Respnse to Sylvia

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

>> When I can't, I am an 
> ex or > former endurance rider just the way (but on a slightly higher >
level)! Joe Montana is an ex-football player, Muhammad Ali is a former
boxing > champ or 

I beg to differ (can't believe I'm argueing with the master).  To me
becoming an endurance rider is like losing your virginity...you don't get
it back!  You may get to the point that riding to the end of the driveway
and back is a challenge, but *you* have earned the title endurance rider
PERMANENTLY.  

You also might add to your "good reasons to do LD" simply wanting to
compete on a horse who is not suitable to go 50 miles.  In the Southeast
we have a young lady who rides a small pony (We're talking close to
Shetland size). She rides him in LD's with a bareback pad and no
stirrups.  Nobody would ever insinuate she should do 50 on him or get
lost. We all admire her and don't think we could do what she does.  My
friend who has a learning disability rides a 20 year old schooling horse.
 He shouldn't do 50.  He takes care of her and makes it possible for her
to compete.  Thank goodness for LD's. I have good friends who actually
ride some pretty nice Arabs but have no trail access and hardly ever get
to train other than at rides.  I'm glad they have LD.  People are jumping
to conclusions when they assume that if you make one negative comment
about a person who is a career LD "winner" that you aren't in favor of
the LD program.  

I had grandparents on both sides of my family who were crippled with
arthritis....had to use crutches & wheelchairs.  I've already got it at
40.  Chances are I'll be doing the LD or even 15 mile "training rides" on
a gaited horse someday. I'd be really bummed if I didn't think there was
an LD program for me to be in then. Long as I get good and tired and get
to see everybody I'll be happy.  I won't be doing the "endurance ride"
but I'll still be an endurance rider.  And by the way...on any given day
round here there's an awful lot of endurance riders in the LD, they just
aren't doing endurance that day.  The rest are "endurance apprentices"
>g<

Angie
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