When we managed the 30 mile Barley Patch
ride, along with Castle Rock 50, I used to hear, "I've got this great
horse. He can WIN the 30-miler." And they'd go like a bat out of
Hell. Drugstore cowboys, some of them.
Barbara McCrary Ride manager, Swanton
Pacific 75/100 "The most beautiful trail in the world"
I agree with you
100%. But as long as AERC has it set up as the same rules as the 50+
rides then for LD's to get credit for BC we ride managers have to run the BC
like AERC guides us. If young horses are getting hurt competing this way
with speed, then it's the riders and the AERC that is responable for this set
up. There are some riders/owners that
just don't understand that it's not that important to go fast in an LD ride. I
here all the time "my horse got 1st, 4th, top ten, etc. in the "ride name" 25
miler! Maybe with changing the name from "LD" to "Novice" would help.
They want to prove their horse for self, increased value for resale, or
whatever the personal or business
reason. But fact is...at least with
our rides over the years, riders in our LD were putting in faster times into
the 1st loop (which is very hilly and the same loop) than the top ten riders
in the 50 miler. I don't know what that is all
about.
Tammy
Robinson Trail-Rite Ranch & Products 18171 Lost Creek Road Santa
Clarita, CA 91390 661/513-9269 or 661/713-3912; cell www.Trail-Rite.com
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