"...ANY post on here, where anyone suggested a
brand new to the sport rider started with a 50 mile ..."
For every rule there is an exception. I
started in Distance riding by doing a one day UMECRA 50 mile CTR with an 8 hour
required ride time. We got second place heavyweight (think of it is second
high BC vet score).
The reason I was able to do it succesfully
were:
1. I had ridden, recreationally, for a number of
years with an endurance rider at that pace or faster.
2. Earlier that summer I had done 200 miles in 8
days with a charity wagon train.
3. Even though he was a QH, Skeeter was a
really awsome horse.
My bottom line is: While almost all riders
should start on 25's, there are exceptions. One of the prime exceptions is
experience with CTR that is run over similar distances and speeds.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875