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Re: [RC] [RC] horsemanship learning NEVER ends---was CTR Thumbs down - Deanna GermanTracey, this definitely isn't personal, but I feel like I have to respond. One of the things that I've learned from being a distance rider, crew and ride volunteer is to not judge anyone else's horsemanship, especially if they are "getting it done." I learned that there are a gazillion means to the same end (a fit horse that can go down trail many more days) and some of them conflict directly with what other people are doing, yet the end result is the same. I learned to never judge anyone having metabolic or soundness problems. But for the grace of God, go I or whatever that saying is. I learned that every time I moved up in distance or speed that some new and unexpected challenge (often many challenges) popped up. I bet the same is true any time someone starts a new horse. I learned to appreciate the old and not-so-old campaigners who are racking up completions be it in CTR, LD or endurance. I learned that a person can do everything "right" and still have things go very, very wrong. I also learned that a person can do everything "wrong" and never have obvious problems. I've learned not to "poo-poo" CTR like I did when I was getting started. (Right, Sylvia?) CTR gave me a good base. I played the CTR game to win a few years back, but now I'll just take my completions, thank the manager, the vets and the volunteers and go home very happy. :-) Same with LD or endurance. And, heck, last ride I did, I learned that my mare will pee dark red about 5 or 6 hours after eating a couple of handfuls of alfalfa pellets for breakfast -- she just didn't need the extra calcium and was excreting it in her urine. (This lesson required a panicked consultation with the ride vet.) Hey, I even know of a pretty accomplished rider who lives in Michigan who, EEK!, doesn't ever feed beet pulp! >ggg< (Jeanie knows I adore her and that I think she deserves her own pedestal.) It works for her. I can't argue with her years of success. Take care. Deanna Tracey wrote: Well said Deanna! That is what I like about both CTR and Endurance is that I am contintuallly learning...and so are folks who are much more experienced than me. Just because someone was in 4H does not mean their horsemanship is bad....but I doubt they know all there is to know either. Take a good look at the pictures posted from Tevis and you will seen that quite a few of those riders could still stand to learn a few lessons in horsemanship. Not knocking them as they are at the "top of the sport" to even ATTEMPT such a ride...just saying there isn't a one of us that couldn't improve their horsemanship in one area or another and to think otherwise is being closed minded. Tracey =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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