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Re: [RC] Statistics on rides, distances, and AERC membership - Maryanne Stroud GabbaniSteph, as someone who has tried all of the modes of endurance, you definitely have the experience to speak. Having watched the not-quite-100 miles (usually 120 km here) in the desert sand races in Egypt, there is no question in my mind that it is endurance. It is endurance for horses who are working through sand that increases the effort of their work exponentially; it is endurance for riders who are eating grit for much of the day; it is even endurance for the poor press folk (which is where I usually fall) who are trying to make out what is happening among the front runners who are flying along in a cloud of dust whipped up by horses and Jeeps, dust that can be seen an easy 10 km away.I have to admit that I love a good gallop in the desert. There is nothing in the world to clear the cobwebs out of your head and soul better than roaring along past monuments that have stood for centuries with the sun on your back and the wind in your face (okay, okay...so I'm rubbing it in a bit. This is the best place in the world for galloping). I loved galloping in the desert enough that I'm now having to walk my favourite mare for the next six months in the hope that some new therapy will bring back the sesamoid that she shattered in a desert run and I won't have to make the decision that we all fear. My boarder loved it enough to be willing to walk her old gelding who has galloping arthritis in his fetlocks from years of desert running. I guess what I'm saying is that fast flat 100's are to endurance what the Indianapolis 500 is to rally driving...if you have the mind, the training, the horse, by all means give it at try, but it isn't for everyone, and I personally hate to see endurance defined in any way by that sort of race. Yes, as I said, it is endurance, but endurance is also so much more that carries a much lower price tag. I've seen the downside of people learning about endurance from flat fast desert riding. It's measured in dry bones, damaged tendons and horses that will never know that thrill again. I've seen the desert eat horses and I despair of having "endurance" riders here ever learn that sometimes slow is better for them and for their horses. You all have the wonderful chance to learn about endurance the right way, to bring along a young horse for years (haven't seen that happen here yet). You have the choices of distances and days. You have the mentors, the models, the vets that are so desperately needed by people who are learning this sport...and that is the future, the new riders and ride managers. I don't see so much a polarisation with people saying that FEI flat track endurance is different. It is. It isn't better or worse as a competition. It's just different and has to be approached as such. With the proper preparation, flat track is no worse than any other type of race, but there is a minor philosophical difference. It IS a race and it doesn't matter much where one finishes if it's not in the first few. Technical, mountain, and multiday's are a bit different in philosophy...and you all thought that philosophy was just a course in college that was just to be endured. See? Everything comes in handy. In Egypt we never throw anything away; we've even kept those huge piles of rocks. Maybe if we could all agree that fast flat 100's are a different kind of endurance it would be a step forward. They are, no doubt, endurance racing as opposed to endurance riding. But there need not be any jihad's over this sort of thing. The world is a very large place still. Maryanne Cairo On Monday, Nov 29, 2004, at 00:13 Africa/Cairo, StephTeeter wrote: And now I have a question - those of you who don't consider flat/fast 100's Maryanne Stroud Gabbani Cairo, Egypt www.alsorat.com miloflamingo.blogspot.com "The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for" Louis L'Amour =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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