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RE: [RC] to Ride Alone in competition - Mcgann, Barbara

To me, its not a matter of distance, rather attitude and understandings.   Its hard to explain.   Seems to me (IMHO) there are three situations - you're riding "with" someone, you're riding your own ride; or you're drafting someone else. 
 
(1)  Riding "with" - as the people went by and my horse picked up a trot, I would probably ask them if it was OK to stay with them for a while.  Riding "with" someone implies that you are chattting, that everyone takes a turn going in front, in back, in the middle, or even moving up and riding side by side (which energizes most horses) when the terrain permits. 
 
(2) You're riding your own race.  people pass you at a trot and you continue walking.  Sometime later, you might pick up a trot and then come upon the same folks walking, but since you are setting your own pace, you would pass them and keep trotting (again terrain permitting).   This is also known as leapfrogging, and can be seriously aggravating to both you and them.  If you have the horse, then gallop on ahead and get way away from them.  If you don't have a horse that wants to go forward on his own, then pull up and let them get way ahead of you. 
 
(3) Drafting - you match the rider/riders ahead gait for gait, pace for pace, always staying just with sight.  If they walk, you walk, if they trot, you trot, etc.  Just like your horse will strain to catch up with the group, the LEAD horses will actually slow their pace and want to WAIT for that horse behind them to catch up.
 
Having said all that, I take it a lot more serious when someone drafts me when I'm riding alone, because I want them to either move up and be company for me and my horse, or let me go.   I don't understand why 2 riders together would care if a third person drafts them.
 
Barb McGann
-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Alison Farrin
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 11:47 AM
To: EquesB@xxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC] to Ride Alone in competition

This is a question I have wondered about since an incident on a recent ride.  Two riders passed me; as they continued on my horse was willing to pick up a trot and we rode about 5 to 20 horse lengths behind them.  I did not feel that I was drafting on them, as I was keeping well back.  However, they would occasionally drop to a walk, so quickly that I would get up to a couple horse lengths away before I could get my horse slowed down.  Since I abhor people who constantly pass then walk so you have to pass them, I was careful to keep far enough behind to not be a nuisance.  One of the riders turned around and said, if you are going to draft off of us, you should make your horse go ahead for awhile.  Somewhat surprised, as I wouldn’t have called it drafting, I replied that I would certainly try it, but he was a still green horse that was having issues with being out on the trail alone. (It was his first time alone on a trail in competition).  Sure enough, he didn’t go more than ½ a mile before all he wanted to do was walk. They passed me again and the woman in a somewhat snotty voice, said, at least you tried.  At that point, I dropped back until they were just barely in sight, enough to give my horse confidence that we weren’t out there all by ourselves.

 

So, for those of you who like to ride alone – what’s an acceptable distance to share the terrain with another horse without feeling like they are sharing your space?!

 

Alison A. Farrin

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of EquesB@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 8:06 AM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] to Ride Alone in competition

 

In a message dated 4/27/2006 10:30 A Eastern Standard Time, guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

so my choices are, run like heck and try to get away, stop and hope they go away,

This is a touchy situation, I am not particularly fond of having to use my horses energy to get away from people, but at the same time I sure don't own the trail, so I can't really tell someone to get away.  So there must be "courtesy zone" that a rider can expect to be their own, sounds like earshot would be a good distance in Bruce's case, but those who do not care for someone drafting, do you think you should control the trail within eyesight? Those who do not like drafting, what do you do when you come up behind someone else, pass? What if they are only traveling a smooch faster than yourself and it takes a while to overcome them?

 

Jackie Baker


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