride in her horse, but hello?

I was just wondering if this statement/opinion was based on the weight
disparity that would have then been increased between Hans and her mount?
If Boyd tacks out at over 200 pounds and I imagine he did and Becky Hart
tacks at the then Tevis minimum of 165, gee, that would be a 35 plus pound
weight swing vs. what?  What did you tack out at that year, Ms. Suhr?

So. my logic (call me crazy) leads me to think that Hans would have still
won, but perhaps by less (what was the difference, a half hour or so?) and
better yet, the great Hans would have beat your horse to the finish by even
more time if he had the luxury of a 165 pound rider.  Weight DOES matter,
hince weight divisions and after 90 plus hard miles must really matter to
the horse.  Just goes to show the balanced rider and true horseman that Boyd
is that he could win even with that much more weight.  Most of all, it goes
to show just why Ms. Suhr referred to two time Tevis champ and record time
holder Hans as great.  I suppose Boyd will never have to have those woulda
coulda shoulda moments since he won (for the third time).  And I suppose
Hans could care less, too.  Since the largest burden our mounts ever carry
are our human expectations...glad they don't know that, or forgive us if
they do.

Thank you,
Barbara Bowen
bluhorse@gte.net