Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I've stayed out of this discussion so far because I'm new to endurance and 
don't know the personalities and politics involved. I also have no desire to 
participate in international competition. BUT, I feel compelled to say that 
I am disappointed and disillusioned by the way this whole situation appears 
to be shaping up. I can only hope that I have missed some important nuances 
due to lack of experience. One of the aspects that first drew me to 
endurance was the individuality of the sport - I love the fact that people 
can condition, train, strategize, and prepare the way they see fit. I love 
that people can wear what they want, use whatever tack suits them, and ride 
whatever horse they enjoy. To me, the most important team in endurance is 
the one between the rider and the horse, followed closely by the team 
between the rider, vets, crew, and ride management. I realize that 
international competition is different and while I appreciate and support a 
team of American endurance riders, IMHO it is a mistake to expect those 
riders to conform to some "team" dynamic when it involves training and 
conditioning their own horses. Yes, I think a "team" coach is beneficial in 
guiding the riders and perhaps clarifying or improving their preparation for 
competition, but I personally can't stand the idea of a "permanent training 
facility" or an indoor arena for endurance! Good grief, to me endurance is 
about going outside and riding different trails and conditioning in 
different terrain. To me, one of the most important things about preparing 
for a ride is the ability to be flexible and to adjust your approach based 
on your own horse. What are they going to do next? Expect everyone in 
endurance to wear the same clothes, use the same tack, do everything the 
same? Shoot, if I was interested in a sport like that I would be riding 
around an arena in glittery show clothes with hoof polish on my horse 
instead of boots and a heart rate monitor! URGH!!!

Sorry - thanks for letting me blow off steam and dump my own 2 cents in the 
discussion -
Jen


> Well, if this is the way we want to head with endurance riding.........
> I guess if a few riders want to do it this way, more power to them, but 
> leave me and most of us out of this.  I think the really competitive world 
> is a different world than most of us know and understand.  To me, who is 
> utterly non-competitive, it is so artificial and contrived.  It smacks too 
> much of the show ring, which is something many endurance riders have 
> escaped from.  But then....I'm not a good one to judge.
>
> Barbara

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