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[RC] Running down people...is okay? - Howard BramhallFirst, let me say, running down people while riding a horse is not OK. I mean, doing something like that might really hurt the horse. jk, jk, jk. But, aren?t we talking about the finish line here? Isn?t the purpose of the finish line to see who comes in first? Don?t the top runners sometimes race to be the first ones to cross it? If there?s a bunch of them racing to the line, aren?t they like galloping, hell bent for hide leather (do I have that phrase right?). Wouldn't folks standing around the finish line, waiting for this to happen, kind of know that this is the purpose of the finish line and if they're hanging around it's proximity, to watch the runners race in, it might be wise to not stand in front of it? The horse could run over you and get injured. I just don?t understand. When I time at a ride (OK, I?ve done this like once and it took quite a few years before someone asked me to do that job; it wasn't at my very first ride) and am waiting for the top runners in the 50 to come in, I find myself wanting them to race. Gets kind of boring sitting out there just waiting, so, if I see 3 or 4 or them coming, I make darn sure I?m out of the way. I find the nearest tree and get behind it. That horse is going to have to leap frog off the trail and go through a tree much thicker in the middle than he is to even come close to touching me (will you stop touching me, horse?). And, if there?s anyone else waiting around to see who wins, places or shows, if they?re not doing as me I?ll yell at them, ?Riders coming, take cover.? I mean, come on. Are you telling me you?re standing there in front of the finish line when riders are racing towards you and are now wondering why you got hit by a horse and rider? I think someone should have briefed you on why that finish line was placed there in the first place. I cannot imagine, for the life of me, how you would put yourself in any position to get injured like that. Are we going to completely take away the fun from this sport because some folks don?t have the brains God gave to my gold fish? Would you do this at the racetrack? Of course not, because someone would make darn sure that you didn?t and, guess who that someone usually is at an endurance ride? It?s the timer or the ride manager. Someone sitting out there waiting to record the winners. Sitting way off to the side, so they don?t get hit by a galloping horse. Nancy Gooch, time keeper of the South, usually sits in her car (it?s a van actually) while waiting for the top runners to come in. You won?t ever hit Nancy while racing towards the finish line and if your horse dings her car, no matter what happens to your horse, you will pay for the damage to Nancy's van (or be banished at any rides in the Southeast until the debt is paid). She?s been doing this for years and I don?t think she?s ever been injured at a ride. You can?t really blame this on the horse and rider unless something was said by Ride Management at the Rider?s meeting before the ride. Something like, ?Don?t race in at the finish because it?s not in a safe area. Or, we got a lot of folks in these parts who like to wander around in front of the finish line, not the sharpest knives in our drawer, so try not to kill them on your way in.? I know we have controlled starts at some of our rides but, controlled finishes? Not bloody likely. cya, Howard (a horse might be the one who takes me out but it won't be cause I'm standing in front of the finish line) _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar ? get it now! http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ ============================================================ REAL endurance is reading the LD vs. Endurance thread/debate every 3 months!!! ~ Heidi Sowards ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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