Back somewhere around 1975 a friend of mine named Nancy DeRosset called and asked if I could help work on an endurance ride she was putting on. You bet I could. I had read some about Tevis and loved the idea. I worked a couple of rides and then also rode in two different rides somewhere around the mid '70s; Trask Mt. and Flying M. Both these rides offered 25 mile rides. They were not called Limited Distance; they were 25 mile endurance rides. I never heard of LD until I started reading ridecamp in 1999, when I came back to wanting to ride Tevis someday (found out that swinging bridge really wasn't that bad!).
I cringe every time I see LD mentioned in a subject line on Ridecamp. Trashing the 25 milers again. This is the distance I do at this time although I hope to graduate to a 50 by the end of this year. But, I'm close to 70, have had one total knee replacement and am just past a little cut and scrape on the other knee a week ago. Maybe I'll attain my goals and maybe I won't but I sure will keep trying.
I don't see all the problems with LD rider's horses which are alluded to frequently in these posts. Seems like most of the treated horses I have seen are 50 milers and over. Maybe that's just a coincidence; maybe I just haven't been aware of it.
If I come in 30th out of 60 I'm not interested in showing for BC. I could not possibly feel I had deserved it. If I were at a ride that had such a drawing I probably would not participate. I want to ride and take care of my horse and get what we earn and deserve as a team.
But then, that's just my opinion...I could be wrong.
