There is a top level, upper echelon, higher plane, whatever you want to call it, type of endurance horse and rider out there. I see them at a lot of rides I attend and the ones I know can do some incredible things with their horse. Actually, I give most of the credit to the horse, but I do know these riders train really hard and are there to compete. And, to tell you the truth, I'd love to ride with them at that speed and at that intensity. Just not 100 miles. One of my mental blocks for running at that speed is I think I'm too fat, and I am a little gun shy. Till recently, I didn't think I had the horse who could compete at that level. Now, I may have something with my new horse, American Spirit, but I'm a little scared to go at that pace. I really do believe weight matters, and once bitten, twice, extremely shy (not my personality, but my feelings on this). I'm going to Hahira next week and it is one of the biggest shows of endurance you'd ever get to see. It's an equine circus, a plethora of endurance horses and riders in the Southeast. My guess is they'll be over 250 riders there, total. The start of this ride will be intense, it always is. And, my new guy is like greased lightening at the start. I'm a little concerned here. When we did Osceola he galloped and cantered that entire first loop, in the dark, barefoot. I came in ahead of Darlene Krell that first loop; she eventually won the 50 by a landslide. After the first 18 miles I finally got American Spirit to slow down and we took incredibly long breaks before leaving camp for that next loop. I just adore this horse! And, I'm scared, not of riding fast, but of him breaking down on me because we do. So, for now, we don't. I don't ever want to be under a tree with a horse hooked up to an IV again. Just the very idea of a repeat of that experience causes a queasy feeling in my stomach and if I think about it too long I'll make myself ill. So, even though I might let'er rip that first loop, I just can't bring myself to go at that pace, with my fat butt, the entire 50. The folks who do this are at a completely different level, they train hard, and they have faith in what they're doing. Me, I'm just not all that sure. Once bitten, twice shy. But, deep down, I'd love to run with them. To compete is what life is all about; it's a drug free high and some folks are quite hooked on it. For most of my life everything I've been involved in has been some sort of competition; however, endurance, and my limited experiences with it has given me an entirely new meaning to the word. In endurance, and other equine activities, you're not risking your life as much as you are risking the life of your horse. This makes the sport completely different than baseball, football, or other athletic events involving only humans and a ball. Nobody cares if you kill the ball. Take that away (competition) and we might as well disband AERC, because even if you don't ever plan on top tenning, at every ride you attend you will earn a certain placing. You're not there to just pleasure ride (OK, maybe, some of you are, but you better be finished in under 12 or 24 hours). Even though we want to call it a run, an 8 hour 100 is really a race. A different kind of race than the thoroughbred folks are used to but a race all the same. Let's not take the competition out of the sport or try to separate the pros from the amateurs. I like being able to run with them that first loop. Cantering or galloping alongside my gal, Val, and then looking at her and yelling out, "Isn't this fun," is what I live for. It's an incredible rush for me, although going that pace for a 100 miles is something I can't quite fathom. But, since I really do prefer the 50, I have no right to judge or even comment on what those 100 milers are doing. Let's not get into name calling here. IF they trained hard, left camp the day after the ride with a healthy horse, who can say that speed is harming their horse? I've given up trying to figure out what the horse is capable of doing. They're so darn magical to me there are times I do believe they are the ones controlling us and not the other way around. cya, Howard (to live is to ride; to ride is to live) ----- Original Message ----- From: DeAnn Schnepple Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 9:31 PM To: ridecamp Subject: Fw: [RC] National IAHA Championship on TV ----- Original Message ----- From: DeAnn Schnepple Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 6:06 PM To: Merryben@xxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] National IAHA Championship on TV Very well said, Merryben! There certainly are ignorant people "trying" to do this sport that don't have any business near horses!! ----- Original Message ----- From: Merryben@xxxxxxx Sent: Friday, November 08, 2002 5:45 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [RC] National IAHA Championship on TV Ken and Jaye pretty much said it all but me being me, I can't let an attack on one of my juniors go by, even though she is now 25 years old. Heather is one of the three people in the world, the other two being Becky and Julie, who I would let ride one of my horses unsupervised. She is never cruel or uncaring and does not override her horses. It is too bad that people who don't know her, weren't there, and probably would not recognize Red if he fell on them, can make such snap judgments which are themselves stupid and cruel. You guys need to ride more and stop armchair quarterbacking.
mb [Heather's former sponsor]
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