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Re: [RC] not awarding speed - Joe LongOn Fri, 31 Oct 2003 09:43:29 EST, SteelSideDown@xxxxxxx wrote: ... We are out there competing against 50 other horses on average. What do we have to do to get "the edge" ? Be reckless? Override the horse? Skip the waterholes? Actually, no. You can't be first by overriding. You have to successfully complete the ride, including meeting "fit to continue" criteria, to get any placing. Here is a simple fact anyone racing needs to brand firmly in their brain: "You can't finish first, unless you first finish." Ah, skipping waterholes -- nope, doesn't work. Someone once said "Time spent allowing your horse to drink on the trail is never wasted." Very true. Well, with exceptions in the last few miles. A funny story: I was sponsoring a Junior rider and we were chasing the one rider who was ahead of us after the last vet check. We're about a mile from the finish line, and we have that rider in sight. We come to a large puddle and Tracy (the Junior) stops to give her horse a drink! She was doing exactly as she'd been taught, but less than a mile from the finish (with the lead rider in sight) is not exactly a good time. I hollered out "Tracy, NOT NOW!!!" She came on, but we weren't able to catch the lead rider. But, many's the time Khalil and I have stayed at a waterhole while the thundering herd disappeared over the next hill, with him "cameling up." It always pays off later in the ride. -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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