First 50

[guest@endurance.net]

K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net


Jim Holland said:

> You don't HAVE to finish that first 50....

I would like to emphasize this point, especially to all the
people who have said that it is too much of a risk to start a
rider in endurance on a 50 miler instead of doing some LD rides.

While I understand and support the fact that ride managers
like to provide LD rides for those people who do not (for
whatever reason) want to ride their horses 50 miles, I think
it is important to note that NOBODY is required to finish their
ride.  A rider can stop 25 miles into the ride if they so choose,
trail access permitting (more on that below).

As an example.  This past January, the Fire Mountain Ride
provided three distances: 15, 30, and 50.  The 50 mile ride
consisted of three loops: a 15 mile loop, a second 15 mile loop,
and a 20 mile loop.  The 30 mile ride consisted of the first
two 15 mile loops.  The 15 mile ride consisted of only the
first 15 mile loop.

The only differences between riding the 30 mile LD ride and riding
the 50 mile ride and stopping after the first two loops were
the time of day that you started, a slightly longer hold for
the LD riders (but there is nothing that says you had to leave
the vet check at your out time if you were riding the 50), and
the completion award you got (or didn't get as is the case with
stopping before finishing the 50) at the end (a folding chair).

The only differences between riding the 15 mile introductory ride
and stopping after riding the first loop of the 50 mile ride were
the time of day you started and the completion award you got (or
didn't get) at the end (something other than a chair, but I can't
remember what).

So...if you were going because you wanted the prize, then, yes
it is important to enter the shorter distance ride.

If, however, you are going in order to train either horse or
rider in the proper care of horse, proper pacing for an
endurance ride, experiencing camping (all horses of all distances
were in the same camp), etc., then entering the 50 and being
required to evaluate your and your horse's condition and
then determining whether you both are "fit to continue" is
probably a better option.

Yes, it is discouraging for novice riders (this matters to the
riders only, the horse neither knows nor cares whether it
"completed" the ride) not to "win" their first ride, but, I
contend that it may actually be a better venue for novice riders
to have to "dive in" by entering a 50 and being instructed that
one of and endurance rider's responsibilities is to constantly
evaluate the horse's condition and to stop before the end if
necessary (and that, yes, doing so means you have to forego
the prize--which, in the overall scheme of things, is pretty
meaningless).  And being told by ride management and the vets
that they are there to assist riders in doing this.

For me, the mark of a good endurance rider is one who knows
when to stop, even if it is before the end. And I see no reason
that novice riders cannot begin learning this lesson at their
first ride--partially because I think it is probably THE MOST
important lesson for an endurance rider.

However, and here is where the "trail access permitting" thing
comes in, novice riders would do well to plan their first events
to be those (like the Fire Mountain Ride), that make stopping
before then end easier (unlike the old Outlaw Trail :)).

And ride managers who want to attract novice riders can do so
by providing them with helpful vets, education and support, rather
than giving them short rides.

Participating in short rides neither an endurance rider nor an
endurance horse makes.  Stopping before the end if either horse
or rider is not fit to continue (and understanding that that
decision fall firmly on the rider's shoulders) does.

kat
Orange County, Calif.