While I ‘m at it, LD competition etc.

["texastwist" <texastwist@ev1.net>]

Competitive Trail ( not a dirty word, just a fellow equine sport) uses a
system in their Novice division that might work for LD. When you get 5 first
places you need to move up to the Open division ( faster & farther) or you
can move to the Competitive Pleasure division ( usually similar speed and
distance as novice). This keeps the novice division for the beginners, and
the ones that just enjoy that pace & distance.

While I 'm at it, If we had some kind of limit on the number of times you
could be BC, top ten, or  first place in the LD, that would cycle the people
in these categories and give others the opportunity.

While I 'm at it, We really need to stress the "to  finish is to win "
attitude.  I am a turtle, but I HATE getting the turtle award. I know it's
silly for me to feel that way. The other thing I dislike is the reading of
ride times and the comments " with a very respectable time"

 While I 'm at it, If we have 24 hours to finish a 100 mile ride. Plan on me
finishing in the dark!  I should not have to feel guilty of using every
minute allowed, or the "To Finish is to Win" should be dropped. I would
finish earlier if I could, but I don't want my horse hanging on an IV bottle
( yes I know we need to be better conditioned).

While I'm at it if you think trail manors are an issue you should try
watering a stallion at a trough and have people slam into you with their
horse and act like it is your fault that your stallion will not stand nose
to nose with another horse.

While I 'm at it, Interesting article on page 16 of the June Endurance news
by Macky- smith and bobby Liberman.
I thought it was very interesting

While I 'm at it, except for the glorified competitive trail remark. We need
to have all equine sports work together to protect our equine rights,
trails, and attitudes. No need to take shots at each other. Look what other
organizations do well and Plagiarize the good practices such as people and
horse manners !

While I 'm at it, I will be very quiet now, but my stallion will continue to
talk on occasion!! See you at Tevis!

Regards :  Roger


Texas Twist Ranch
World Class Longhorn Cattle
Arabian Performance Horses

Roger & Jackie Garlitz
1000 Creek View Lane
Lucas Texas 75002
Phone 214 5470749
E-mail  texastwist@ev1.net
Web Site Texas Twist Ranch

-----Original Message-----
From:	Monika Smith [mailto:smithpr@cadvision.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, June 20, 2001 2:11 PM
To:	ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject:	RC:  Just what is LD competition?

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


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