Just what is LD competition?

[Monika Smith <smithpr@cadvision.com>]

One of the big problems I've had with the concept of LDs is that 
there is no even playing field.

One hopes that a sport offers' levels' so that similarly 
skilled/trained participants can compete against each other and that 
the 'better' athletes are given the opportunity to move up.

Is this the case in LDs?  One finds a huge mix of riders and horses 
at all levels, with different goals in mind, without even raising the 
spectre of 'to finish is to win'.  What is particularly problematic 
is that the career LDers, who often go fast to top ten, compete along 
side newcomers of all ages and levels of competency.

This creates a huge mishmash of 'reasons why', which riders and RMs 
have to figure out on their own, with no guidelines, or rules. Nor is 
there any standard, official  'graduation' that a person can apply if 
she or she wants to move up. Or even encouragement to do so from an 
organizational level.  No test, no certificate, only self examination.

An LD can have the green horse/rider combo child in tow, the hot 
shoes;  the international rider that's bringing a horse back, plus 
people who just riding.

Do other horse competitions allow novice horse/rider combos to 
compete against the proven horses and riders?  Not really, and not 
where it counts.

LDs are a grab bag of things and it doesn't offer newcomers a safe, 
graduated method to develop a long distance horse.

Just some thoughts!

Cheers

Monika