[RC] [RC] first time rides (long) - Ridecamp Guest - oddfarm
I took today off from running or riding so this is
my last post for a while.
Patti, I am going to jump in here with Louise. If
this was your daughter's first ride, why should she think that she should walk
away with treasures? Who told her that? If your 17 year old daughter cried
because she wasn't "acknowledged", how is she going to make it through life?
First of all, I tell my kids, nobody owes you
anything. You have to earn it, and even then sometimes you don't get what you
deserve. (raises, promotions, bonuses, an A instead of a B) That's life.
One of the things I love about this sport, is that
for the most part, I am surrounded by strong and independent women as well as
kind and compassionate gentlemen. They have common sense, a sense of humor and
are as passionate about horses and the outdoors as I am. That is also why I have
always tried to bring my kids to these rides as much as possible. They have seen
what kind of people they DON'T want to be like, and have met lots of people they
look up to and respect. Even those Florida Floosies!
My daughter has also ridden since she was 11 or so.
Sometimes she got prizes, sometimes she didn't. Sometimes she just babysat me
and a new horse, and a few times rode without me so she could cruz. She sat
around camp at night with the rest of us, sometimes griping, mostly laughing and
always having a good time. Even when she didn't get anything.
Ride Management does everything they can to make a
ride just that. A good time. A good time for some is real competition. Others
want to meet and ride with friends to catch up. Others want to start a new horse
or work on some things like the start of a ride or the mountains. If during all
that, you win something, yeah! If not, so what.
If it was your daughters first ride and she had a
great time and her horse finished fit to continue, what more could anyone want??
I do hope you helped your daughter understand there is so much more to this
sport than a mug. We have to show our young people what sportsmanship is all
about. It isn't always easy, but doing the right thing rarely is.
Come on, Patti. Don't expect anyone to make you
happy at a ride. And remember that cup with no date? The more you print, the
more it costs. If you want RM to shower riders with fabulous gifts, expect to
pay for it in your entry fee. Listen, I have been to a ride where the completion
awards were used buckets and worse. And the entry fee was outrageous and quite a
few didn't even get their dinners that they paid for.
Your experience doesn't sound so bad now, does it?
Since I have put on rides, I try to keep my mouth
shut if something wasn't right at a ride. I certainly wouldn't say anything on
this site. I now know how much time, effort and money, (lots and lots) goes
into putting on a ride. Trust me, by the end of the weekend, RM knows what was
right, and what went wrong, even without the "constructive criticism" they have
access to via AERC. How about next time you volunteer to donate the Jr.
prizes?? Or donate funds to print on the cups??? Do you realize how ecstatic a
RM would be if you did?
I also find that if I have just one more glass of
wine at the end of the night, I love my horse more, I love everybody more and
the ride was actually perfect! It's amazing.
Lisa Salas, The Odd fArm
Let's not let the heat get to us now. Keep riding
and training, fall is just around the corner!! I'm counting down to
Leatherwood!!!
