Re: RC: MALIBU RIDE AND TRAIL INCIDENT

[Trailrite@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/18/2001 11:42:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:


> I informed the last junior that this was NOT a race and it fell on deaf
> ears.  They were obviously determined on making up time.  


     Debbie, I do that same thing all the time, with the same results.
     This is such a shame as to a new generation coming up to, once again, 
RACE an LD.  This is why I announced at my pre-ride meeting that the LD at 
our ride is not a race & our/your results will (and has been) printed in 
Alpha-order.  I give 6 hours completion times to everyone and put them in 
Apha-order when filling out the results to the AERC.  This is the way, other 
rides in our area try and solve this racing problem in the LD.  There really 
is no glory in winning something, that according to our AERC rules is not a 
race.
      Maybe (just a thought), LD's should have a max and min time set.  This 
way riders can learn to pace at a correct speed.  If they come into a VC to 
early they sit there until the correct time out is announced.  This wouldn't 
hurt the regular LD riders that do this for fun, and it would make it safer 
for riders with new young horses out on the trail without having to put up 
with running horses along the way.  I know that NATRC bases their rides like 
this and AERC does not, but as long as this keeps going on then maybe we 
should either reconsider some solution or get rid of LD's and let NATRC take 
care of shorter distance riders.  This would be a great loss for AERC, 
because LD's is our up and new coming Endurance Riders.  It provides a 
wonderful stepping stone into endurance and also fills in the shorter 
distance rider needs.  I personally think it is a must to try and solve this 
problem.
     Believe it or not, we had a simple Poker Ride (8 miles) later in the day 
at our ride, and we had some riders coming in at a gallop on that!  We even 
provided a trail guide and she was passed early in the ride by these racing 
poker riders.  Go figure that one???

Tammy Robinson
Trail-Rite Ranch & Products
661/513-9169 or 661/713-3912