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From: Jim HollandSent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 1:36 PMTo: tprevatt@mindspring.com; RidecampSubject: RC: DVE/LSD (Long)Truman, the sun is out and there is hope. Had a great day yesterday clearing a new trail, and now this. <sigh> I'm a little stir crazy I think. I need to be "out there", not "in here".
Just riding for the mileage is what some people do, which is OK, but that's only one facet of Endurance, and is just that...mileage. Let's see....if I look up Susan Garlinghouse, I have twice as many miles as she does. Guess that makes me twice as knowledgeable? I suppose we shouldn't count all those hours of research at Tevis and other places and what she has seen other riders do and not do? Hardly....I'm a novice
compared to her. She can ride with me or ride my horses anytime. (Hopefully, she would be willing to do that) :)
Endurance offers many different ways to excel. I think it would benefit all of us that call ourselves "Endurance Riders" to sit down and write out a personal definition of what our goals are in this sport. My PERSONAL definition of Endurance is to compete successfully (where it be for mileage, awards for my horse, or just the opportunity to complete)
within acceptable safe parameters on a physically and mentally well trained horse over varied and challenging trails.
For me, add DIY, and continually try to learn more and get better at it. The more well trained and fit I can get my horse (and me) the more confident I am that all will turn out well for both of us and the safer we are. That is, it raises the bar on what are "acceptable safe parameters". I try to CONSTANTLY teach my horse, and remind myself that I am competing mostly with myself and against the trail. Considering my USMC background, I hate to say it but I try to be "The Best That I Can Be" <cringe> <grin> (Hmmmm...guess I haven't been too successful lately, huh?) <sigh> I have a hard time just meeting the high standards Sunny sets for me! :)
-------------------Jim, sounds like a great idea. Here's my idea of what my goals are in the wonderful sport of endurance:
1) Goal number one is to actually show up for the ride in time, maybe, find a good parking spot, hope that the check I sent in to pre register didn't bounce, and look around and find my Coggins papers and AERC cards.
2) Goal number two is to make sure that the number of horses I bring match the number of family members who will actually be riding. I have found that if these two numbers don't match, my week-end will be a long one, and if there are more riders than horses, I find myself crewing (something I suck at worse than riding) instead of riding.
3) Goal number three is to make sure I have enough beer. It's a long week-end and even if I don't have that many friends, I do find that those I do have seem to drink quite a lot of my beer, even when I buy Red Dog. Running out of beer is totally unacceptable!
4) Goal number four is to present Dance Line, my overly active Saddlebred, to the vet, at the pre ride check, without scaring the crap out of those in line with me and the vet who gets to check Dance's anal tone.
5) Goal number five is not to get angry when my horse gets pulled, for whatever reason. I know the vet will not believe me when I tell them, "He's just acting. Faking. Nothing wrong with this horse whatsoever. He's just trying to pull a fast one on me. Again."
6) After I do get pulled, goal number six is to go out and beg for a sponsor for my kid, who never seems to get pulled, realizing that one only has so many friends at these rides. And not everyone wants to ride with an anchor attached to them and their horse. lol.
7) My final goal is to take a really good, peaceful nap, after my horse does get pulled. It's been a long, hard, stressful day, for me, not the horse, who seems quite content getting his way with the vet and now just standing around eating his hay and beet pulp. I need my beauty rest. And I need to dream; dream of my true goal, which is to actually finish the darn ride, with a horse who is as healthy as he was the day before.
cya,
Howard (If you've ever wondered what the difference is between a Marine and an Air Force vet, just read the differences between Jim's posts and mine. lol)
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