Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Angie wrote:
"what do you think a
horse who does 3 100's and never does another ride being considered a
"bronze level endurance horse"?"

Dabney responds:
That horse deserves a bronze level, just as any ultra-marathoner should be 
rewarded for the extraordinary effort/training/skill it took to complete 3 
ultra-marathons.

Should that horse be retired for "whatever" reason (injury, other 
committments, breeding, new owner, or whatever), that does not diminish the 
horse's extraordinary achievement in having completed so many 
"ultra-marathons."

 For longevity, there are many other awards (see, i.e., mileage, decade 
club...)  As I think Truman said recently, the wonderful thing about this 
sport is the multi-level definition of "endurance."  The concept means: "for 
many years," as well as, "on any given day, over a prescribed distance, 
ending with a fit to continue horse."

Angie continued:
Think of all the people who are setting their sights on the decade club.
Will this program appeal to them at all if it's strictly 100's or will
they think, "That's for the elite group and I'm not part of it"?

Dabney responds:
I think it's the opposite.  I'm not talking about upping the 100s required, 
but rather ditching the other mileage--why would that discourage anyone?

To the contrary, I'd think a potential 100 miler might think:  "there's no 
way I can afford the time/$ to do all those 50s in addition to 100s (to meet 
the mileage requirement), but if I concentrate only on the 100s, I may have 
a good shot at it."

I guess the bottom line is that the mileage thinking is a  well-intentioned 
attempt at trying to prevent newbie riders from taking an unprepared horse 
into 100s just to get an award.   I appreciate the concern for our horses' 
welfare, but don't see that as any more of a problem (in fact, less so) than 
an LDer moving up to 50s:  they don't have to do a certain number of "LDs" 
in order to get awards for their 50's.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <rides2far@xxxxxxxx>
To: <AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 8:48 PM
Subject: [RC] Current 100 Mile Horses


> > Dabney responds:
> > Better than "nothing."  I still don't like the mileage requirement
> > in addition to the 100s.  LOOK at all the awesome 100 mile horses
>
> That's why I'm asking. I really hope we think this through and I don't
> think *my* way is necessarily right. Just want to look from all angles.
> If you throw out mileage, and have strictly 100's...what do you think a
> horse who does 3 100's and never does another ride being considered a
> "bronze level endurance horse"?
>
> Think of all the people who are setting their sights on the decade club.
> Will this program appeal to them at all if it's strictly 100's or will
> they think, "That's for the elite group and I'm not part of it"?
>
> I really like the way the PNR is using it as an *encouragement* to
> riders. That means more *to me* than the end "award" status.  Is this
> better handles by regional clubs?  What about regions that don't have a
> regional club?  My personal goal was for an *incentive* to achieve a
> certain level more so than recognizing higher level horses. Can it do
> both? Ideas?
>
> Angie
>
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