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Re: [RC] Decline of entries in 100 milers - TypefI am an reborn endurance rider from the 70's and this year completed 2 LD's. It's all I had the time to condition for. I think the posts about the fast-paced lives we all lead is probably a key for me. I am a self-employed graphic artist and although I work out of my home, the time seems to escape me to get out there and condition that horse as much as I need to, to move on to "endurance" riding. A typical day for me is 12 hours. And sometimes 14-16. Of course, it's winter now, but it's obvious to me that I know nothing of winter riding, after reading some of the posts from you diehards back east in the cold temperatures. I'm a spoiled Californian who looks outside, doesn't see any sun and the temperature is 40 and says, "RideCamp looks better from here." Go ahead, call me a wuss. Lessee, what was my point? Oh yeah ... time. We all need time to condition. I don't seem to be able to make enough of it. I would eventually like to do a 100. To carry on in the footsteps of my great old horse who passed away last year who loved them. To say "Yes! I can do it!" And probably keep on doing it. But at the rate I'm going, it will be a long time before I get there on my current mount. However, I rode my new mare yesterday at the trainer's (she's 11, never been ridden before, what a challenge) and the darn horse walks so fast, I felt like I had to post. Fence posts were flying by me at the speed of sound. The difference in this horse's forward motion and the one I'm riding now are like riding two different kinds of animals. Of course, they are different animals, a Mustang vs. an Arabian. I might make it faster than I thought on this new one. Heck, I COULD probably walk a 25-miler on this mare and have plenty of time to spare. I now know what people were talking about a week or so ago. My current mount would never be able to walk a 25-miler under time. Not a chance. I would be interested in knowing how many of my fellow RideCampers are self-employed and how many hold down regular day jobs. And if you do hold down day jobs, how do you get away from work to travel to a ride? I had a heck of a time this last year picking rides I could actually attend because of my monthly deadlines. I had to pick the few that didn't coincide with me needing to be ball-and-chained to my computer chair at deadline time. And for me, it might be that I just am not tough enough to get out there at 5:00 a.m. or in the dark (definitely not) to get as far as I need to go to make certain my horse is conditioned enough for a 100. When my dad enduranced in the 70's, he had me to condition his horse every day after school. Oh, that I had a kid to do that for me now LOL!!! Anyway, for me, it's making the time to condition my horse. :) Jackie (and MC, the "Do I have to go up that hill?" Mustang and Crystal the turbo-walking Arab) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Young Casey" <glenn218@xxxxxxxxx> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 2:07 PM Subject: Re: [RC] Decline of entries in 100 milers --- "Maureen A. Fager" <trottin27@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:At any rate, the "it's to hard" sentiment goes along with the "scared to try one" sentiment.You're right there. In this age of litigation, folks are too scared to take on a newbie...especially if said newbie is a junior. And, on a different take, older riders just getting into endurance CAN be too intemidated to try the 100. I don't know...so many variables. Since the entry rate is so low, it can be more advantagious, points wise, to do a 2-day 50 with a full entry than a one-day 100 with less than 4 entries. You'd stand to get as many points on the 2-day as the 1-day. I still enjoy the challenge. I don't know if I have a 100 mile horse. I know I DON'T have a 100 mile crew! LOL! My Dad may "just say NO" and my poor husband may say, "bye!" But, come June, I'll find out if my super horse, Charlie Brown, is a 100 mile horse. Someone has already aske, "How do you know if you have a 100 mile horse?" I guess you just gotta try it. ===== Susan Young Casey, Princess of Pink, LIW, RRHA, RHS Semper Obliquo (Always aside) Glenndale Grace Farm, Ft Gibson, Oklahoma U.S.A. "Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on! Ride on over all obstacles, and win the race!" - Charles Dickens (1812-1870) __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. 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