In a message dated 12/12/2003 8:17:41 PM Central Standard Time, kskf@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Then, this comment - if you can't make it in 4.5 hours, stay home.
Neither me or my horse had been on the hilly, rocky terrain found in Bandera before. He had not used EasyBoots before. I am a conservative rider, and did a pace I felt was comfortable for both of us given our level of experience. He dropped to criteria at both VCs in 7 & 12 minutes, got all As on our vet card, and we got a completion. I RODE MY OWN RIDE. I just would have preferred to "ride my own ride" with an extra 30 minutes to complete.
If I am not the kind of newbie you want out there, who is???
I did not say "stay home". I would never ride a horse on hilly rocky terrain unless he had seen that kind of terrain before. I would not use Easyboots or anything else "new". That is a cardinal rule of us old fogies. Never try anything "new" on a ride....Ask Dr. Bill Bentham about his new Levis... That is one funny story.
I also did not say you were not the kind of newbie I wanted out there. Don't be so defensive. I was just trying to point out that an hour is not a really long hold. Also, 7 minutes is a good recovery but 12 is kind of pushing it for the people I ride with. My Spotted Saddle Horse is 14.1 and I am a HW and he make is in 5 to 10 minutes. My arabs do better. We always get off and walk the last part into the vet check and maybe that helps....mb
