Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The thing is, with voluntary,  it won't touch everyone.  Heck, we don't even 
know if all the newbies show up to the pre-ride talk.  It isn't mandatory 
that they do.  We don't have a checklist to make sure that they're all 
there.

The reason the mentor thing would work is folks like Joe Schoech would be 
the mentors.  People who know; people who see the need and riders who have 
something to offer and are willing to give up their time to help improve 
things.

We create a position, the mentor, and combine it with a well thought out 
educational program.  Why isn't this a good idea?  Is this really asking too 
much?  You don't think it will save a horse or two along the way?  It 
certainly wouldn't make anything worse and the way the numbers have been 
climbing the last two years we obviously need to do something.

Quite frankly, Ed, this wouldn't affect you one bit.  You're already a 
seasoned endurance rider.  I'm talking about starting out on the ground 
floor and working our way up.  Out of all the ideas I've read on this 
subject it seems to be the one that would have a positive affect on all of 
us.

Think about it.  A positive, well thought out educational endurance program. 
 Time spent with a proven rider out on the trail learning and picking their 
brains.

Change will only occur if we are willing to put something into it for the 
welfare of the horse.  Words like "mandatory" or phrases like "losing our 
freedom," should not turn one off to ideas like this.  Think of it all as 
"learning from the pro's" and "endurance knowledge enrichment."

Voluntary programs are good but they do not touch everyone.  We need to 
touch all of them to improve the numbers in endurance equine fatalities.  
The program would only be as good as what we put into it.  From what I've 
seen with the caliber of riders and wealth of knowledge at each and every 
endurance ride I"ve been to, we could come up with something quite 
phenomenal if we had the desire.

It's quite easy to say, "Naw, too much trouble.  I'm not for it. Don't like 
that word "mandatory."  Try to say, "You know, it's a good idea, we need to 
make some changes, this one is easy to swallow, and I want to get involved 
and make it happen."

cya,
Howard


> From: "Ed" <roleyed@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [RC]   Mentoring Thoughts
> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 09:46:55 -0500
>
> I do not see mentoring ever happening where the experienced rider would 
> have
> to ride with the new rider.  I say that because I have never rode a ride
> (25-50) where I could ride the pace of another horse the whole distance. He
> has always either wanted to go faster or slower than other horses. What
> could possibly work would be a system where experienced crews volunteered 
> to
> be set up with inexperienced riders and their crews so those who have been
> around could assist, teach and advise at the checks and even keep an eye on
> the horse. Also, marking the inexperienced horse/rider team with a colored
> ribbon (green?) may be useful so those with experience may keep a helpful
> eye on them on the trail intermittently. Ride managers could have a place 
> on
> entry forms where those with experience could indicate they wouldn't mind
> volunteering their expertise and crew to help like this or could identify
> them at ride meetings (in the SE the new riders have a short meeting and 
> the
> volunteering mentor crews could "hook up" with them there).
>
> Our first 50 found me getting Sawyer into trouble at the first VC. Joe
> Shoech saw I was having trouble and came over to us and helped us through
> the VC. No one asked him, he saw a need and filled it. Joe and his wife,
> Tamara, continue to be the newbies advocates in the SE. There are many out
> there who I am sure would help as long as they could still ride their rides
> and enjoy their time.
>
> I don't like the sound of "mandatory"! People like to help and people like
> to be helped and advice is better received when it isn't forced on them
>
> Just thoughts.
>
> Ed Roley & Sawyer (the sun is shining, it supposed to be near 60 this
> weekend-we're going riding!)
>
>
>
> ============================================================
> 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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The very essence of our sport is doing the trail as quickly as practicable,
while keeping one's horse fit to continue.  Taking the clock out of the
equation makes it another sport altogether.  The challenge is how to keep
the sport what it is while honing our skills (both as riders and as those
in control roles) in detecting where "the edge" is for each horse so that
we don't cross it. 
~  Heidi Smith
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