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Re: [RC] Racing - Bruce Weary DCJeanne--I think we need to commonly define "racing" as it pertains to our sport. Certainly it doesn't mean coming in the last 1000 yards at a sprint. It describes the average, overall speed maintained over the course of the entire 25 or 35 miles. This tells the story of how much energy the horse has expended, not what speed he was going a few minutes before his final pulse criteria is to be met. You're mixing your metaphors when it comes to defining endurance racing. It's no secret that the AERC views distances of 50 miles or more as an endurance race, with a defined finish line with the first horse crossing it and meeting post-ride criteria defined as the winner. There is to be no such finish line for the LD. As such the intent of the LD ride is for it to be conducted differently than an endurance ride. The founders of the LD never intended for it to be a race. It is the desire of some LD participants themselves to change the intent and conduction of the LD ride to meet their particular desires, usually toward more personal recognition. In fact, I haven't heard of any other reason given. And the sheer numbers of participants is often insinuated as reason enough to change the rules to those ends. I agree that, as you say, not ALL riders begin with LD. But I would be willing to bet the overwhelming lion's share do. Easy enough to verify with Mike Maul, our resident statistics wizard. And since there are traditionally a significant number of beginners in LD, and in any endeavor beginners tend to make more mistakes, the concern remains for the horse being asked to do too much too soon with too little. Bruce Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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