Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Here we go again.

OK, come up with a new name for LD then.  Intro.  Or something.  In 
Dressage there are levels.  Come up with a new name.  Riders who do, 
say, Prix St. George would not be comfortable having First Level riders 
grouped with them.  So get creative, Howard.

Just do NOT try and call it endurance.

Like calling a 10K a marathon--it just doesn't WORK.  And it's 
insulting.  It is HARDER to do a 50 than to do a 25.  They are not the 
same for either horse or rider.  I can say that without IN ANY WAY 
putting down the lower distance.

We have multi day rides.  100 mile rides.  I don't consider a 50 
equivalent to a 100--why would anyone?  So why do you think a 50 is the 
same as a 25?  We're all "distance riders", can't we just be 
comfortable with that?

We will always have people/horses more comfortable with that 
introductory distance level--why try and categorize it the same when 
even the participants aren't looking for that?

Lynne
ride manager, endurance rider, LD rider
whose endurance mare is past her due date, c'mon BABY

On Apr 28, 2004, at 8:24 AM, Howard Bramhall wrote:

> Yes, but, one can dream.  Dream of a day when the LD is no longer 
> considered "limited."  Dream of a day when all riders are educated to 
> the point that the horse will always come first, no matter what the 
> distance.  Dream of a day when riders of all distances are treated 
> equally.  Dream of the day when knowledge of the past is used to aid 
> us in our future.  Dream of the day when we can come up with a 
> solution to all of this.
>
> I do think that the days you're speaking of also had some antiquated 
> rules like the 72 bpm for passing the vet check, only one vet check, 
> at the finish line, for the 25, instead of two, no knowledge of what a 
> CRI was, walking the horse instead of trotting him for the completion, 
> etc.  Incorporate all of those and, maybe, dare I say it, even adding 
> another rule or two, and the shorter distance can be handled the same 
> way as a 50 or the 100 without having the problems you mentioned.  
> Rider education, clinics at the rides, a well established mentor 
> program, which includes providing mentors for those who want or need 
> them at the ride, all of this could really make such a thing a 
> reality.  And, to change the name of the LD to a 25 mile endurance 
> ride.  Eliminate the word "limited" altogether.
>
> It can be done if only we wanted it badly enough.
>
> ONe can only dream.
>
> cya,
> Howard (I still believe)

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REAL endurance is eating egg salad sandwiches for 3 days straight!
~ Heidi Sowards

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