>There have been changes made which now make the
"LD's" actually safer for the horse then longer distances(my understanding from
this forum).
Safer? No. But at least no more risky than
longer distances.
>Those first shorter distance rides in which
horses were hurt were at that time probably considered "endurance" rides(correct
me if I'm wrong old timers) but only after seeing the problems of "all out
racing" without measures to protect the horses did these rides become
"non-endurance" limited distance rides.
Bingo--and that was the point I was trying to
make. It was the removal of the short rides from the endurance designation
and making them something else that led to the removal of much of the
risk.
>To delve into the difference between LD and
endurance with "outsiders" is meaningless
I agree, Ed. When I tell the lady at the feed
store that I'm going to a ride, I tell her that I'm endurance riding, even if
I'm only doing an LD. But *I* as a rider know the difference, and
that's the main thing.
