Re: [RC] newbie question re time limits in endurance v. ctr - Sisu West Ranch
The reason is that they are two different, but
related sports with different histories.
Endurance started with the 100 mile Tevis
ride. That is an extremely hard trail and a very long distance. It
was not even certain that 24 hours was enough time. Even today, most
horses need most of the 24 hours to complete.
When other rides and distances started the 24 hours
was just scaled back for 50 and 25 miles. The result was
that finishing in the maximum time, especially on an easy flat trail,
became very easy at the shorter distances. That doesn't matter though
because the winner is the horse, in acceptable condition, that has the shortest
time (in rides <50 miles shortest time to meet the final pulse criteria) for
the ride. It is sometimes nice, and beneficial to a horse to take the
whole time allowed.
Now CTR is a test of horse condition (and sometimes
"horsemanship"). It is necessary to make sure that the horses all work
hard enough to show differences in conditioning. The result is shorter
times, with a small window of time to complete. Various CTR organizations
have different allowed times. Some (UMECRA for example), do not announce
the time ( and thus the speed) until just before the ride. This allows the
vet to adjust the required speed to take into account both trail conditions and
the weather conditions. If it is all done properly, enough speed is
required to spread out the scores of the horses at the end of the
ride.
Endurance only folks can think of the UMECRA type
CTR as being a BC vet score determination on horses that have undergone a
standardized amount of exercise. Yes, I am aware of the whole arguments
that heavier horses would benefit from horse weight consideration etc.
That is just not the way that the sport is defined.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
