Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

In some ways I think that there are cycles, and periods where people go 
thru horses and have to start over so there may be a lag between the time 
that they have a 100 mile horse or not.  Though, that doesn't really 
explain all of the drop.  Certainly multidays are popular among families 
that have children because they are easier to manage from the parents' 
perspective -- yet on the multidays I go to there are only a small handful 
of junior riders on any given ride, and usually those same kids are the few 
left riding 100's.  We sure aren't having very many juniors entering 100's 
this year, tho we have got several who want to, or have plans to because 
they want to win the award blanket that is now available (unofficially) to 
any junior who completes two one day 100's on the same horse within a one 
year period.

People need goals and reasons to face a challenge.  They don't necessarily 
care about whatever the item is that they receive for meeting that goal, 
but I know that people do like to have a purpose, something that drives 
them to do something.  Lots of people I know won't go to an FEI ride, so 
while it may gain some riders who do like them, it's losing riders as 
well.  Since I have sponsored a junior on an FEI 100, it is not something 
that I would recommend, or something that I would ever want to do 
again.  It's just not the best environment for a kid, but that's just my 
opinion.  At least not ones that are doing their first 100.  Everybody gets 
too tense, serious, uptight and bent out of shape at those rides.  Fun?  ha

Most of the regular multiday riders also ride 100's, a good multiday horse 
can usually breeze thru 100's so the two types of rides can compliment each 
other if used right.  Many of those on the WEC list are multiday 
riders/horses.  I think that people go to multidays and see how much fun 
they are, ride in great country without having to repeat trail over and 
over and if they do all 5 days on the same horse they will get an 
embroidered jacket that is as nice as the year end regional awards aerc 
gives out -- 100 milers who just ride to complete don't really get anything 
other than a regular completion award (but, you do get the personal 
satisfaction of having done it, which once you have you want to do it again 
usually), and at all of the 100's I've done except for Tevis and Virginia 
City, the awards given to the 100 milers are the same awards the 25 milers 
get.  We are a lazy society, and if somebody can get the same award and 
recognition for doing 25 miles over 100, well......what are ya gonna do?

The more recognition we give to the shorter distances, the more 100 mile 
participation will decline, I am afraid.

Karen
in NV


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