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Wow, I never realized I wasn't technically doing endurance since I've only done LD so far. The e-mails to ridecamp in the last 30 days have made me take a step back and really think about whether I want to continue in this sport or not.

 

It never crossed my mind that folks would be in this sport and not put the horse first since there are no $$ prizes. I thought maybe this sport would let the team (horse and rider) compete without the attitudes and disreguard for horse's well being that you see so much of around the show rings. Was I mistaken?

 

Howard, please don't stop your stories. They are a great read even if some folks don't appreciate your "colorful" writing skill.

 

Diane, Dancer and Elvis (Appys who thought we were doing/training for endurance)

Benedikte Whitman <rallychk@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Just a newbies take on this issue. Having done some CTR and one LD so far
I am certainly not the most qualified to comment - however...

I do not see that being a limited distance rider vs. an endurance rider is
in anyway negative, demeaning, or "second class" - it is simply a
description of what I am doing. However, when people start talking about
"real" endurance, that can really give a feeling of denigration and make
people feel that what they are being told is that they are doing "false"
endurance.

When people ask what I do I tell them I ride distance. That usually
brings the wrinkled brow which immediately clears when I say I do
endurance, you know where you ride for 5 or 6 hours. Now I know there is
a technical distinction within AERC, but for 90% of the population, the
idea of doing even that, i.e. "just" 25 miles, is inconceivable. So even
though AERC technically says that I have not yet "endured", I am still
justifiably, IMHO, proud of what I have done. Where I live 75% of the
horses I see NEVER leave their corrals and mine by comparison, are
constantly ridden.

I guess my point is that LD is just a descriptive name as in fact is
endurance. Neither has any intrinsic value of their own and it is only
when someone assigns it either to themselves or if someone else uses the
term in an exclusionary and denigrating manner that it can be seen as a
negative.
Bendikte


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