Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Heidi - this is one of the most insightful post I have seen posted on 
the subject. Yes, LD's are here to stay. Some people race them - some 
who should not but many if not most who do have prepared their horse for 
the task. Many have prepared their horse better to race an LD than many 
have prepared their horse to "finish a 50."

Truman

> Jonni, "we" are not "against" LDs.  Sadly, too often people draw wrong 
> conclusions as to why LDs are or are not offered.
>  
> As Steph tried to point out, revenue is not the only reason why rides 
> offer LDs.  (Thank goodness.)  At some rides, it is logistically not 
> practical.  At others, LD simply isn't the focus that day. 
>  
> On the other hand, it often IS logistically feasible, and there are 
> also times and places where there is appropriately considerable focus 
> on LD.  It isn't always about money--it is also about what the RM 
> wants to do and about what the set-up will accommodate.
>  
> That's simply the facts of life. 
>  
> That said, there ARE some RMs who have definite chips on their 
> shoulders about LD.  That's a fact of life, too.  And it's a free 
> market out there.  If there is a big LD market in a particular area, 
> and a RM is snubbing LD riders, then it behooves someone else to start 
> a ride that caters to that LD market.  It's that simple.
>  
> As for racing, no matter HOW you run the LD, you will find a small 
> number of people who want to race.  You won't change that, no matter 
> how you divvy out the awards.  The only way you can "handle" such 
> people is to have sufficient veterinary controls in place to 
> reasonably ensure that they don't trash their horses.  (I know, I 
> know, the rider is ultimately responsible for the health of his/her 
> horse--but if it weren't for those sorts of riders, we wouldn't NEED 
> ride vets, who ensure the health of our sport by overseeing such 
> riders...)  But the vast majority of LD riders just want to go out and 
> complete the trail with a sound and healthy horse, just like the 
> majority of endurance riders.
>  
> One really good tool for dealing with the racing LD rider is the AERC 
> BC process--and MAKE them stand for BC.  Then, if they have overridden 
> their horses, the vet has a couple of extra opportunities to examine 
> the horse and to make comments to the rider, as well as a written 
> format which the vet can use to good advantage, never mind an awards 
> format where the vet can announce ALL the scores, from the bottom up, 
> which tends to have the effect of making such riders not want to have 
> scores like that the next time.  (BTW, that is a useful veterinary 
> tactic at all distances, not just LD.)
>  
> Just my .02...
>  
> Heidi


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