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[RC] Winning - Bruce Weary DCHi Juli--It sounds like you're in the right place. Most riders are very nice on the trail, and those are the ones I choose to remember. If you're in this sport for very long, you will eventually encounter those who ride in and let their horse shove yours away from the water tank before he's done drinking. Or ride off while you close a gate instead of waiting for you to remount. Or find themselves bereft of trail etiquette because they are a just a little too stressed or caught up in the rigors of the day. But I see those riders as a test for me, and what reaction I choose toward them. Wayne Dyer asks "When you squeeze an orange, what comes out?" Answer: "Orange juice." Why? Because that's what's inside. When people are "squeezed," what comes out is what's inside. Sometimes, anger, rudeness and frustration. I have found the endurance trail is a very good place for me to work on what I allow inside. There are so many levels of satisfaction on the trail to be experienced. Another trail story I'll bore you with took place at the Cinder Lakes ride a few years back. I was riding my old white gelding, Thor, with my friend Ron Barrett, and another woman had caught up to us and was riding along side us. All of a sudden her horse, while at a trot, gradually lowered himself to the ground, and the astonished rider had no choice but to jump off. The horse popped up and promptly galloped off down the trail and out of sight. I gave the woman a water bottle, and told her to stay on the trail and to keep walking, and not to run. We assured her we would find her horse, and Ron and I rode ahead to search for him. About two miles down the well established trail, we saw the horse standing on a hill, his reins hanging to the ground. He stood stock still as we rode toward him, and he never moved as Ron got close enough to grab his rein. We ponied him back to his very relieved rider, and went on with our day. We never mentioned the incident to anyone, but apparently the rider did. The ride manager gave Ron and I a token "Good Sportsmanship" award. It was a zippered canvas bag, and I still have it. It reminds me of the satisfaction, not the recognition of that day. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have my horse run off to God knows where, and to feel virtually powerless to retrieve him by myself on foot in strange territory. I don't know what place Ron and I finished that day, but I'll always remember getting the chance to "ride in on my white horse and save the day." 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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