Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

OK. Volunteered for my first CTR this weekend. I had volunteered at two 
endurance rides already. I'm a newbie that hasn't competed yet and have 
found that scribing has been a VERY educational experience for me!

Well, the ride manager, judge, vet, other volunteers, and riders were 
all FANTASTIC!!!!  A super nice group of people that I was glad to get 
a chance to meet!

But..........

I don't think CTRs are for me. The majority of posts I received to a 
previous inquiry about CTRs Verse Endurance LD seemed to favor me doing 
CTRs to start. Well, no thank you!!! I mean no offense when I say that 
I just don't think CTRs are for me.  I show already and have enough nit 
picking, subjectivity, thank you very much!  LOL

It was a LOOOOOOOOOONG day! It seemed to take forever to go over all of 
the little cuts, bumps, no hair patches, etc!!! My hand started to 
cramp at one point! I had so many bump marks on one sheet that the 
horse (morgan) looked like an Appaloosa when I was done!!! Plus, not to 
mention ALL of the trot outs with circles. Gees!!!

A very interesting thing was noted too. Almost 98% of the Arabians had 
small (miniscule) heat bumps while the cold blooded, thicker skinned 
breeds were clean. Well, all the morgan, draft cross, appaloosa types 
just shone in the final exam due to their thicker skin!! Most of the 
top horses were not Arabians and the winner was a draft cross!  I saw a 
lot of very thick horses (muscular) with very trappy knee action just 
clean up!!  I am thinking that they might have a hard time competing 
over more ground and at a faster pace. But, who knows! The horses that 
were dull to start and trotted crappy with their ears pinned back the 
whole time placed well too because they were still dull, trotting 
crappy, and with their ears pinned back at the end too!! Judging 
comment...No change!!!!!!  *grin*

Now, after having volunteered at both, I think I am definitely leaning 
toward Endurance!! As I said, I get enough subjectivity and nit picking 
with showing!

Everyone says that I will learn good horsemanship by doing CTRs. Well, 
guess what!! I have good horsemanship now (thanks 4-H!!) so that 
argument is lame!!!  I don't need to learn good horsemanship! I think 
I'm ok there!!!  Believe it or not but people can acquire good 
horsemanship through other ways than riding CTRs (gasp)!!!!!! *grin*

Plus, as I found out, if you ride a barefoot but booted horse (which I 
do) only one kind of boots are allowed.....easyboots without gaiters. 
Bummer. Those fall off so I use epics. Now what??

I just found the whole process so tedious that I was exhausted at the 
end of the day and I wasn't even riding!! Can you say Caffeine, 
please!!! :-)

I am in know way knocking the people that do CTRs. I think to each 
their own. I know that I am definitely leaning toward endurance. The 
riders and horses all seemed happy. Everyone had a great time!  
However, personally, I think I'll take endurance anyday!

Happy riding,

Sara


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