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Re: [RC] [RC] LD/Endurance - Joe LongOn Mon, 17 May 2004 11:17:31 -0400, "Howard Bramhall" <howard9732@xxxxxxx> wrote: Of course it's not true. We lost 4 horses last year doing the LD which kind of proves it ain't true at all. Your logic is incorrect. Almost any horse between 4 and 20 years old, who does not have debilating health problems (including obesity), can successfully complete a 25 mile LD ride (which is not to say that unfit horses should be entered in LD rides). And, almost any horse can be killed on an LD ride. The fact that the latter is true in no way disproves the former. Getting an out-of-shape, unconditioned horse through a 25 mile ride requires proper care and pacing, did those four horses have proper care and pacing? As you quoted, you can kill most horses in 15 miles. That does not mean 15 miles is a distance that represents an endurance challenge. ... The beauty of the 25 miler is, when done properly, there is less risk to the horse's health. ... One of the things we do that reduces risk on LD rides is the pulse-down at the finish determining finishing time (and place) -- a significant difference from the way endurance rides are run. You have been one of the most vocal in expressing concern for safety of horses at AERC rides. Why, then, would you want to remove that differnce? -- Joe Long jlong@xxxxxxxx http://www.rnbw.com ============================================================ You don't have to be a 100-mile rider or a multi-day rider to be an endurance rider, but if you want to experience the finest challenges our sport has to offer, you need to do both of those. ~ Joe Long ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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