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Re: [RC] Letters to the World - Barbara McCraryHere's one little old lady who applauds what both Heidi and Lif are saying. I've ridden my share of hysterical Arabs (and one hysterical QH, as well) on endurance rides in my younger days, but until we had the good fortune to come by a couple who are safe, sane, quiet, and well-behaved, we never knew it could be so good. I'm sure there are some bloodlines and individuals within other bloodlines that are safe and sane and these need to be encouraged and perpetuated. With all this discussion about the letter to the editor in AHW, I took another look at the magazine, pricey thing it is, and looked at all the wild-eyed, Vaseline-faced, weak-backed, flat-crouped show horses that are either just standing there or doing what is euphemistically called park horse gaits, and it made me cringe. I saw some real beauties on Day 1 of Cold Springs XP ride and they weren't any show horses. They were all business, going down the trail with purpose. One woman was riding hers with nothing but a rope around its neck. I agree that the Arab horse industry needs to be looking at something other than the show ring as a marketing tool. The show ring standards have ruined, at least, many cattle, dogs and horses. Great messages, Lif and Heidi. Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: <heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <lif@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 10:05 AM Subject: Re: [RC] Letters to the World Wow, Lif, you get a standing ovation from me for that response! You hit the nail on the head, and drove it home. BTW, in a recent Registry survey, distance riding was the #1 competitive use by Arabian owners, surpassing shows. It is, indeed, time that the Powers That Be at AHA woke up and smelled the coffee. The trainers are promoting a sort of horse that no daddy would even CONSIDER buying for his little girl--and yet they are crying in their beer about the success of AQHA, who has marketed that very concept--a calm, gentle, friendly animal with a youthful owner riding, or a family including grandpa out on a weekend outing. I think about that every time I walk through an endurance camp, where Arabians are peacefully tethered to trailers and putting up with little electric pens, and then are ridden out on the trail by children, little old ladies, and everybody in between. They stand in line at vet checks to be poked and prodded, they co-exist in jammed-up circumstances on the trail, and they still go out and demonstrate superlative athleticism, time and time again. THIS is the classic Arabian horse--and is the one that should be on the marquee, if we want to market to the general riding public. HeidiThe letter to the editor from Raoul Baxter in June Arabian Horse World raises some excellent points, however I feel that as long as showing continues to be held to be the end-all salvation for the Arabian breed, then we are truly and ultimately looking at the end - might as well just cut our losses, close the Registry's doors and get it over with. Showing, in my opinion, is the cause of the problems the Registry finds itself in today, not the solution. Mr. Baxter writes that "The Arabian horse has to stand for something unique to itself" and further, that solutions to declining new owners and new registrations of Arabian horses will not be found as long as those solutions do not focus on the breed's specialty. The Arabian horse started as a distance horse, and that, in my opinion, is it's specialty, it's very own niche that no other breed can compare to. The right of the Arabian horse to claim this specialty is tested - and proved - almost every weekend in the United States and around the world. Showing of Arabians has had it's time to prove it's worth to the breed. Anyone can see where it has gotten us. It is time to focus on the Arabian horse's tried and true specialty: Distance riding. I agree with Mr. Baxter - it is time for revolutionary change. Support the Arabian horse's proven area of expertise, support distance riding, support endurance riding. Support a use that promotes the need for traditional Arabian conformation where form follows function. Support a use that promotes family participation, outdoor recreation, healthy bodies and minds (for horse and human!) and the positive goal of "to finish is to win" instead of the negative "everyone loses but the winner". Therein lies the salvation of the Arabian horse and the solution to declining registrations and ownership. Give everyone a chance to be a winner.============================================================ Every horse can be taught to walk faster than you think. It is one of the most important qualities of a good riding horse. Some have it naturally, others need to learn. On the other hand, if you are riding a tired horse, an easy jog is more efficient, covers more groumnd with less effort. (it's the rebound effect of the two beat trot) ~ Dot Wiggins ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================ ============================================================ Why should I look good if I don`t smell good? ~ author unknown ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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